BackgroundThe rate of premarital sexual activity, unwanted pregnancies and illegal abortions remain higher among university students. This calls for understanding the knowledge on contraceptive use and sexual behaviours among this high risk group if the incidence of unintended pregnancy, illegal abortions and high sexual risky behaviour are to be minimized. This study aimed to assess ssexual behaviour, contraceptive knowledge and use among female undergraduates’ students of Muhimbili and Dar es Salaam Universities in Tanzania.MethodsA cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among undergraduate female students in the two Universities located in Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania. The study period was from June 2013 to October 2013. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 281 students. Of these, 253 were retrieved, giving a response rate of 90%. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows version 17.0. Descriptive statistics were summarized. The chi square test was used to examine relationship between various sociodemographic and sexual behaviours variables with contraceptive use. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsResults showed that majority (70.4%) of the students have had sexual intercourse. All participants had knowledge of contraception. More than half, 148 (58.5%) of sexually active women reported ever used contraception before while 105 (41.5%) were current contraceptive users. Majority (74.7%) of the sexually active group started sexual activity at young age (19–24 years). Condom, 221(24.3%) and pills, 153 (16.8%) were the known contraceptive methods. The most popular method of contraception used were condoms, withdrawal and periodic abstinence. The main sources of information about contraception were from friends, radio and school (39.5%, 36% and 24%) respectively. Forty (15.8%) women had pregnancies. Of these, 11 (27%) have had unwanted pregnancies among which 54.6% have had induced abortion. Marital status, age at first sex, ever had sex, ever been pregnant and unwanted pregnancies were associated with use of contraception.ConclusionsMost of the student’s had knowledge of contraception. However, rate of contraception use is still low. Majority of the respondent were sexually active, with the majority started sexual activity at young age. This needs advocacy for adolescence reproductive health education to promote the use of the available contraceptive services amongst university students.

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This paper discusses the ecological gradient as an organizing framework to assist understanding the complex interactions between societal and ecological processes underlying land‐use change in East Africa. Detailed case studies on the gradients of the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro, Kenya show how land‐use change is responsive to the dynamics of both local and external driving forces. The study has shown that the distinct ecological conditions at the extremities of gradients are associated with specific land uses which may be different within livelihood systems such as for wet and dry season grazing. Access to water for cultivation, domestic use, livestock and wildlife is critical in determining the nature and distribution of livelihood systems. Land‐use systems interact across the different ecological zones of the gradients characterized by vigorous spatial, cultural and economic interactions. Sometime conflicts occur between or within land‐use/livelihood systems. There is strong evidence that the areas of higher economic potential remain advantaged compared with areas lower on the gradient. The ecological characteristics have been found to influence human activities and distribution. Interactions between societies are important in terms of trade, social relations and access to resources.

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of interventions of the murder of persons with albinism in Lake Victoria, Tanzania. The study was conducted in Shinyanga Region in two Districts namely; Shinyanga and Kahama Districts. A total number of 100 respondents participated in this study, two focus group discussions sessions were conducted, each involving 8 participants and key informant interview was done to three traditional doctors used for capturing qualitative responses whereas data from 52 People With Albinisms (PWAs) and 29 stakeholders of PWAs including heads of households of PWAs, friends of PWAs, journalists, and advocacy officers were collected by using the structured questionnaires for the collection of primary data while documentary review was applied to collect secondary data. The study has revealed that, in Tanzania there is a high rate of murder of PWAs principally for ritual purposes. This belief directly led to the murder of PWAs by people desperate for success in the form of good luck and money. The core of this practice is witchdoctors. The eradication of such killings has become very difficult and complicated process. Poverty, low quality of settlements, absence of witchcraft law, and inadequate government readiness, to mention a few make interventions to fail and ultimately increase the murders. The study recommends on the urgent measures to assess and address the situation in asylums where PWAs are centered, to enact witchcraft law and provide public awareness, strong collaboration of all stakeholders, political will, and equal access to socio economic and political opportunities

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