Raising rheumatic heart disease awareness in the South Burnett region

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The Healthy Skin, Healthy Heart clinic returns to Cherbourg this week, creating awareness around the connection between skin and heart health.  

In March, more than 700 South Burnett residents took part in the first iteration of the program to improve their skin health, and in turn their overall health and well-being.

As part of Darling Downs Health’s holistic approach, clinics this week will continue this work while also educating the community about the potential for skin infections to cause acute rheumatic fever (ARF), which can lead to rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Healthcare workers from the Darling Downs Public Health Unit and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health team, along with health professionals from Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, and Toowoomba will conduct skin checks and screening for rheumatic heart disease.

“Rheumatic heart disease is a serious disease, but the good news is that it is preventable,” Darling Downs Public Health Physician Dr Priya Janagaraj said.

“This serious condition disproportionally affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with about 3-5 percent of Aboriginal people living in remote and rural areas with the disease."  

A simple course of antibiotics can treat Group A Streptococcus infection in the skin or throat but if these infections remain untreated, they can lead to acute rheumatic fever, which causes an inflammatory response in the body. Over time, recurrent episodes can damage the valves located in the heart causing a permanent condition known as rheumatic heart disease.

“There is a direct correlation between having healthy skin and a healthy heart,” Dr Janagaraj said.

“Preventing Strep A infections in the skin or throat and treating it early with antibiotics is key to eliminating RHD." 

The echocardiograms (heart screens) will be conducted in Cherbourg and Murgon for people aged between five and 20 years.

“This early screening will help to identify young people with rheumatic heart disease and provide an opportunity to stop the progression of heart damage,” Dr. Janagaraj said.

The Healthy Skin, Healthy Heart program also includes environmental health information for the community.

The Healthy Skin, Healthy Heart clinic will be held in the Cherbourg Community Hall and Barambah Youth Services in Murgon between 9 am and 5 pm on Tuesday 13 June, and Wednesday 14 June.

Residents can also attend the Cherbourg Hospital or CRAICCHS for advice and more information.