Indigenous children suffer world’s highest rates of skin infections

Indigenous children suffer from serious skin infections 15 times more than non-Aboriginal children, according to the National Healthy Skin Guideline.

A trial, which followed 915 children and conducted 3,084 skin checks over a four-year period, led by The Kids Research Institute Australia, found that children in remote communities had the world’s highest rates of skin infections.

Skin infections have decreased considerably since the trial began, although the report noted that a reduction in skin diseases like impetigo and scabies could not be 100 per cent attributed to the SToP program.

The SToP program used skin checks and skin identification training for schools, clinics and families.

Treatment training for clinic staff and giving families different medication options to choose from was also part of the program and working with community to promote skin health was also key.

The director of the University of Queensland’s Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, James Ward, said the research highlighted the work being done to close the gap.

“Ultimately these things are associated largely with poverty and chronic housing shortages in remote Australia,” he told the ABC.

“The SToP approach is the more comprehensive approach we require more of in Indigenous communities.

“We’re living in a developed nation. We shouldn’t be seeing these among any population.”