Significant healthcare resource utilisation in the management of skin and soft tissue infections in the Torres Strait, Australia
Fox, Haylee, Hempenstall, Allison, Pilot, Pelista, Callander, Emily, Smith, Simon, McDonald, Malcolm I., and Hanson, Josh (2024) Significant healthcare resource utilisation in the management of skin and soft tissue infections in the Torres Strait, Australia. Rural and Remote Health, 24 (2). 8572.
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Abstract
Introduction: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (First Nations Australians) living in remote communities are hospitalised with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) at three times the rate of non-First Nations Australians. The Torres Strait in tropical northern Australia has a highly dispersed population mainly comprising First Nations Australians. This study aimed to define the health service utilisation and health system costs associated with SSTIs in the Torres Strait and to improve the quality of regional healthcare delivery. Methods: The research team conducted a retrospective, de-identified audit of health records for a 2-year period, 2018–2019. The aim was to define health service utilisation, episodes of outpatient care, emergency department care, inpatient care and aeromedical retrieval services for SSTIs. Results: Across 2018 – 2019, there were 3509 outpatient episodes of care for SSTIs as well as 507 emergency department visits and 100 hospitalisations. For individuals with an SSTI, the mean outpatient clinic episode cost $240; the mean emergency department episode cost $400.85, the mean inpatient episode cost $8403.05 while an aeromedical retrieval service cost $18,670. The total costs to the health system for all services accessed for SSTI management was $6,169,881 per year, 3% of the total annual health service budget. Conclusion: Healthcare costs associated with SSTIs in the Torres Strait are substantial. The implementation of effective preventative and primary care interventions may enable resources to be reallocated to address other health priorities in the Torres Strait.
| Item ID: | 87529 |
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| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1445-6354 |
| Keywords: | Australia, health economics, Indigenous Australians, infectious skin diseases |
| Copyright Information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Dec 2025 00:46 |
| FoR Codes: | 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450402 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander biomedical and clinical sciences @ 100% |
| SEO Codes: | 21 INDIGENOUS > 2103 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health > 210303 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health system performance @ 100% |
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