BackgroundThis study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of dental caries, oral hygiene levels and assessment of the oral health knowledge and practices of nursing students at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre teaching hospital in Moshi, Tanzania.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was done on 217 student nurse population at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre Teaching Hospital in Moshi, Tanzania in 2014. Ethical approval was obtained from the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College Ethical Committee. A questionnaire probing on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and practices on selected oral health issues was administered to the students. Students were also examined for oral hygiene and dental caries using Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) and WHO 1997 recommended method respectively.ResultsThere were 214 (98.6%) respondents aged between 18 and 53 years (mean age was 27.2 SD ± 7.35 years). About 72% of the respondents were in the young age group (below 31 years), 63.1% were pursuing Diploma in Nursing while the rest were pursuing Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Although oral health knowledge of the respondents was generally poor, more students pursuing Bachelor of Science in Nursing had significant adequate oral health knowledge than those who were pursuing Diploma in Nursing (p = 0.05). Population Oral Hygiene Index- Simplified was 0.41 meaning good oral hygiene in the current population. Overall, caries prevalence was 40.2%. The mean population DMFT was 1.34 (SD ± 2.44). The decay component was 0.53 (SD ± 1.29), whereas the missing component was 0.67 (SD ±1.34) and filled component was 0.14 (SD ± 0.69). Significantly more students in the older age group had more missing and filled teeth than their counterparts in the young age group (p ≤0.05).ConclusionMajority of the students in this population had good oral hygiene and a very low DMFT. There was poor basic oral health knowledge and poor recall visit to dental personnel. Curriculum development in these school programmes should strengthen or encompass comprehensive oral health education components. This will empower nursing professional with basic oral health knowledge and promotive oral health behaviors and hence to disseminate to the clients.

Sexual behaviour change remains a primary goal of HIV prevention efforts globally. It is a complex issue influenced by numerous unpredictable variables such as individual desires, social and cultural relationships, and environmental and economic dynamics. This study in northern Tanzania was conducted in June and July 2004 as part of a baseline survey carried out in 10 districts in eight regions of the country, Using a list of 65 villages in the northern zone, we randomly selected participants from four villages: one village each from three Area Development Programmes within World Vision Tanzania and one village from a high HIV transmission area (HTA). Five hundred and twenty-six respondents aged 15-24 years were selected from in-school and out-of-school groups. Of the total, 41.5% were sexually active. The age of sexual debut ranged from age 5-20 years for boys, and age 7-24 for girls. The mean age of sexual debut was 16 years old for males and 17 years old for females. The factors most strongly associated with sexual experience were: age greater than 16 years (p < 0.001); male gender (62.5% vs. 37.5%; OR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.58-3.56; p < 0.001); living with both parents (47% vs. 27%; OR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.84-0.94; p < 0.001); being out-of-school (75.8% vs. 24.2%; OR = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.73-0.94; p < 0.005); and, not using condoms during first sexual intercourse (OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.07-1.97; p < 0.02). Low self-efficacy in sexual relationships also predicted being sexually experienced (p < 0.001). High self-efficacy in intention to use condoms did not influence condom-use among sexually experienced youths (p < 0.001; OR = 1.70; 95% CI = 1.43-2.02). The perceived high influence of parents towards youths' intention to use condoms was a predictor of sexual experience (OR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.05-1.45; p < 0.01). As a generalisation, the sexually experienced youths in the study population had experienced sex at a relatively early age and often had not used a condom at first sexual intercourse.

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This story starts from the perspective that female genital mutilation (FGM) is a practice which needs to be eliminated. The aim of the research was to investigate those factors which facilitate or militate against its elimination, in one particular area of Tanzania. Questionnaire data were collected from 150 women in two villages in Moshi, and from focus groups with men and women. "Tradition" was given as the main reason for the continuation of the practice, which affected 41 percent of the 150 women questioned. Health workers are involved in FGM, and mothers and grandmothers were the most influential in persuading girls to undergo the operation. The communities involved could see some of the disadvantages and were willing to discuss it.

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