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Perceptions Of Surgeons On Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis Use At An Urban Tertiary Hospital In Tanzania, Elizabeth Mmari, Eunice Pallangyo, Authar Ali, Dereck A. Kaale, Isaac Mawalla, Muzdalfat Abeid

General Surgery, East Africa

Background: Surgical Site Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among operated patients. In spite of the accessibility of universal and national guidelines for surgical prophylaxis, recent studies surveying the present routine of prophylaxis have demonstrated overutilization of a wide range antibacterial medication for a single patient. Few studies have shown qualitatively factors influencing this and perceptions of surgeons on surgical antibiotic prophylaxis use. Unfortunately, none of these studies have been done in Tanzania.

Objective: To describe the perceptions of surgeons on surgical antibiotic prophylaxis use at an urban tertiary hospital.

Methods: A qualitative study …

Seroprevalence Of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, Anti-Hcv Antibodies And Hiv And Knowledge Among People Who Use Drugs Attending Methadone Therapy Clinic In Tanzania; A Cross-Sectional Study, Semvua B. Kilonzo, Daniel L W Gunda, David C. Majinge, Hyasinta Jaka, Paulina M. Manyiri, Fredrick Kalokola, Grahame Mtui, Elichilia R. Shao, Fatma Bakshi, Alex Stephano

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background

Methadone therapy clinics have been recently introduced in Tanzania, aiming at reducing risk behaviors and infection rates of viral hepatitis and HIV among people who use drugs. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence, associated factors and knowledge level of these conditions among people who use drugs attending a methadone clinic in Tanzania.

Methods

We enrolled 253 People who using drugs receiving Methadone therapy. Clinical data was retrospectively collected from the medical records and face-to face interviews were conducted to determine the behavioral risk factors and respondents’ knowledge on viral hepatitis and HIV.

Results

An overall …

Trends And Causes Of Socio-Economic Inequality In Teenage Pregnancy And Childbearing In Tanzania, Magashi Joseph, Asela Miho

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The paper analyses the trends and causes of socioeconomic inequalities in teenage pregnancy and childbearing in Tanzania using the 2004/05, 2009/10 and 2015/16 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) data. The analysis of trends and causes of socioeconomic-inequality uses a representative sample of 7,450 teenagers who were pregnant or had a child during the survey. Teenagers were obtained from a multi-stage sampling technique. Erreygers Index (EI) and its decomposition are used in the analyses. The EI indicates a significant increase in the magnitude of inequalities in teenage pregnancy and childbearing over time. Further, there exists a pro-poor inequality in teenage …

Strategic Capabilities And Success Of Food-Processing Firms In Tanzania, Esther Ishengoma, Goodluck Charles, Lettice Rutashobya

Business Management Review

This article identifies firms ' strategic capabilities in the food-processing industry and establishes the extent to which they influence firms ' success. Based on multinomial regression results drawn from the survey of 105 food-processing firms in Tanzania, it is evident that the leadership and vision of owner-managers was the most significant strategic capability irrespective of the firms ' degree of success. The results also indicate that applying superior technology, the owner-managers ' experience and level of education, engaging highly skilled and specialised employees, and the ability to access capital and sustain market growth were significant in distinguishing successful from poor …

User Participation Approach To Key Attributes Of E-Government Implementation In Developing Countries: A Case Of Tanzania, Sumaya M. Kagoya, Ulingeta O.L. Mbamba

Business Management Review

Many nations have adopted Information and Communication Technologies in a bid to involve citizens in electronic participation with its associated copious benefits mostly witnessed in developed countries. Despite the fact that innumerable scholars have explored numerous factors influencing e-government implementation, less have examined the influence of user-participation attributes and top management support in successful implementation of e-government in developing countries like Tanzania. Therefore, to bridge this knowledge gap, this study assessed key attributes for e-government implementation success in Tanzania from a user-participation perspective. Explicitly, it assessed e-government success using user-participation attributes, top management support, ICT infrastructure and IS attributes. Quantitative …

Motherhood, Career Development And Modernization: Experiences Of Early Post-Colonial Tanzanian Women, Samwel Mhajida

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper is about the evolution of early post-colonial women in Tanganyika and the dilemma they encountered in balancing between family obligations and growing up in professional career. To understand such contradicting options, the paper situates the discussion from the perspectives of women’s narratives gathered from the printed media of the early 1960s to mi-1960s. The paper uses interviews gathered during this time by media specialists, newspaper columnists, and fans of women’s life histories who wrote stories and narratives of young women of Tanganyika. Their target groups were middle-class women: teachers, secretaries, wives of renowned politicians, business women and social …

Larvicidal Potency Of Dioscorea Sansibarensis Leaf Extract Against Vector Mosquitoes: Anopheles Gambiae S.S. And Culex Quinquefasciatus, Anitha Philbert

Tanzania Journal of Science

Mosquitoes are responsible for transmission of illnesses of public health importance including malaria, lymphatic filariasis, dengue, chikungunya, and many other diseases caused by viruses. Vector control using synthetic insecticides has been the cornerstone for management of vector-borne diseases. However, the chemical based interventions have not been sustainable due to emergency of resistance against insecticides among disease vectors. Plant based mosquitocidal products can be potential alternative tools in vector control. Therefore, the present study aimed at exploring the larvicidal properties of Dioscorea sansibarensis leaf extract against malaria and lymphatic filariasis vectors; Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Culex quinquefasciatus. The larvicidal activities of …

Investigation Of Some Factors Associated With Utilization Of Maternal Health Care Services By Adolescent Mothers In Tanzania, Elia Magwaja, Jacqueline Minja, Majige Selemani Budeba, Rocky R.J. Akarro

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study examined some factors associated with the utilization of maternal health care servicesby adolescent mothers (15-19 years) in Tanzania in order to provide advice accordingly. The studyused cross-sectional study of adolescent mothers aged 15-19 years using Demographic HealthSurvey and Malaria indicator Survey 2015/16 data. The dependent variables were number ofantenatal care visits, the place where an adolescent mother delivered and post-natal checkup(adolescent mother’s health checking after being discharged or after a home delivery). Theindependent variables were birth order, education level of a mother, marital status of a mother,media exposure, wealth index, distance to health facility. Multiple binary logistic regression …

Count Time Series Models For Road Traffic Accidents In Tanzania Mainland, Amina S Msengwa, Florence D Ngari

Tanzania Journal of Science

A pairwise analysis was conducted to assess the trends and factors associated with road traffic accidents in Tanzania. The Poisson and Negative Binomial Autoregressive Models were used to extend log linear functions by accounting time-varying components. A total of 85,514 road traffic accidents in Tanzania mainland that occurred from 2012 to 2017 were extracted from Tanzania Police Office records. Eleven factors were grouped into a human, vehicle, physical/environmental and pedestrian-related factors. The Likelihood ratio test, Akaike Information Criterion, Bayesian Information Criterion and residual ACF plots were used to evaluate the performance of the models in Dar es Salaam and other …

The Correlation Between Poverty, Water Quality, Community Health, And Education In Guatemala And Tanzania, Jessica R. Besnier

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

This paper explores the relationship between poverty, water quality, community health, and education in Tanzania and Guatemala. These metrics will allow for a thorough analysis of the relationships between the countries and will determine their impact on the other aspects in these two countries. While Guatemala and Tanzania are very different countries, they share many things in common such as inequalities among different groups, having many different groups of indigenous people, having most people living in rural areas, and are located on a coast. Also, they share similarities regarding poverty, water quality, community health, and education. By looking into these …

Analysis Of An Obstetrics Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Training Program For Healthcare Practitioners In Zanzibar, Tanzania., Elizabeth A Hall, Danielle Matilsky, Rachel Zang, Naomasa Hase, Ali Habibu Ali, Patricia C Henwood, Anthony J Dean

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: A point-of-care ultrasound education program in obstetrics was developed to train antenatal healthcare practitioners in rural Zanzibar. The study group consisted of 13 practitioners with different training backgrounds: physicians, clinical officers, and nurse/midwives. Trainees received an intensive 2-week antenatal ultrasound course consisting of lectures and hands-on practice followed by 6 months of direct supervision of hands-on scanning and bedside education in their clinical practice environments. Trainees were given a pre-course written exam, a final exam at course completion, and practical exams at 19 and 27 weeks. Trainees were expected to complete written documentation and record ultrasound images of at …

Knowledge About Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine Usage Among Nurses At A Tertiary Hospital In Tanzania, Wilson Paulo Lomnyack, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Stewart Mbelwa, Kahabi Isangula, Zephania Saitabau Abraham

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) provides an air pressure that maintains the patency of the airway in patients with a variety of breathing problems. Nurses provide the hour to hour management of patients who require CPAP. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of nurses about CPAP machine usage at the tertiary hospital in Tanzania which serves the largest number of patients who require CPAP.

Method: A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from March to June 2019 at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) where 149 nurses who consented …

Manifestations Of Power And Marginality In Marriage Practices: A Qualitative Analysis Of Sukuma Songs In Tanzania, Esther J. Masele, Venkatachalam Lakshmanan

Journal of International Women's Studies

This study examined manifestations of power and marginality in Sukuma marriage practices. The study was conducted in Kishapu District, Tanzania. It drew its materials from Sukuma marriage rituals, which include singing and performance of songs. The study adopted an ethnographic research design and used both primary and secondary data to analyse the construction of gender roles in songs and societal views. The songs were observed at live performances, and data related to their composition, interpretation, and impact were gathered through interviews with the singers. Thematic Code Analysis was used to analyze the data, which were then interpreted based on poststructuralist …

Validation Of The Swahili Version Of The International Prostate Symptom Score At A Private, Nonprofit General Hospital In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Miten Patel, Masawa Klint, Philip Adebayo, Authar Ali, Jasmit Shah, Ali Akbar Zehri

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background:

Accuracy in translating the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) into different languages is essential to ensure that it is comparable to the original version and acceptable to the target population. We aimed to develop and validate a Swahili version of the IPSS (sIPSS).

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 53 patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms to the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from April through December 2018. We enrolled 53 patients with confirmed benign prostatic hypertrophy and 32 control patients with suspected or confirmed urolithiasis. We assessed the face validity and discriminative validity …

Performance In Mortality Prediction Of Saps 3 And Mpm-Iii Scores Among Adult Patients Admitted To The Icu Of A Private Tertiary Referral Hospital In Tanzania: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Nadeem Kassam, Eric Aghan, Samina Somji, Omar Aziz, James Orwa, Salim Surani

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Illness predictive scoring systems are significant and meaningful adjuncts of patient management in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). They assist in predicting patient outcomes, improve clinical decision making and provide insight into the effectiveness of care and management of patients while optimizing the use of hospital resources. We evaluated mortality predictive performance of Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS 3) and Mortality Probability Models (MPM0-III) and compared their performance in predicting outcome as well as identifying disease pattern and factors associated with increased mortality.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted to the ICU of …

Smart Watch Detection Of Supraventricular Tachycardia (Svt): First Case From Tanzania, Nadeem Kassam, Omar Aziz, Eric Aghan, Samina Somji, Hanifa Mbithe, Mustaafa Bapumia, Robert Mvungi, Salim Sarani

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Smartwatches like the Apple Watch have been on the rise worldwide and their use is gaining popularity in developing countries. Their ability to detect dysrhythmias is well documented. Present practice discourages the use of these devices as a diagnostic tool. Nevertheless, atypical findings from these devices should be clinically investigated. This case demonstrates an eventual diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) based on an Apple watch alert which was subsequently confirmed by electrophysiological evaluation.

Seroprevalence Of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, Anti-Hcv Antibodies And Hiv And Knowledge Among People Who Use Drugs Attending Methadone Therapy Clinic In Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study, Semvua B. Kilonzo, Daniel I. W Gunda, David C. Majinge, Hyasinta Jaka, Paulina M. Manyiri, Fredrick Kalokola, Grahame Mtui, Elichilia R. Shao, Fatma Bakshi, Alex Stephano

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Methadone therapy clinics have been recently introduced in Tanzania, aiming at reducing risk behaviors and infection rates of viral hepatitis and HIV among people who use drugs. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence, associated factors and knowledge level of these conditions among people who use drugs attending a methadone clinic in Tanzania.

Methods: We enrolled 253 People who using drugs receiving Methadone therapy. Clinical data was retrospectively collected from the medical records and face-to face interviews were conducted to determine the behavioral risk factors and respondents’ knowledge on viral hepatitis and HIV.

Results: An overall …

Molecular Detection Of Campylobacter Species From Human And Cattle Faecal Samples In Kilosa District, Tanzania, Gahamanyi Noel, Leonard E.G Mboera, Mecky I. Matee, Dieudonné Mutangana, Raghavendra G. Amachawadi, Kye-Yoon Yoon, Mr. Humphrey, Cheol-Ho Pan, Erick V.G Komba

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

A growing number of Campylobacter species other than C. jejuni and C. coli have been considered as emerging human and animal pathogens but their contribution to human gastroenteritis is poorly documented. This study aimed at detecting Campylobacter species from human and cattle faecal samples in Kilosa District, Tanzania using molecular techniques without culture. Seventy (70) faecal samples were collected from five diarrheic and 65 non-diarrheic human patients attending Kilosa District Hospital in Tanzania from July to October 2019. During the same period, 30 faecal samples were also collected from healthy cattle in the same district. Genus and species identification of …

The Antithesis Of ‘Business As Usual’: Youth, Class, And Volunteer Organizations In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Chelsea Cutright

Theses and Dissertations--Anthropology

Youth in Tanzania make up the majority of the current growing population and therefore are increasingly a focus of local and international development concern, specifically as the rates of urban growth and unemployment are also increasing. This research builds upon existing anthropological literature, which largely addresses contemporary and urban African youths as “problems” in dire need of governmental intervention and international solutions. Through explorations of the ways in which Tanzanian youth are actively and creatively working to improve their own futures, utilizing their own agency to create opportunities, and solving their own problems in the absence of successful external intercessions, …

User-Centred Scalable Big Data Visualizer For Power Consumption Data In The Electrical Secondary Distribution Network, Ellen Kalinga

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Establishment of Smart Grids for electrical power has been practised worldwide for the purpose of bringing reliability, security, and efficient management of electrical power networks for enhancing quality service to the society. Apart from the potential aim, smart grid has been a challenge to developing countries, including Tanzania from cost and technology point of view. Due to the use of many smart equipment involved in smart grids like Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) equipped with smart meters and sensors, handling and managing big data has been a challenge. Among the challenges is the issue of visualizing the Big Data due to …

Training Needs Assessment Of Health Care Professionals In Reproductive, Maternal And Newborn Health In A Low-Income Setting In Tanzania, Columba Mbekenga, Eunice Pallangyo, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Kahabi Isangula, Loveluck Mwasha, James Orwa, Micheal Mugerwa, Michaela Mantel, Leonard Subi, Secilia Mrema, David Siso, Edna Selestine, Marleen Temmerman, Grace Edwards

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Healthcare delivery globally and particularly in low-income setting is challenged by multiple, complex and dynamic problems. The reproductive, maternal and newborn health (RMNH) care is among the most affected areas resulting into high maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity across the Sub Saharan region and Tanzania in particular. However, under-investment in adequate education and training of health care providers (HCPs) is reported worldwide and contributes to the critical shortages, and lack of adequate knowledge and skills among HCPs. The aim of this study was to assess the training needs among HCPs of RMNH care in selected health facilities …

The Rural-Urban Divide In Tanzania: Residential Context And Socioeconomic Inequalities In Maternal Health Care Utilization, Neema Langa, Tirth Bhatta

Sociology Faculty Research

Background Existing studies in Tanzania, based mostly on rural samples, have primarily focused on individual behaviors responsible for the lower utilization of maternal health care. Relatively less attention had been paid to inequalities in structural circumstances that contribute to reduced utilization of maternal health care. More importantly, scholarship concerning the impact of the rural-urban divide on socioeconomic disparities in the utilization of maternal health care is virtually nonexistent in Tanzania. Methods Drawing from the Demographic Health Survey (2015-2016) conducted in Tanzania, our study includes a total of 3,595 women aged between 15-49 years old, who had given birth in five …

Validation Of Kiswahili Version Of Hoqolhivbref Questionnaire Among People Living With Hiv/Aids In Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study, Nuru Kondo, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Eric Aghan, Riaz Ratansi

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background: Quality of life is an important element of surveillance in people living with HIV/AIDS. WHO has developed an HIV specific quality of life tool (WHOQOLHIV-Bref) for assessing Quality of life of HIV individuals. This tool takes into account the different cultural variations that exist worldwide and hence enable assessment of the quality of life across different cultures. Despite its preliminary sound validity and reliability from several studies, the developers recommend it to be validated in different cultures to fully assess its psychometric properties before its adaptation.

Objectives: To evaluate the validity and reliability of WHOQOLHIV-Bref questionnaire in …

The Influence Of Economic Factors And Policies On Deforestation In Tanzania, Thadei D. Sagamiko, Nyimvua Shaban Mbare

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

In this paper we analysed the influence of economic factors and policy on the rate of deforestation in Tanzania. A multiple linear regression model was formulated and the effects of each factor on deforestation were tested. The ordinary least squares method was used to estimate the model parameters. Correlation analysis revealed that per capita income, per capita purchasing power, and electricity consumption have positive relationship with deforestation rate; while inflation rate and poverty rate have a negative relationship with deforestation rate. All factors were found to be significant and were used for regression analysis. By considering the p-value at 5% …

Levels And Exposure Risks Of Lead, Arsenic And Mercury From Selected Lipstick And Nail Polish Cosmetics Marketed In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Gerald S. Kulwa, Matobola J Mihale

Tanzania Journal of Science

Presence of Pb, As and Hg in selected lipstick and nail polish cosmetics sold at different shopping malls and retail outlets in Dar es Salaam was determined by microwave plasma  atomic emission spectrometry due to their public health effects. Pb was detected in 100% (n = 25) of lipsticks and 53.3% (n = 15) of nail polishes. Arsenic was detected in 36% of lipsticks and 86.7% of nail polishes, and Hg was detected in 44% of lipsticks and 80% of nail polishes. All metal levels in both cosmetics were below the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Tanzania Bureau of Standards …

Dengue Vector Distribution And Their Infection Status In Selected Regions In Tanzania, Anitha Philbert, Amina Msonga

Tanzania Journal of Science

Dengue fever is an important arboviral infection globally. Tanzania has experienced multiple dengue outbreaks since 2010 leading to mortalities and public distress. Dengue is caused by viruses which are transmitted to humans by vector mosquitoes. Nevertheless, the abundance, distribution and extent of viral infections of these vectors are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to characterize dengue vectors and determine their virus infection rates. Adult mosquitoes were collected from selected regions in Tanzania including Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Coast, and Arusha regions using CO2 baited mosquito magnet traps between December 2018 to February 2019, additional samples were collected …

Parental Concerns And Uptake Of Childhood Vaccines In Rural Tanzania – A Mixed Methods Study, Lavanya Vasudevan, Joy Noel Baumgartner, Sara Moses, Esther Ngadaya, Sayoki Godfrey Mfinanga, Jan Ostermann

Faculty Publications

Background

Vaccine hesitancy has been recognized as an important barrier to timely vaccinations around the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa. In Tanzania, 1 in 4 children is not fully vaccinated. The objective of this mixed methods study was to describe and contextualize parental concerns towards vaccines in Tanzania.

Methods

Between 2016 and 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional survey (n = 134) and four focus group discussions (FGDs, n = 38) with mothers of children under 2 years of age residing in Mtwara region in Southern Tanzania. The survey and FGDs assessed vaccination knowledge and concerns and barriers to timely vaccinations. …

Birth Preparedness And Complication Readiness Among Women Of Reproductive Age In Kenya And Tanzania: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Survey, James Orwa, Samwel Gatimu, Michaela Mantel, Stanley Luchters, Micheal Mugerwa, Sharon Brownie, Leonard Subi, Secilia Mrema, Lucy Nyaga, Grace Edwards, Loveluck Mwasha, Kahabi Isangula, Edna Selestine, Sofia Jadavji, Rachel Pell, Columba Mbekenga, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Delayed health-seeking continues to contribute to preventable maternal and neonatal deaths in low resource countries. Some of the strategies to avoid the delay include early preparation for the birth and detection of danger signs. We aimed to assess the level of practice and factors associated with birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) in Kenya and Tanzania.

Methods: We conducted community-based multi-stage cross-sectional surveys in Kilifi and Kisii counties in Kenya and Mwanza region in Tanzania and included women who delivered two years preceding the survey (2016–2017). A woman who mentioned at least three out of five BPCR components was …

“When I Breastfeed, It Feels As If My Soul Leaves The Body”: Maternal Capabilities For Healthy Child Growth In Rural Southeastern Tanzania, Zaina Mchome, Sepideh Yousefzadeh, Ajay Bailey, Hinke Haisma

Open Access archive

The burden of childhood stunting in Tanzania is persistently high, even in high food-producing regions. This calls for a paradigm shift in Child Growth Monitoring (CGM) to a multi-dimensional approach that also includes the contextual information of an individual child and her/his caregivers. To contribute to the further development of CGM to reflect local contexts, we engaged the Capability Framework for Child Growth (CFCG) to identify maternal capabilities for ensuring healthy child growth. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Southeastern Tanzania using in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, participant observation, and focus group discussions with caregivers for under-fives. Three maternal capabilities for …

What Factors Shape Doctors’ Trustworthiness? Patients’ Perspectives In The Context Of Hypertension Care In Rural Tanzania, Kahabi Isangula, Holly Seale, Rohan Jayasuriya, Tumaini M. Nyamhanga, Niamh Stephenson

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: There is increasing evidence that improving patient trust in doctors can improve patients’ use of healthcare services, compliance and continuing engagement with care –particularly for chronic diseases. Consequently, much of the current literature on trust in therapeutic relationships focuses on factors shaping doctors’ trustworthiness. However, few studies on this issue have been conducted among rural populations in low-income Africa, where health service delivery, cultural norms and patient expectations differ from those in high-income countries. This study examined patients’ perspectives of factors that shape doctors’ trustworthiness in rural Tanzania in the context of hypertension care.

Methods: A qualitative inquiry using …