Factors supporting sustainability of a community-based scabies control program.
Scabies remains a major problem in Aboriginal communities within the Northern Territory of Australia. Secondary skin infection with Group A streptococcus (GAS) is very common and post-streptococcal disease rates remain high. Treating families in isolation will have only limited success, as reinfection frequently occurs as a result of the high levels of movement between households and communities. We describe the results of a successful community intervention to reduce scabies and GAS skin infection in one of the largest Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, 15 months post-intervention, and we discuss factors that have led to the success and sustainability of the program.
Wong
Li-Chuen
LC
Skin and Cancer Foundation, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. owong@gtjl.com.au
Amega
Beth
B
Barker
Ruth
R
Connors
Christine
C
Dulla
Mary Elizabeth
ME
Ninnal
Angela
A
Cumaiyi
Margaret Mary
MM
Kolumboort
Loyola
L
Currie
Bart J
BJ
D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003256:Community Participation; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015876:Northern Territory / Q000453:epidemiology; D026023:Permethrin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012532:Scabies / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
D007306:Insecticides; D026023:Permethrin