Lay summary
Despite the high incidence of ARF in Aotearoa and Counties Manukau, there is little information either in published medical literature or accessible to the general public, about the clinical features, management and long-term health outcomes of children in South Auckland who have been diagnosed with rheumatic fever in the last 20 years.
In this project, we will describe the health status of approximately 600 children diagnosed with ARF in Counties Manukau between 2008 - 2023, their clinical care and health outcomes. This information will help families to better understand the implications of a rheumatic fever diagnosis in a family member, and will help healthcare providers to tailor services to the needs of children and young people. Our project also aims to explore the impact of the global covid-19 pandemic on rheumatic fever in children from Counties Manukau and to measure the costs and direct economic impact of ARF hospitalisations.