Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40446025›Full record

ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2025

Evaluating the effectiveness and sustainability of a primary healthcare strategy to reduce the prevalence of strongyloidiasis in endemically infected Indigenous communities in Northern Australia.

Wendy A Page, David Blair, Karen Dempsey, Beverley-Ann Biggs, Jenni A Judd

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Wendy A PageMiwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-5669-529X
David BlairCollege of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.
Karen DempseyMiwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia.
Beverley-Ann BiggsDepartment of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Peter Doherty Institute for Immunity and Infection, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Jenni A JuddJawun Research Centre, School of Graduate Research, Central Queensland University, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStrongyloidiasis is endemic in many remote Indigenous communities in Australia. Early diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of chronic strongyloidiasis can prevent life-threatening clinical complications and decrease transmission in these endemic communities. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of a primary healthcare strategy designed to measure and reduce the prevalence of strongyloidiasis in four remote communities in northeast Arnhem Land. METHODOLOGY: The primary healthcare strategy was a prospective, longitudinal, health-systems intervention designed to integrate serological testing for chronic strongyloidiasis into the Indigenous preventive adult health assessment utilising the electronic health-record systems in four Aboriginal health services. Positive cases were recalled for treatment, and opportunistic follow-up serology after six months. Results were tracked using Strongyloides reports generated by the electronic health-record system. This paper describes the changes in prevalence, effectiveness of treatment, and reinfection during the implementation phase, 2012-2016. An improved Strongyloides electronic report was developed to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of the intervention to the end of 2020. PRINCIPAL

findingsDuring the entire period 2012-2020, 84% (2390/2843) of the resident adults in the four communities were tested for strongyloidiasis at least once. Prevalence was reduced from 44% (1056/2390) ever-positive to 10% (232/2390) positive on their last test. Of positive, treated cases with a follow-up serology test, the last test was negative in 85% (824/967) of individuals. Point prevalence continued to decrease in each community four years after the end of the implementation phase.

conclusionsThe results provided practice-based evidence of a significant decrease in the prevalence of strongyloidiasis attributable to the strategy which could be replicated in other health services utilising electronic health-record systems. The final evaluation demonstrated the sustainability and ongoing benefits for endemically infected communities, and the key role that health services can play in strongyloidiasis prevention and control programs.

Indexed as

Endemic DiseasesPrimary Health CareStrongyloidiasisAdolescentAdultAnimalsAustraliaFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceProspective StudiesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID40446025
PMCPMC12148227

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.