Multi-agency Approach Research Articles

Effects of Social and Community issues in Inter-Ethnic Conflicts on Economic Growth in Muhoroni and Tinderet sub-counties in Kenya

Purpose: Inter-ethnic conflicts have had a negative impact on the global economic growth. In Africa, over $ 120 billion has been on spent on the vice thus affecting heragricultural sector consequently subjecting over 198,000,000 people to starvation and food insecurity. The Government efforts in mitigating the vice has bone no fruits as the number of deaths keeps on rising from an estimate of 7, 9 and 13 people in 2012, 2014 and 2016 respectively.The main objective was to assess the social and community effects of inter-ethnic conflicts on economic growth in Kenya.
 Methodology: Karl Marx’sConflict theory was adopted. A correlational research design was adopted.A population of 220 was considered. A response rate of 80.7% was realized thus affirming the significance and relevance of the data.The findings revealed that social issues had a negative effect with significant contribution to the economic growth (β=..666, p<.05) while community issues had a slightly weaker significant effect (β=.198,p<.05).Social and community issues of Inter-ethnic Conflicts had an effect on economic growth and accounted for 58.1% significant variance in economic growth (R square =.581, F(2, 217)=261.296, p=.000).
 Findings: The study concluded that the inter-ethnic conflicts in Nyando, Muhoroni and Tinderet sub-counties were the root causes of the stagnated economy.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommended various approaches namely enactment of legislation that can enforce punitive actions against the perpetrators; adopting multiagency approach in curbing the vice; stakeholder involvement and engagement in finding a lasting solution to inter-ethnic conflicts; the national government, lands commission and the members of the community explores ways to deal with matters land. There are efforts by the national government to foster peace through the administrative units and the county governments so as to avoid ethnicity. Significant progress has also been observed over the government’s commitment to narrow down to perpetrators of violence and hate speech causing fights. Plans that are put in place to oversee execution of justice should be enhanced and effective to ensure persons that become victims receive justice. The findings may aide the economic and peace integration commission stakeholders in advising potential investors as well as the government on promoting peace in the area. Scholars could also benefit by coming up with a model and more information in the area for guiding new researchers.

Barriers experienced with multi-agency responses to county line gangs: a focus group study

PurposeThis study aims to create a platform for frontline practitioners to share experiences, express opinions and forge new ideas for effective multi-agency work when responding to child exploitation by county line gangs (CLGs).Design/methodology/approachCLGs are grooming children as young as age 7. The need for effective multi-agency responses to grooming by CLGs is a key priority for prevention. Using findings from focus groups held with 13 youth practitioners, school staff and charities, this article highlights the barriers that multi-agency frontline practitioners face when they are tasked with responding to instances of child criminal exploitation by CLGs.FindingsDiscussions within the focus groups indicate there are many common barriers and driving factors with regards to young people being successfully groomed by a CLG. More specifically, findings from this research identified school exclusions and a lack of prosocial sense of belonging to be a driving factor that exacerbated the risk of being successfully groomed by a CLG. Lack of a significant adult relationship was also found to be a barrier to successful multi-agency intervention, which was attributed to the lack of funding and resources required for adequate staffing needed to build meaningful relationships.Originality/valueThis study offered the unique opportunity for practitioners from various different sectors and jurisdictions to share their experiences of not only working with young people involved in CLGs, but also their challenges when using a multi-agency approach. These discussions are particularly important in the case of CLGs due to the cross-jurisdiction nature of the gangs’ activities. This research has identified issues with multi-agency responses to CLGs and offers recommendations for improvement. Identifying and understanding the barriers that practitioners face when responding to CLGs can allow for the development and implementation of various measures, which will aid the safeguarding of vulnerable victims of exploitation by CLGs.

Suicide among psychiatric patients who migrated to the UK: a national clinical survey.

Within the UK, limited research has examined migration and suicide risk. To assist with tailoring mental health care to the needs of different migrant groups, it is important to identify the clinical profile and antecedents to suicide. We focussed on two groups of migrants: those resident in the UK for less than 5 years (recent migrants) and those seeking permission to stay in the UK. Data on mental health patients who died by suicide in the UK between 2011 and 2019 were obtained as part of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health. 13,948 patients died by suicide between 2011 and 2019: 593 were recent migrants with 48 seeking permission to stay in the UK. The overall suicide rate between 2011 and 2017 for patients seeking to stay was 23.8/100,000 (95% CI 17.3-32.1). There was some uncertainty around this estimate but it appeared higher than the general population suicide rate of 10.6/100,000 population (95% CI 10.5-10.7; p=.0001) for the same period. A higher proportion of migrants were from an ethnic minority group (15% recent migrants vs. 70% seeking to remain vs. 7% non-migrants) and more were viewed as at low long-term risk of suicide (63% recent migrants vs. 76% seeking to remain vs. 57% non-migrants). A higher proportion of recent migrants died within three months of discharge from psychiatric in-patient care (19% vs. 14%) compared to non-migrants. Proportionally more patients seeking to remain had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and other delusional disorders (31% vs. 15%) and more had experienced recent life events compared to non-migrants (71% vs. 51%). A higher proportion of migrants had severe or acute illness at the time of their suicide. This may be linked to a range of serious stressors and/or lack of connection with services that could have identified signs of illness early. However, clinicians often viewed these patients as low risk. Mental health services should consider the breadth of stressors migrants may face and adopt a multi-agency approach to suicide prevention. The Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

Out-of-home care characteristics associated with childhood educational underachievement, mental disorder, and police contacts in an Australian population sample

BackgroundChildren in out-of-home care (OOHC) are generally at increased risk of health and social adversities compared to their peers. However, the experiences of children in OOHC are not uniform and their associated health and social indices may vary in relation to characteristics of OOHC placements and child protection contact. ObjectiveTo examine associations between a range of characteristics of OOHC placements and child protection contact (e.g., number, type, and age of placement) with educational underachievement, mental disorder, and police contact (as a victim, witness, or person of interest) in childhood. Participants and settingParticipants were Australian children drawn from the New South Wales Child Development Study cohort who had been placed in OOHC at least once between the ages of 0–13 years (n = 2082). MethodsLogistic regression was used to examine prospective associations of OOHC placement and child protection contact characteristics (type of carer, placement instability, duration and frequency of maltreatment, and amount of time in care) with educational underachievement, mental disorder diagnosis and any type of police contact. ResultsPlacements with foster carers, greater placement instability, longer and more frequent exposure to maltreatment, and longer time spent in care were each associated with greater likelihood of consequences in all domains of functioning. ConclusionsChildren with certain placement characteristics are at higher risk of adverse consequences and should be prioritised for support services. The magnitude of relationships was not uniform across different health and social indices, highlighting the need for holistic, multiagency approaches to support children placed in care.

Tax evasion on lawful income: is it a form of money laundering?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine whether income tax evasion also constitutes money laundering if Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations are strictly applied, including cases where an offender evades tax on lawful income.Design/methodology/approachApply FATF conditions for money laundering to the tax evasion facts in United States v. Walter Anderson. In this case, the USA alleges that Anderson attempted to evade $200m of taxes on lawful income.FindingsAnderson’s tax evasion actions met all the FATF’s conditions for money laundering. FATF Recommendations imply that tax evasion, even on lawful income, is a form of money laundering. Tax evasion produces criminal tax savings and simultaneously launders those criminal proceeds.Practical implicationsThe FATF effectively classified all tax evasion as money laundering when it designated tax evasion among predicate offenses thereto. The FATF stopped short of explicitly stating this result. The FATF should seriously consider taking the next step: formally recognize tax evasion as one form of money laundering, and thus codify a single crime that covers both offenses. A single-crime approach may be unfamiliar to prosecutors, but it could enable a more effective multiagency approach to fighting financial crime. It could simplify prosecution, eliminate overlapping statutes and reduce concerns over double jeopardy.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first tax case analysis to indicate that tax evasion completely incorporates money laundering within the FATF framework.

The Effectiveness of Multi-Agency Operation Leadership in Mitigating Insecurity in Lamu County, Kenya

There has been much discussion among various stakeholders on the benefits of multi-agency operations in response to security threats. This discussion is constrained, though, in that it downplays the complexity of multi-agency operations. Despite this, several nations, like Kenya, have used a multi-agency approach to deal with challenges related to national security; nevertheless, there is insufficient empirical evidence about the usefulness of this method in reducing insecurity issues. This study aimed to ascertain how well multi-agency operations leadership mitigated insecurity in Lamu County, Kenya. The collaborative advantage theory served as the basis for the investigation. This study used an ex post facto survey research design methodology. The study was carried out in Lamu County with a particular interest in the county's security personnel: an interview schedule and a questionnaire with structured and open-ended questions served as the data-gathering tools. The essential characteristics of the quantitative data gathered were displayed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages. Thematic analysis was used to create themes by grouping and open coding. The study discovered that multi-agency collaboration leadership successfully reduced insecurity in Lamu County. The study marked these out to address cases of inter-agency rivalry disputes, agency inferiority and superiority complexes, and the necessity to build a shared working policy on the ranking structure for the concerned agencies. The ongoing multi-agency operation has made Lamu County, in general, safer and more stable. Researchers interested in the leadership efficacy of multi-agency procedures are expected to benefit from the findings of this study, as will policymakers in the security sector.

Social care professionals’ perceived barriers to implementing attachment and trauma-informed care training in their practice

Social care professionals support many children and their families with experiences of developmental trauma. There is a notable gap in research exploring the barriers these professionals face to working with an attachment and trauma-informed approach in the UK. The present study explores social care professionals’ reported barriers to using trauma and attachment principles in their practice. A thematic analysis was performed on responses drawn from a questionnaire completed by a sample of social care staff ( n = 98) who had received attachment and trauma-informed work training. These items explored barriers to working in an attachment and trauma-informed way on a personal and professional level, an organisational level, as well as what may overcome their identified barriers. Four main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) the widespread impact of trauma, (2) lack of funding, (3) inconsistent supportive culture, (4) inconsistent multiagency approach to trauma-informed care. Findings suggest that a whole systems approach to attachment and trauma is needed, in which there is an awareness of the impact of trauma, structures are in place to best support staff in their work, and everyone has a shared understanding and approach to working with these children and families. This study presents a promising start to identifying and making recommendations about what social care staff require to work in an attachment and trauma-informed way.

(Cost)-effectiveness and implementation of integrated community-based care for patients with severe mental illness: a study protocol

BackgroundAs severe mental illness (SMI) is associated with a high disease burden and persistent nature, patients with SMI are often subjected to long-term mental healthcare and are in need of additional social support services. Community-based care and support services are organized via different providers and institutions, which are often lacking structural communication, resulting in a fragmented approach. To improve the efficiency of care provision and optimize patient wellbeing, an integrated multi-agency approach to community-based mental health and social services has been developed and implemented.AimTo present a research protocol describing the evaluation of flexible assertive community teams integrated with social services in terms of effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and implementation.Methods/designA quasi-experimental study will be conducted using prospective and retrospective observational data in patients with severe mental illness. Patients receiving care from three teams, consisting of flexible assertive community treatment and separately provided social support services (care as usual), will be compared to patients receiving care from two teams integrating these mental and social services into a single team. The study will consist of three parts: 1) an effectiveness evaluation, 2) a health-economic evaluation, and 3) a process implementation evaluation. To assess (cost-)effectiveness, both real-world aggregated and individual patient data will be collected using informed consent, and analysed using a longitudinal mixed model. The economic evaluation will consist of a cost-utility analysis and a cost-effectiveness analysis. For the process and implementation evaluation a mixed method design will be used to describe if the integrated teams have been implemented as planned, if its predefined goals are achieved, and what the experiences are of its team members.DiscussionThe integration of health and social services is expected to allow for a more holistic and recovery oriented treatment approach, whilst improving the allocation of scarce resources. This study aims to identify and describe these effects using a mixed-method approach, and support decision-making in the structural implementation of integrating mental and social services.

Observational cross-sectional study of the association of poor broadband provision with demographic and health outcomes: the Wolverhampton Digital ENablement (WODEN) programme

ObjectivesThe association between impaired digital provision, access and health outcomes has not been systematically studied. The Wolverhampton Digital ENablement programme (WODEN) is a multiagency collaborative approach to determine and address...

A multifaceted, multijurisdictional, multiagency, and multidisciplinary approach to investigating unidentified and missing persons cases in Australia

Currently, there are approximately 750 unidentified human remains and 2500 long-term missing persons in Australia. The Australian Federal Police National DNA Program for Unidentified and Missing Persons (Program) is using a multifaceted, multijurisdictional, multiagency, and multidisciplinary approach in a dedicated effort to identify these unknown deceased persons, scientifically link them to known missing persons, and provide answers to their families. The nationally coordinated Program provides its police, forensic, and coronial stakeholders with a suite of contemporary forensic technologies, databases, and experts to forensically examine the skeletonised remains and recover post-mortem data for comparison to the available ante-mortem data for each missing person. Through a number of physical and virtual public outreach activities, families with missing relatives have been encouraged to provide vital ante-mortem forensic information, records, and samples to aid the identification process. To date, this unique Program has assisted to resolve a number of unidentified and missing persons cases from both historical and contemporary contexts, using a combination of genetic and non-genetic techniques, and local and national databases. The centralisation of Program capabilities, expertise, and resources to conduct this type of unique and challenging casework is proving to be the most effective and efficient way to generate investigative leads, identify human remains, and resolve long-term missing persons cases in Australia.

Stalking and the role of occupational therapy “you’re not living life to the full if you’re stalking”

PurposeThis discussion paper aims to highlight the role of occupational therapy (OT) in understanding stalking and in interventions designed to assist the perpetrator to lead a more fulfilling life through healthier occupations.Design/methodology/approachThis study highlights the role of OT in understanding stalking and in designing interventions to assist the perpetrator by extending discussions, drawing on the authors’ practitioner experiences and upon recent study findings on what drives men who stalk.FindingsStalking is a problem behaviour that is often effort-intense, all-consuming, emotionally driven and psychologically damaging for both victims and perpetrators. It consists of a patterned occupation of time which is overarchingly dysfunctional, yet intrinsically purposeful. As humans, our actions and occupations have meaning to us. Stalking can be conceptualised as a meaningful yet self-defeating and harmful pattern of occupations. This paper illustrates how stalking could be addressed through the additional contribution of OT to multi-agency approaches.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper extends the discussion by drawing on the authors’ clinical practitioner experiences and upon recent study findings on what drives men who stalk.Practical implicationsThis paper highlights the role of OT in understanding stalking and in interventions designed to assist the perpetrator to lead a more fulfilling life through healthier occupations.Originality/valueThis marriage of knowledge from OT and stalking research is set out in support of the application of OT within multi-agency approaches to working with people who stalk.

Continuum of Care: A Multiagency Approach to Seamless Warmed Prehospital Whole Blood Resuscitation of a Patient with Noncompressible Truncal Hemorrhage

Background Prehospital transfusion capabilities vary widely in the United States. Here we describe a case of prehospital resuscitation using warmed, whole blood in a patient with penetrating torso trauma and associated hemorrhagic shock. Case Report A 68-year-old man sustained a single gunshot wound to the left chest and was found to have a shock index of 1.5 at the time of emergency medical services (EMS) arrival. Rapid peripheral intravenous and central venous access enabled the infusion of warmed low-titer O-positive whole blood. The EMS crew intentionally resuscitated the patient before managing the airway by means of rapid sequence intubation. An air medical services helicopter crew assumed patient care from the ground EMS crew and continued the warmed, whole blood transfusion during the flight to a regional Level I trauma center. The patient went directly to the operating room from the helipad, underwent definitive operative management, and was ultimately discharged home on hospital day nine. Conclusion Early recognition of hemorrhagic shock, implementation of prehospital transfusion protocols that emphasize transfusion of warmed blood without interruption, and an organized, regional approach to trauma care are critical for improving patient survival.

Multi-Agency Working to prevent violent radicalisation

Multi-agency working (MAW) has increasingly been considered a promising approach to preventing violent radicalisation, allowing early and effective identification of individuals who may be at risk of violent radicalisation, and breaking down historical silos between agencies. This article provides an overview of the MAW approaches in the context of violent radicalisation in three countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Although these countries are neighbouring, the MAW approach is very different in each, in terms of legislation (e.g., on information sharing), structure (e.g., level of organisation, key actors), procedures (e.g., case management) and goals (e.g., target groups, role and function). There does not seem to be one general MAW approach in the field. This article identifies the goals, partnership, governance, information sharing, and other issues that can strengthen local MAW approaches. Through the ‘Evaluation and Mentoring of the Multi-Agency approach to violent radicalisation’ (EMMA) project, the question ‘What works under what conditions?’ will be assessed in each country by means of a realist process evaluation. As part of the project, a practical self-evaluation tool is being developed for local officials that will be widely applicable across different MAW approaches in Europe.

Using a quality first communication approach: Working systemically to support children with speech, language and communication needs in the youth justice system

Rationale:With knowledge of Special Educational Needs and Disability and systemic practice, Educational Psychologists (EPs) have a distinct role working in Youth Justice Services (YJS). The Taylor Review (2016) identified the need for a multi-agency approach, training and understanding of Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in YJS.Aims:This practitioner research aims to increase staff confidence, knowledge and understanding of SLCN and develop a multi-disciplinary SLCN pathway to support assessment and intervention.Method:A four-phase collaborative action research design based on the RADIO framework used mixed methods, including SEND data analysis, informal interviews, pre- and post-questionnaires, observations, and a review of resources. Quantitative data from pre- and post-training measures and a six-month follow-up were compared. Informed by grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), themes emerged from the qualitative data.Findings:Following training, staff reported changes in practice; 83 per cent of staff reported using the SLCN pathway to support casework and referrals. Five areas for development emerged: Staff roles and experience, knowledge of SLCN, specialist roles and responsibilities, understanding good SLCN practice and resources.Limitations:Findings reflect SLCN in this local context. The mixed methods approach compromised the reliability and validity of findings. The role and bias of the practitioner-researcher is noted. Future research should include children’s views.Conclusion:Working in multi-disciplinary YJS teams, EPs can support organizational change by developing staff knowledge, confidence and understanding of SLCN through training, consultation surgeries and the development of a SLCN pathway. A unique contribution of the project was the implementation of a Quality First Communication approach (QFC).

Policing mental health? Norwegian police’s work with preventing radicalization into violent extremism

ABSTRACT In this paper, we investigate how mental health-related issues have become part of the Norwegian police’s practical work in the prevention of violent extremism (PVE). Through interviews with Norwegian police, we show that mental health issues are a recurring part of their PVE work and that operating in the grey area between policing and health care is challenging. We show that for police, assessing whether extreme views and attitudes are just that – extreme – or indications of mental health issues can be difficult. We also show that the police tend to view mental health issues as one of many factors contributing to violent extremism rather than as a singular, causal factor. We argue for the importance of improving the police’s approach to mental health-related issues, both by increasing knowledge about mental health issues as basis for initial mental health assessments and by establishing access to competent professional health personnel. A better understanding of how mental health issues interact with other challenges in a person’s life, including aspects relevant to the criminal justice system – notably radicalization into violent extremism – and how multi-agency approaches can be best utilized in such circumstances, is needed in order to provide better PVE measures.

A systematic study on stock theft contributory factors during the South African lockdown

Undoubtedly, stock theft increased in most South African provinces during the lockdown period, thus, the objectives of this study were to provide a systematic discourse using news aggregators and seminal authors on this subject to showcase stock theft realities, and to establish the contributory factors thereof. The non-empirical research design: Systematic review methodology was used to analyse grey literature and primary research studies peer-reviewed and published, restricted from 2019-2020, as the Coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) pandemic swept South Africa by an elusive heavy storm, with 1998-2022 directed studies on this scourge, however, none sequential preference was adopted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP) were employed to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings of this study. This study establishes that the current nature of policing in South Africa is regarded as one of the notable root causes of the stock theft problem and this crime will continue to hike during the lockdown and post-lockdown periods if concerted steps are not taken urgently by the top echelons of the South African Police Service (SAPS), their actions against this practice is currently compromised or emasculated, and the consequences are clear to see. This study recommends that to effectively respond to the identified study themes; an active discourse relating to the contributory of stock theft during lockdown should be prioritised by the South African government. This multi-agency approach should include reporting of this crime, brand-marking and tattooing of livestock, embracing technological advancements to combat it effectively.

Nurse-led mental and physical healthcare for the homeless community: A qualitative evaluation.

Increased morbidity and mortality rates are prominent issues among homeless individuals. To help reduce these health inequalities, dedicated senior mental and physical health nurses have been deployed to work within and alongside local statutory and voluntary organisations. This qualitative evaluation examined the impact of nurse-led homeless healthcare in Warwickshire, United Kingdom. During January and February 2021, online semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 professionals including the mental and physical homeless health nurses (n=4), statutory health and local authority professionals (n=4), and voluntary and community sector professionals (n=9). Interviews were qualitatively analysed using inductive, reflexive thematic analysis. Data analysis identified three overarching themes related to the meaning, impact and future development of nurse-led homeless healthcare: (1) Nurse-led homeless healthcare and health inequalities, (2) The multi-agency approach of nurse-led homeless healthcare, and (3) Future development of nurse-led homeless healthcare. The findings confirm the benefits of homeless healthcare in reducing health inequalities and promoting a more accessible, flexible and person-centred approach to holistic care. Yet, prevailing organisational and system-level barriers were also identified as currently limiting the capacity, provision and practicalities of delivering nurse-led homeless healthcare. Recommendations were identified with international relevance and included: (i) continued implementation of person-centred healthcare for homeless individuals, (ii) strengthening of organisational collaboration and communication pathways to improve coordinated care, (iii) development of the managerial and structural aspects of provision, (iv) addressing limitations associated with scope and capacity to ensure that delivered healthcare is adequately intensive, (v) increased availability of clinical or therapeutic spaces, and (vi) implementation of long-term plans supported by evaluation and commissioning.

Occurrence of Psychiatric Disorders, Self-Sufficiency Problems and Adverse Childhood Experiences in a Population Suspected of Violent Extremism.

BackgroundPublic health-inspired programs for Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) have developed internationally in a relatively short period of time. Research into these programs is scarce. There is a need for information that helps drive public health interventions.ObjectivesTo present data on the occurrence of psychiatric disorders, self-sufficiency problems and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in a population suspected of violent extremism.MethodsA cross-sectional study, with data from screening reports for 34 adult subjects included in a multi-agency case-based approach on violent extremism in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Subjects were screened in the period between December 2015 to May 2021. Screening reports, which included the Screener for Intelligence and Learning Disabilities (SCIL) and the Dutch version of the Self-sufficiency Matrix (SSM-D), were used to gather information on the main outcome measures.ResultsMajor psychiatric disease categories were found to be mood and anxiety disorders and mild intellectual disability (each 29.4%), substance related disorders (35.3%), personality disorders (41.2%), and psychotic disorders (14.7%). Complex self-sufficiency problems, measured by the number of people who had self-sufficiency problems in 4+ domains and the number of people who had similar self-sufficiency problems as homeless people in Amsterdam, were found in 35.3 and 32.4% of the client sample. The most prevalent ACE were emotional neglect (47.1%), household mental illness (44.1%), and loss of a parent (38.2%), 35.3% had been exposed to 4+ ACE. An association was found between NACE and self-sufficiency problems on two domains, namely “Mental Health” (rho = 0.51, p = 0.002) and “Law and order” (rho = 0.42, p = 0.013).ConclusionsAn accumulation of social and psychiatric problems in people suspected of violent extremism underlines the importance of professionals in health and social care being actively involved in developing CVE approaches.

Tsunami damage and post-event disruption assessment of road and electricity infrastructure: A collaborative multi-agency approach in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand

Coastal infrastructure are critical to the effective operation of society, but are highly susceptible to tsunami impacts. There are limited studies in the tsunami risk assessment discipline on network scale impacts of a tsunami to critical infrastructure. This study proposes and tests a framework (consisting of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and impacts) for tsunami impact assessment of critical infrastructure. The framework is applied through a collaborative case study approach between researchers and practitioners to co-develop a deterministic tsunami impact scenario, including road and electricity network component damage, spatio-temporal service disruption and restoration estimates (roads) in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand. A series of workshops were conducted with the Christchurch City Council (local government) and Orion Group (electricity distribution) throughout the impact assessment process to validate, refine and contribute to inputs, methods and results of this impact scenario. Results indicate that several coastal suburbs could be isolated for 3–44 days, with 10–44 days required to reinstate all routes. Results provide inputs for informing mitigation initiatives for asset managers, planners and emergency managers. Results are used to inform recommendations for increasing tsunami resilience, including land-use management, emergency response planning, infrastructure component mitigation and network mitigation. This study contributes to the tsunami risk assessment discipline, specifically providing a framework and case study for estimating road and electricity network impacts from tsunamis. The framework and associated methodology presented in this study are applicable to other coastal urban environments exposed to tsunami hazards, for assisting in initiatives that increase tsunami resilience.

Examining the gender dimension in the non-medical use of over the counter and prescription only medication

There is concern regarding gender differences in problematic non-medical over the counter (OTC) and/or prescription only medication (POM) use. This issue has traditionally been considered a predominantly male and/or younger persons’ problem, but more recent transnational evidence shows that women across their life-course are increasingly and often more severely affected. Nevertheless, the bulk of research, policy and treatment services continue to be focused on men. This suggests the need for increased awareness, a shift in research and policy agenda and improved treatment access and engagement approaches, informed by a robust examination of the gender dimension. We present here a summary of current evidence around the epidemiology of non-medical use of OTC and POM and highlight the gender differences across the domains of healthcare interactions, changes across the life-course, experiences of trauma and barriers to obtaining support. We conclude by proposing a re-gendering agenda to challenge the ‘male by default’ tendency when designing, delivering and evaluating treatment services. For example, utilising co-production with a strengths-based approach has been found to balance gender power with positive outcomes for participants. Such approaches can help to address stigma and marginalisation, by embedding the lived experiences and voices of women in designing and providing treatment services, safe spaces and gender-sensitive treatment programs. It also means promoting coordinated, holistic, multidisciplinary and multi-agency approaches, and establishing a research strategy to fill knowledge gaps around the experiences of women. These changes should improve engagement with treatment services and consequent outcomes, especially in relation to OTC/POM.