6 research outputs found
Factors associated with child sexual abuse in Tanzania: a qualitative study
Background: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is one of the most pervasive occurrences which are reported all over the world. It often goes unnoticed and undocumented due to surrounding taboos; its sensitivity in nature and affects the less powerful population. Anecdote information is available on the nature and extent of sexual abuse among children in Tanzania. The aim of this study was to explore factors, forms, context of abuse and perpetrators of child sex abuse in selected regions of Tanzania.Methods: Key informant interviews were conducted among adults including parents of the victims to explore factors associated with sexual abuse of children under 10 years old in Tanzania. The interview guide centred on factors for child sexual abuse, the type of perpetrators and the context into which these abuses take place.Results: There were incidences of child sexual abuse in Tanzania and the major forms were anal and vaginal penetration, and the most affected were girls. The abuses were rarely reported due to shame and embarrassment faced by the affected children and parents. The causes of child sexual abuse were poverty, ambitions and moral degradation, myths and beliefs, urbanization, foreign culture and poor parental care. Incidents of CSA were reported to occur in perpetratorsā homes and in semi-finished housing structures, madrassa and recreational venues where children can freely access entertainment by watching movies. These acts were committed by people in position of power, close relationship and trusted by the children. Contexts where child sexual abuses occur included overcrowded living spaces and social activities that go on late into the night.Conclusion: We recommend for strengthened interventions at different levels within the society to address the root causes and different contexts in which child sex abuse occurs. Increased awareness of the root causes should go hand in hand with measures to encourage parents and survivors to report incidents to relevant authorities timely as they occur
Masculine attitudes of superiority deter men from accessing antiretroviral therapy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Background: This article presents part of the findings from a larger study that sought to assess the role that gender relations play in influencing equity regarding access and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Review of the literature has indicated that, in Southern and Eastern Africa, fewer men than women have been accessing ART, and the former start using ART late, after HIV has already been allowed to advance. The main causes for this gender gap have not yet been fully explained. Objective: To explore how masculinity norms limit men's access to ART in Dar es Salaam. Design: This article is based on a qualitative study that involved the use of focus group discussions (FGDs). The study employed a stratified purposive sampling technique to recruit respondents. The study also employed a thematic analysis approach. Results: Overall, the study's findings revealed that men's hesitation to visit the care and treatment clinics signifies the superiority norm of masculinity that requires men to avoid displaying weakness. Since men are the heads of families and have higher social status, they reported feeling embarrassed at having to visit the care and treatment clinics. Specifically, male respondents indicated that going to a care and treatment clinic may raise suspicion about their status of living with HIV, which in turn may compromise their leadership position and cause family instability. Because of this tendency towards ‘hiding’, the few men who register at the public care and treatment clinics do so late, when HIV-related signs and symptoms are already far advanced. Conclusion: This study suggests that the superiority norm of masculinity affects men's access to ART. Societal expectations of a ‘real man’ to be fearless, resilient, and emotionally stable are in direct conflict with expectations of the treatment programme that one has to demonstrate health-promoting behaviour, such as promptness in attending the care and treatment clinic, agreeing to take HIV tests, and disclosing one's status of living with HIV to at least one's spouse or partner. Hence, there is a need for HIV control agencies to design community-based programmes that will stimulate dialogue on the deconstruction of masculinity notions
Motivation of Health Care Workers in Tanzania: A Case Study of Muhimbili National Hospital
Objective: The Tanzanian health system is currently undergoing major
reforms. As part of this, a study was commissioned into the delivery of
services and care at the Muhimbili National Hospital.. One of the main
components of this comprehensive study was to measure the extent to
which workers in the hospital were satisfied with the tasks they
performed and to identify factors associated with low motivation in the
workplace. Methods: This was a cross sectional study involving a
sample of 448 hospital workers. Stratified sampling was used to
randomly pick 20% of: doctors, nursing staff, auxiliary clinical
workers and other administrative and supporting staff. About 44% of the
workers were female. Results: Almost half of both doctors and nurses
were not satisfied with their jobs, as was the case for 67% of
auxiliary clinical staff and 39% of supporting staff. This
dissatisfaction was multi-factorial in origin. Amongst the contributing
factors reported were low salary levels, the frequent unavailability of
necessary equipment and consumables to ensure proper patient care,
inadequate performance evaluation and feedback, poor communication
channels in different organizational units and between workers and
management, lack of participation in decision-making processes, and a
general lack of concern for workers welfare by the hospital management.
Conclusions: Many workers at all levels in the hospital were not
satisfied with the tasks they performed due to a variety of factors.
Based on the study findings, several recommendations were made
including setting defined job criteria and description of tasks for all
staff, improving availability and quality of working gear for the
hospital, the introduction of a reward system commensurate with
performance, improved communication at all levels, and introduction of
measures to demonstrate concern for the workersā welfare
Performance Indicators for Quality in Surgical and Laboratory Services at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) In Tanzania
Objectives: Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), a teaching and national
referral hospital, is undergoing major reforms to improve the quality
of health care. We performed a retrospective descriptive study using a
set of performance indicators for the surgical and laboratory services
of MNH in years 2001 and 2002, to help monitor and evaluate the impact
of reforms on the quality of health care during and after the reform
process. Methodology: Hospital records were reviewed and information
recorded for planned and postponed operations, laboratory equipment,
reagents, laboratory tests and quality assurance programmes. Results:
In the year 2001 a total of 4332 non-emergency operations were planned,
3313 operations were performed and 1019 (23.5%) operations were
postponed. In the year 2002, 4301 non-emergency operations were
planned, 3046 were performed and 1255 (29%) were postponed. The most
common reasons for operation postponement were
ātime-barredā, interference by emergency operations, no
show of patients and inoperable anaesthetic machines. Equipment
problems and supply and staff shortages together accounted for one
quarter of postponements. In the laboratory, a lack of equipment
prevented some tests, but quality assurance was performed for most
tests. Conclusion: Current surgical services at MNH are inadequate;
operating theatres require modern, functioning equipment and adequate
supplies of consumables to provide satisfactory car