Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and its association with preterm birth and low birth weight in Tanzania:A prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION:Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem that affects millions of women worldwide. The role of violence as an underlying factor in poor birth outcomes remains an area where strong evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and preterm delivery (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). MATERIALS AND METHODS:A prospective cohort study was conducted among 1112 pregnant women attending antenatal care in Moshi-Tanzania. The women were enrolled before 24 weeks gestation, followed-up at week 34 to determine exposure to violence during pregnancy, and after delivery to estimate gestation age at delivery and birth weight. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between exposure to IPV during pregnancy and PTB and LBW while adjusting for possible confounders. In addition, stratified analysis based on previous history of adverse pregnancy outcome was performed. RESULTS:One-third of the women experienced IPV during pregnancy, 22.3% reported emotional, 15.4% sexual and 6.3% physical violence. Women exposed to physical IPV were three times more likely to experience PTB (AOR = 2.9; CI 95%: 1.3-6.5) and LBW (AOR = 3.2; CI 95%: 1.3-7.7). Women with previous adverse pregnancy outcomes and exposure to physical IPV had a further increased risk of PTB (AOR = 4.5; CI 95%: 1.5-13.7) and LBW (AOR = 4.8; CI 95%: 1.6-14.8) compared to those without previous history of adverse outcome. CONCLUSION:Women who are exposed to IPV during pregnancy are at increased risk of PTB and LBW. The risk is even stronger if the women additionally have suffered a previous adverse pregnancy outcome. Interventions addressing IPV are urgently needed to prevent occurrence and reoccurrence of PTB and LBW

Patient and caregiver experiences of living with dementia in Tanzania

Introduction: Tanzania is a low-income country with an increasing prevalence of dementia, which provides challenges for the existing healthcare system. People with dementia often don't receive a formal diagnosis, and with a lack of formal healthcare, are often predominantly supported by family relatives. There are very few published data relating to lived experiences of people with dementia in Tanzania. This study aimed to understand people with dementia, and their caregivers' experiences of living with dementia in Tanzania and the perceived needs of people with dementia.Methods: Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 people with dementia and 12 caregivers in Moshi, Tanzania. Interviews were audio-recorded, translated, transcribed and analysed using a Framework Analysis approach.Results: Three sub-themes were identified within data describing the experience of 'Living with Dementia in Tanzania': 'Deteriorations in Health', 'Challenges to living with Dementia in Tanzanian Culture', and 'Lack of Support': people with dementia faced challenges due to social isolation, stigmatisation, and lack of caregiver knowledge on how best to provide support. Collectively, these impacted on both the physical and mental health of people with dementia. Misconceptions about dementia aetiology related to age, stresses of daily life and other co-morbidities. People with dementia were motivated to access treatment, exhibiting pluralistic health-seeking behaviours. There was an overall preference for non-pharmacological interventions over medication, with high levels of trust in medical professional opinions.Conclusions: Living with dementia in Tanzania is influenced by both cultural and religious factors. More work is needed to target supplementary healthcare (with efforts to promote accessibility), support for caregivers and public health education about dementia to overcome existent misconceptions and stigma

A cross-cultural investigation of the conceptualisation of frailty in northern Tanzania

Frailty prevalence is higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with high-income countries when measured by biomedical frailty models, the most widely used being the frailty phenotype. Frailty in older people is becoming of global public health interest as a means of promoting health in old age in LMICs. As yet, little work has been done to establish to what extent the concept of frailty, as conceived according to 'western' biomedicine, has cross-cultural resonance for a low-income rural African setting. This study aimed to investigate the meaning of frailty contextually, using the biomedical concept of the frailty phenotype as a framework. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of older adults, their care-givers and community representatives in rural northern Tanzania. Thirty interview transcripts were transcribed, translated from Kiswahili to English and thematically analysed. Results reveal that despite superficial similarities in the understanding of frailty, to a great extent the physical changes highlighted by the frailty phenotype were naturalised, except when these were felt to be due to a scarcity of resources. Frailty was conceptualised as less of a physical problem of the individual, but rather, as a social problem of the community, suggesting that the frailty construct may be usefully applied cross-culturally when taking a social equity focus to the health of older people in LMICs

A counseling intervention to address HIV stigma at entry into antenatal care in Tanzania (Maisha): study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: HIV-related stigma significantly impacts HIV care engagement, including in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs. Maisha is a stigma-based counseling intervention delivered during the first antenatal care (ANC) visit, complementing routine HIV counseling and testing. The goal of Maisha is to promote readiness to initiate and sustain treatment among those who are HIV-positive, and to reduce HIV stigmatizing attitudes among those who test negative. METHODS: A pilot randomized control trial will assess the feasibility and acceptability of delivering Maisha in a clinical setting, and the potential efficacy of the intervention on HIV care engagement outcomes (for HIV-positive participants) and HIV stigma constructs (for all participants). A total of 1000 women and approximately 700 male partners will be recruited from two study clinics in the Moshi municipality of Tanzania. Participants will be enrolled at their first ANC visit, prior to HIV testing. It is estimated that 50 women (5%) will be identified as HIV-positive. Following consent and a baseline survey, participants will be randomly assigned to either the control (standard of care) or the Maisha intervention. The Maisha intervention includes a video and counseling session prior to HIV testing, and two additional counseling sessions if the participant tests positive for HIV or has an established HIV diagnosis. A subset of approximately 500 enrolled participants (all HIV-positive participants, and a random selection of HIV-negative participants who have elevated stigma attitude scores) will complete a follow-up assessment at 3 months. Measures will include health outcomes (care engagement, antiretroviral adherence, depression) and HIV stigma outcomes. Quality assurance data will be collected and the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be described. Statistical analysis will examine potential differences between conditions in health outcomes and stigma measures, stratified by HIV status. DISCUSSION: ANC provides a unique and important entry point to address HIV stigma. Interventions are needed to improve retention in PMTCT care and to improve community attitudes toward people living with HIV. Results of the Maisha pilot trial will be used to generate parameter estimates and potential ranges of values to estimate power for a full cluster-randomized trial in PMTCT settings, with extended follow-up and enhanced adherence measurement using a biomarker.

Neuropsychological tests associated with symptomatic HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) in a cohort of older adults in Tanzania

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) prevalence is expected to increase in East Africa as treatment coverage increases, survival improves, and this population ages. This study aimed to better understand the current cognitive phenotype of this newly emergent population of older combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)-treated people living with HIV (PLWH), in which current screening measures lack accuracy. This will facilitate the refinement of HAND cognitive screening tools for this setting. Method: This is a secondary analysis of 253 PLWH aged ≥50 years receiving standard government HIV clinic follow-up in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. They were evaluated with a detailed locally normed low-literacy neuropsychological battery annually on three occasions and a consensus panel diagnosis of HAND by Frascati criteria based on clinical evaluation and collateral history. Results: Tests of verbal learning and memory, categorical verbal fluency, visual memory, and visuoconstruction had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve >0.7 for symptomatic HAND (s-HAND) (0.70–0.72; p < 0.001 for all tests). Tests of visual memory, verbal learning with delayed recall and recognition memory, psychomotor speed, language comprehension, and categorical verbal fluency were independently associated with s-HAND in a logistic mixed effects model (p < 0.01 for all). Neuropsychological impairments varied by educational background. Conclusions: A broad range of cognitive domains are affected in older, well-controlled, East African PLWH, including those not captured in widely used screening measures. It is possible that educational background affects the observed cognitive impairments in this setting. Future screening measures for similar populations should consider assessment of visual memory, verbal learning, language comprehension, and executive and motor function

Adenophora palustris Komar.

原著和名: ヤチシャジン科名: キキョウ科 = Campanulaceae採集地: 愛知県 北設楽郡 稲武町 (三河 北設楽郡 稲武町)採集日: 1981/8/16採集者: 萩庭丈壽整理番号: JH023602国立科学博物館整理番号: TNS-VS-97360

Social support and intimate partner violence during pregnancy among women attending antenatal care in Moshi Municipality, Northern Tanzania

Abstract Background Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem with negative health consequences for women and their pregnancies. While social support has a protective effect against IPV and reduces health consequences of violence, its association with experiencing IPV during pregnancy remain less explored. In our study we aimed to determine the effect of social support on IPV during pregnancy among women attending antenatal care in Moshi, Tanzania Methods The study was part of a prospective cohort study that assessed the impact of violence on reproductive health of 1,116 participants. Pregnant women were enrolled below 24 weeks of gestation and followed until delivery. The experiences of social support and IPV during pregnancy were assessed at the 34th week of gestation. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between social support and IPV, with adjustment for potential confounders. Results The prevalence of IPV during pregnancy was 30.3% where the majority (29.0%) experienced repeated episodes of abuse. Regarding practical social support, having no one to help financially was associated with increased odds of IPV and repeated episodes of abuse during pregnancy, AOR 3.57, (95% CI 1.85 - 6.90) and AOR 3.21, (95% CI 1.69 - 6.11) respectively. For social support in terms of communication, talking to a member of the family of origin at least monthly was associated with decreased odds of IPV and repeated episodes of IPV during pregnancy, AOR 0.46 (95% CI 0.26 - 0.82) and AOR 0.41 (95% CI 0.23 - 0.73) respectively. Perceiving that family of origin will not offer support was associated with a increased odds of IPV and repeated episodes of IPV, AOR 2.29, (95% CI 1.31 – 3.99) and AOR 2.14, (95% CI 1.23 – 3.74) respectively. Conclusions Nearly one third of women experienced IPV during pregnancy. Social support to women is associated with decreased odds of experiencing IPV during pregnancy. The family of origin plays an important role in providing social support to women who experience abuse during pregnancy; however, their true involvement in mitigating the impact of violence in the African setting needs further research