Home
Projects

See, Treat, Prevent Skin Sores and Scabies (SToP) Trial

Investigators:

Chief investigators: Professor Asha Bowen, Professor Jonathan Carapetis, Professor Steven Tong, Professor Julianne Coffin, Professor Andrew Steer, Associate Professor Roz Walker, Doctor Julie Marsh, Mr Raymond Christophers

Healthy Skin Researchers: Dr Hannah Thomas, Tracy McRae, Stephanie Enkel, Marianne Mullane

Project description:

Healthy skin is important for maintaining overall health and wellbeing. Some skin infections, if untreated, can lead to serious downstream health complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, or sepsis.

The See, Treat, Prevent Skin Sores and Scabies (SToP) Trial is a large clinical trial operating in the Kimberley region of WA, which aims to decrease the burden of skin sores in remote-living school-aged Aboriginal children by 50 per cent. In an effort to improve the awareness, detection, and treatment of skin infections, the SToP Trial is evaluating a package of activities aimed at Seeing, Treating and Preventing skin infections:

Seeing

Implementing school-based screening surveillance activities to check kids’ skin for infections and refer them to their local clinic if they need treatment.
Providing training for health workers, school staff and community members to improve detection of skin infections.

Treating

Making available in community clinics streamlined evidence-based treatment for skin infections that are safe, effective, less invasive and easier for people to manage.
Providing training for health workers to improve treatment of skin infections.

Preventing

Working with local communities to co-design and deliver community-driven skin-related health promotion and environmental health resources.
Building the capacity of children, through interactive workshops, to recognise skin infections.
The innovative trial is the first Australian healthy skin study to incorporate environmental health and health promotion elements.

Operating from 2016 until 2023, the SToP Trial is a collaboration between Telethon Kids Institute, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, WA Country Health Services – Kimberley, and Nirrumbuk Environmental Health Services. Nine Kimberley Aboriginal communities participated in the SToP Trial.

The results of the SToP Trial were interpreted with communities in mid-2023 prior to presentation to stakeholders at a September workshop in Broome. Publication is expected in 2024.

Partners: Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS), Western Australia Country Health Service-Kimberley (WACHS-K), Nirrumbuk Environmental Health Services

External collaborators:

Menzies School of Health Research
University of Melbourne, Doherty Institute
University of Western Australia
Western Australia Department of Education, Kimberley Region
Murdoch University
Catholic Education WA

Funders:

The SToP Trial is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and WA Department of Health Government (Healthway).

Gathering Circles – the SToP Trial Story

Gathering Circles, painted by Bardi man Luke Riches (2020), tells the story of the The SToP Trial. The circles represent the nine Aboriginal communities working with the SToP Trial. In Riches’ words “The circles vary in colour and composition, just as the communities hold their own unique identities. The backdrop of pindan orange and coastal blues convey the land and sea setting that makes the Kimberley so beautiful. The dot painted trails show a connection between the communities, of both foot trails and song lines that unite the people”.

Our Investigators

Asha Bowen

BA MBBS DCH FRACP PhD GAICD

Team Lead, Healthy Skin and ARF Prevention

Jonathan Carapetis AM

AM MBBS FRACP FAFPHM PhD FAHMS

Executive Director; Head, Strep A Translation; Co-Founder of REACH

08 6319 1000 Email me

Hannah Thomas

Postdoctoral Research Officer - SToP Trial

+61 8 6319 1346 Email me

Tracy McRae

BBCJ, MPH

Research Assistant and PhD Candidate

Stephanie Enkel

BSc (Hons), MPH, MIPH

Research Assistant; PhD Candidate

Email me LinkedIn

Marianne Mullane

BSc (OT)

Program Advisor, SToP Trial

Email me

SToP Trial Launch

First week of school visits mark official launch of the SToP Trial

Video

Hip Hop 2 SToP

Community-led Healthy Skin Resources

A number of community-led healthy skin resources have been co-designed during the SToP Trial, including a HipHop music video and a suite of healthy skin booklets in local language.

Led by communities in the Dampier Peninsula, HipHop2SToP was planned and produced in 2020 and involved 45 children from the region.

The healthy skin booklets were co-designed and developed following yarns with Elders and community members who requested local language and community context to be included in health promotion resources. Each booklets provides clear and concise key facts, including pictures, for an understanding of scabies, skin sores using local language. It explains what scabies and skin infections look like and how to treat them. Each booklet has the local language and context of the community.

The Gija story book includes traditional bush medicines knowledge and how these medicines can keep skin healthy.

We anticipate these booklets will help families to strengthen their knowledge of skin infections and assist clinicians when discussing and providing treatment.