| CRCAH Project No. SD182 |
Administering Organisation:
NT Department of Health and Families
Program Manager:
Scott
Davis
Project Leader:
Natasha Clements
Contact Details:
NT Department of Health and Families
Tel: 08 8922 7181
Email: Natasha.Clements@nt.gov.au
Funding Source:
NT Department of Health and
Families
This project was endorsed as an in-kind
project of the CRCAH.
NOTE: NT Department of Health and Families was formerly known as
NT Department of Health and Community Services.
|
Project Summary:
Infectious disease such as respiratory and intestinal infections
are the leading causes of hospitalisation for Indigenous infants
and children in the NT, with rates many times higher than in the
non-Indigenous population. Skin infections are also a major
contributor to the burden of illness experienced by Indigenous
infants and children.
Poor environmental health conditions are one of the underlying
factors behind the high rates of chronic disease in remote
Indigenous communities. This project sought to reduce the incidence
of infectious disease in young children by increasing the rate of
handwashing. The project also considered the influence of poorly
maintained housing on health outcomes. Housing is identified as one
of the key social determinants of health.
Summary of Projected Outcomes:
The long term goal of this project was to reduce the person to
person, and environment to person, transmission of pathogenic
organisms which cause diarrhoea, skin sores and respiratory
disease. The objectives of the project were to:
- Increase the rate of hand washing with soap after using the
toilet, after cleaning up after a child who has defecated and
before handling food among men, women and children.
- Increase awareness about the benefits of washing hands with
soap after going to the toilet, after cleaning up after a child who
has defecated and before handling food among men, women and
children.
- Positively influence the attitude of men, women and children
about washing hands with soap after going to the toilet, after
cleaning up after a child who has defecated, and before handling
food.
- Increase awareness about the importance of safely disposing of
children's faecal matter (disposable nappies in the bin, use
toilets, clean up after small children when they defecate on the
ground, soak soiled cloth nappies).
Strategies for implementation:
Determine the
barriers and drivers to handwashing with soap in Indigenous
communities, using formative research.
Develop and implement
a social marketing campaign and community based strategies to
promote the benefits of handwashing and the safe disposal of
children's and infants' faeces. The project will be piloted in an
Indigenous community in the Top End and in Central
Australia.
Develop a plan to
improve housing maintenance outcomes in conjunction with Community
Housing Officers and councils.
Timeline: April 2006 - April 2008
Project Resources:
Related Links:
No Germs on Me - Hand Washing Campaign webpage (NT Department
of Health and Families)
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Page last updated on 14.08.08
