Tulsipur

Researchers are evaluating how effective a school-centered program is at reducing the hidden presence of rheumatic heart disease among schoolchildren in Nepal. The study also aims to understand how social and environmental factors contribute to the development and worsening of this heart condition. Rheumatic heart disease remains a major cause of death globally, with many children living in areas where this disease is common and often linked to untreated throat infections caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococci. The program involves school nurses who provide healthcare by assessing and treating throat infections, following up on affected children, and helping those with early, hidden signs of rheumatic heart disease receive preventive antibiotic treatments. The study will measure the prevalence of latent rheumatic heart disease in children aged 5 to 16 years attending Tulsi Secondary Boarding School in Tulsipur, Nepal, before the program starts, and then again two and four years after the program begins. Participants will undergo heart ultrasounds to detect early disease signs and will provide information about their social and environmental backgrounds through interviews. Researchers will track changes in disease rates over four years and identify factors linked to disease progression. The study focuses on ensuring equitable healthcare access through this school-based program and aims to contribute important knowledge on preventing rheumatic heart disease in children.