Health care cost of crusted scabies in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, Australia

Health care cost of crusted scabies in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, Australia Journal Article

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

• Author(s): Campbell, Margaret, van der Linden, Naomi, Gardner, Karen, Dickinson, Helen, Agostino, Jason, Dowden, Michelle, O’Meara, Irene, Scolyer, Meg, Woerle, Hannah, Viney, Rosalie, van Gool, Kees
• Published: 2022
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Volume: 16

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Abstract: Crusted scabies is characterised by thick skin crusting and fissuring and can lead to serious secondary infections and death from complications. Rates of crusted scabies in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory (NT) are among the highest in the world. Efforts are on the way in Australia to prevent, if not eliminate, crusted scabies. We use data from a clinical audit of 42 patients diagnosed with crusted scabies in the Top-End of the NT to estimate the health system costs associated with diagnosing, treating and managing crusted scabies for patients and their households. This cost of illness study can provide a valuable starting point for policy makers and evaluators in estimating the potential economic impact of crusted scabies prevention programs on health care service use and costs.

• Urls: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010288