\ud Strategic Social Marketing for Expanding the Commercial Market of Insecticide Treated Nets in Tanzania\ud

\ud The Department for International Development (DfID) has been supporting the introduction of ITNs in Tanzania since January 1998. The social marketing of ITNs for malaria prevention in Tanzania was introduced at a national scale in 2000 through the project Social Marketing of Insecticide Treated Nets (SMITN), funded by DfID and the Royal Netherlands Embassy (RNE) and implemented by Population Services International (PSI). This report reflects the SMARTNET project performance since July 2002. The SMARTNET project started in 2002 then was extended in 2004 and continued up to June 30th, 2007. The SMARTNET project was aimed at reduction of infant and under-5 mortality rates. The purpose of the project was to attain the Abuja target of regular usage of insecticide-treated nets (ITN) by 60% of the Tanzanians at high risk of malaria (children under-5 and pregnant women). The project aimed to increase the commercial availability of nets, at affordable prices; establish a nation-wide culture of ITN use; raise the percentage of net treated effectively with insecticide; and establish and maintain a monitoring and evaluation system. Population Services International Tanzania was contracted by DFID and RNE. The project is supervised by the NatNets Steering Committee, under responsibility of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), part of the Directorate of Preventive Services of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW). The commercial sector distributes and sells nets through a retail network, which reaches most of the wards in Tanzania. Over the years the sale of nets has increased steadily and will probably reach 3.5 million nets by the end of this year. The TRaC survey (PSI’s monitoring tool) conducted in April 2007 reports that 63% (54%) of pregnant women and 69% (55%) of U5s slept under a net (ITN) the previous night. Through the SMARTNET project insecticide re-treatment kits (NGAO) are promoted and the project has been making the net treatment kits free of charge available to all Tanzanian net manufacturers (TNM), for bundling with new nets. Purchasers of nets treat their new nets at home. While the regular Ngao protects for six months, PSI has introduced a longer lasting net treatment product, called Ngoa ya Muda Mrefu, which sustains under laboratory conditions at least 15 washes. The retreatment kits are sold through a dense network of retailers throughout the country. By the end of 2004 the Tanzania National Voucher Scheme (TNVS) was introduced, which issues vouchers to women during their first antenatal visit to a health clinic. This scheme is funded through subsidies from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). With the voucher women can purchase nets at a strongly reduced price (an average of US $ 1.00) from an accredited retailer of nets. Through this voucher system over 2 million nets have been purchased so far. About 80% of distributed vouchers are redeemed. The TNVS is the necessary complementary activity to reach large groups of the population at risk and to bring the nets within reach of the majority of the poor in the country.\u

Hearing health outreach services to Indigenous children and young people in the Northern Territory 2012–13 and 2013–14

Presents analyses on hearing health outreach services provided to Indigenous children and young people in the Northern Territory. Summary This report presents information on ear and hearing outreach services funded by the Department of Health and delivered by the Northern Territory Department of Health between July 2012 and June 2014. The main funding sources for these services are the National Partnership Agreement on Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory and the Healthy Ears—Better Hearing, Better Listening program. The report also includes information on hearing health and middle ear conditions among service recipients. Service delivery In 2013–14, 2,122 outreach audiology services were delivered to 1,764 Indigenous children and young people. In total, from July 2012 to June 2014, 4,054 audiology services were delivered to 2,889 children and young people. Child Hearing Health Coordinators (CHHCs) conducted 697 visits to 675 children in 2013–14—slightly below the target of 700 children set by the Australian and Northern Territory governments. In total, 1,140 children were seen at 1,208 CHHC visits from July 2012 to June 2014. A total of 860 ear, nose and throat (ENT) teleotology services were provided to 766 children and young people in 2013–14. From July 2012 to June 2014, 1,684 ENT teleology services were provided to 1,283 children and young people. Hearing health status among children and young people who received services Hearing loss was present in 55% of children and young people who received outreach audiology services at their latest service in 2013–14. Hearing health status improved for a large proportion of the children and young people who received 2 or more outreach audiology services. Of the 498 children and young people who had hearing loss at their first audiology service, 41% experienced functional improvements in their hearing (with 26% regaining normal hearing capability at their last check, and 15% having their hearing loss status improve from bilateral to unilateral). Among 102 children and young people with hearing impairment at their first audiology check, the severity of impairment improved for 50% at their last check, remained at the same level for 40%, and deteriorated for 10%. Middle ear conditions among children and young people who received services In 2013–14, of the 1,791 children and young people who received an audiology or ENT service, 67% were diagnosed with at least 1 type of middle ear condition (an increase from 61% in 2012–13)—most commonly otitis media with effusion (24%). Of the 781 children and young people who received 2 or more ENT or audiology services from July 2012 to June 2014, the proportion diagnosed with at least 1 middle ear condition between the first and last service decreased, from 79% to 76%. Improvements were seen for those who received 3 or more services since August 2007: the proportion of children and young people diagnosed with at least 1 middle ear condition decreased, from 81% at the first service to 55% at the last service. Among those diagnosed with chronic suppurative otitis media with discharge or dry perforation at an initial service, overall, the results suggest poor progress, with the majority of these children and young people still experiencing the same condition or developing another type of ear disease over the course of their treatment

Disability support services: services provided under the National Disability Agreement 2013–14

In 2013–14, an estimated 321,531 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement, including 4,200 who transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme during the year. Summary In 2013-14, an estimated 321,531 people used disability support services under the National Disability Agreement (NDA)-a 9% increase since 2009-10, and a 3% increase since 2012-13. Of those who used NDA services in 2013-14: 44% used community support services, 41% used employment services, 18% used community access services, 14% used accommodation  support services, and 12% used respite services around three-quarters  (74%) were aged under 50, with an average age of 34 most (59%) were male majority (87%) were Australian-born 6% were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people more than half (55%) had an intellectual or learning disability (44% as their primary disability) many needed at least some assistance with activities of daily living (68%), activities of independent living (82%), and activities of work, education and community living (86%) more than half (54%) lived with their families close to one-third (32%) of those aged 15 and over were not in the labour force 70% of those aged 15 and over who were in the labour force were unemployed an estimated 4,200 transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme during the year

Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2013–14

Alcohol and other drug treatment services across Australia provide a broad range of treatment services and support to people using drugs and to their families and friends. This report presents the information for 2013–14 about publicly funded alcohol and other drug treatment service agencies, the people they treat and the treatment provided. Summary Around 119,000 clients received over 180,000 treatment episodes from 795 publicly funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies across Australia An estimated 118,741 clients received treatment in 2013–14. This equates to a rate of 509 clients per 100,000 people, or about 1 in 200 people in the general population. About 2 in 3 clients were male (67%) and 1 in 2 were aged 20–39 (54%). Despite only comprising 2.7% of the population, 1 in 7 (14%) clients were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Treatment agencies provided a total of 180,713 treatment episodes—an average of 1.5 episodes per client—and 4 in 5 (79%) episodes ended within 3 months. There has been a steady increase in the number of treatment episodes provided over the last 5 years (from 145,630 to 180,713), an increase of 24%. Between 2012–13 and 2013–14, the estimated number of clients who received treatment increased by 8%. Of those clients who received treatment in 2013–14, 22% also received treatment in 2012–13. The age profile of people receiving treatment suggests there is an ageing cohort of clients Over the 5 years to 2013–14, the proportion of treatment episodes for clients who were aged 20–29 fell from 29% to 27%, while the proportion for those aged 40 and over rose from 30% to 33%. Alcohol continues to be the most common drug leading clients to seek treatment but treatment for use of amphetamines is increasing Alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines and heroin  have remained the most common principal drugs of concern for clients since 2003–04. Nationally, alcohol was the most common principal drug of concern in 2013–14, accounting for 40% of episodes. For clients aged 30 and over, alcohol was the most common principal drug of concern, while for clients aged 10–29, cannabis was the most common. Since 2009–10, the proportion of episodes where alcohol was the most common principal drug of concern has decreased (from 48% to 40%), while the proportion of episodes for amphetamines have increased (from 7% to 17%). The number of episodes for clients injecting and smoking/inhaling amphetamines has also increased, with more than 6 times as many clients smoking/inhaling in 2013–14 as in 2009–10. Most clients have more than 1 drug of concern In more than half (54%) of treatment episodes, the client also reported additional drugs of concern. Just under a third (29%) had 1 additional drug of concern and 13% had 2 drugs. Nicotine and cannabis were the most common additional drugs of concern. Counselling continues to be the most common type of treatment Since 2003–04, the proportion of episodes for each main treatment type has remained fairly stable, with counselling, withdrawal management and assessment only being the most common types of treatment. Counselling continues to be the most common main treatment type provided for clients (2 in 5 episodes since 2003–04). &nbsp

Youth justice in Australia 2013–14

Presents information on all young people who were under youth justice supervision in Australia during 2013–14, both in the community and in detention. It also explores key aspects of their supervision, and recent trends. Introduction The youth justice system is the set of processes and practices for managing children and young people who have committed, or allegedly committed, an offence. While each state and territory in Australia has its own youth justice legislation, policies and practices, the general processes by which young people are charged and sentenced, and the types of legal orders available to the courts, are similar. Separate justice systems exist for young people and adults. Young people can be charged with a criminal offence if they are aged 10 and older. The upper age limit for treatment as a young person is 17 in all states and territories except Queensland, where the limit is 16. However, some young people aged 18 and older are also involved in the youth justice system. This may be due to the offence being committed when the young person was aged 17 or younger; the continuation of supervision once they turn 18; or their vulnerability or immaturity. Also, in Victoria, some young people aged 18–20 may be sentenced to detention in a youth facility under a ‘dual track’ sentencing system, which is intended to prevent vulnerable young people from entering the adult prison system at an early age.   A young person first enters the youth justice system when they are investigated by police for allegedly committing a crime. Legal action taken by police may include court actions (the laying of charges to be answered in court) and non-court actions (such as cautions, conferencing, counselling or infringement notices). A court may decide to dismiss the charge, divert the young person from further involvement in the system (for example by referral to mainstream services), or transfer them to specialist courts or programs. If the matter proceeds and the charge is proven, the court may hand down any of a number of orders, either supervised or unsupervised. &nbsp