Dietary Supplement Use and Associated Factors Among Adults Working in Urban Settings in Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study

Dietary supplements are products consumed to provide nutrients or other substances that the user may not consume in sufficient amounts through normal diets. Despite their increased global popularity, there is still scant information regarding the use of dietary supplements and associated factors among adult populations in Tanzania. This study aimed to assess the extent of dietary supplement use and factors associated with use among adults working in urban settings. This was a cross-sectional study involving 419 adults working in public and private institutions within the Ilala District of Dar es Salaam who were selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The study’s data was collected using quantitative methods through a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics for frequencies, means, standard deviations, and proportions; cross-tabulations with chi-square tests for comparing observed differences in supplement use; and multivariable logistic regression for identifying factors associated with supplement use. A P -value of <.05 was considered statistically significant in the analysis. The prevalence of dietary supplement use among working adults was 46.5%, where 36.9% reported regular and 63.1% occasional supplement use, respectively. Seven types of dietary supplements were identified to be consumed, of which 45.1% of the respondents consumed more than one type of dietary supplement. Multivitamins (64.1%) were the most frequently reported type of supplement consumed, followed by Mineral (34.9%) and Herbal/Botanical (26.7%) supplements. The most commonly reported reason for dietary supplement use among working adults was to improve overall health (67.1%). A third of the users (35.9%) admitted to self-prescribing dietary supplements without seeking professional medical advice. The use of dietary supplements was significantly associated with being female (AOR = 2.243, 95% CI 1.415-3.555, P  = .001) and knowledgeable of supplements (AOR = 6.756, 95% CI 4.092-11.154, P  < .001). Overall, the use of dietary supplements is popular among adults working within urban settings, but its use is exacerbated by perceived knowledge and self-prescription instead of health professional advice. Therefore, there is a need for further studies to explain better the underlying drivers for perceived knowledge on decision-making. There is also a strong need for extensive health education to prevent inappropriate or excessive use of supplements which might lead to potential adverse events

Development, Implementation, and Scale Up of the National Campaign to Promote HIV Test and Treat Services Uptake Among Men in Tanzania

Evidence has demonstrated that immediate HIV treatment initiation upon a positive HIV test, referred to as Test and Treat, can help people living with HIV live longer, healthier lives and prevent HIV transmission. Although Tanzania adopted the evidence-based Test and Treat strategy since 2016, men were not being adequately reached for HIV services. A national campaign was launched to promote the new HIV services with a focus on men. To inform the development and implementation of the campaign, we conducted formative audience insights-gathering (AIG) sessions to assess facilitators and barriers to accessing HIV Test and Treat services and inform the concepts and materials for the campaign. Qualitative AIG interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 54 people who were unaware or aware of their HIV status and currently or not currently on treatment, as well as health workers. Facilitators and barriers included a of testing positive, the desire to , their narratives, and themselves to achieve their dreams and live a happy life. The campaign played off a creative concept to position antiretroviral therapy (ART) as a solution to fears around what life would be like after a positive HIV diagnosis. The development and implementation of the campaign were informed by the AIG sessions and national stakeholders, leading to strong partners\u27 buy-in that supported the scale-up of the ongoing campaign from 12 to 26 regions via the collaborative efforts of government, donors, and implementing partners