Control programs and registers vary by jurisdiction
Under the Rheumatic Fever Strategy, the Australian Government contributes to rheumatic heart disease (RHD) control programs in 4 jurisdictions: Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
In the reporting period, these programs were funded to support:
- improved clinical care, including improved delivery of and adherence to secondary prophylaxis antibiotics
- provision of education and training for health care providers, individuals, families and communities
- collection and provision of agreed data annually to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) for national monitoring and reporting of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and measuring program effectiveness in the detection and management of ARF and RHD
- maintenance of a dedicated state-wide patient register and recall system for ARF and RHD.
The RHD control program and register operating in New South Wales is supported by the New South Wales government.
ARF and RHD became notifiable in Victoria in the middle of 2023. It is notifiable for all ages and notifications include both newly diagnosed and existing cases. Information from the 5 jurisdictional ARF/RHD registers and notified cases in Victoria is compiled by the AIHW to provide information about ARF and RHD in Australia (Box 2.1).
Box 2.1: Acute rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease registers
The jurisdictions where ARF and/or RHD are notifiable and/or have registers in place use different data collection practices. As a result, the number of cases, data quality, and completeness vary. Table 2.1 summarises the ARF and/or RHD notification programs and/or the establishment of registers across the jurisdictions.
| Type of register or notification | NSW | Qld | WA | SA | NT | Vic(e) | Tas, ACT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHD control program | 2015 | 2009 | 2009 | 2010 | 1997(a) | n.a. | n.a. |
| ARF/RHD register | 2016 | 2014(b) | 2009 | 2012 | 1997 | n.a. | n.a. |
| Definite ARF notifiable | 2015 | 1999 | 2007 | 2016 | 1996 | 2023 | n.a. |
| Probable ARF notifiable | 2015 | 1999 | 2015 | 2016 | 2019 | 2023 | n.a. |
| Possible ARF notifiable | 2015 | 1999 | 2015 | 2016 | n.a. | 2023 | n.a. |
| Confirmed RHD notifiable | 2015(c) | 2018(d) | 2015 | 2016 | 2019 | 2023 | n.a. |
- The Top End Control Program was established in Darwin in 1997 and expanded in 2000 to include the whole Northern Territory.
- Prior to the current register, Queensland utilised the FERRET electronic patient record system for North Queensland Health facilities from 2009-2014.
- In New South Wales, RHD is notifiable only in persons aged under 35.
- In Queensland, RHD became a notifiable condition on 1 September 2018.
- In Victoria, both ARF and RHD became a routine notifiable condition on 31 July 2023.
Source: Adapted from RHDAustralia (ARF/RHD writing group) 2022.
RHDAustralia (ARF/RHD writing group) (2022) The 2020 Australian guideline for the prevention, diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, (3.2 edition, March 2022), RHDAustralia, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin.