Background Late presentation and delayed treatment initiation is associated with poor outcomes in patients with HIV. Little is known about the stage at which HIV patients present at HIV clinics in Tanzania.Aim: This study aimed at determining the proportion of HIV patients presenting with WHO clinical stages 3 and 4 disease, and the level of immunity at the time of enrollment at the care and treatment center.Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 366 HIVinfected adults attending HIV clinic at Mwananyamala Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Data were obtained from the care and treatment clinic database.Results Late stage disease at the time of presentation was found in 276 (75.4%) of the patients; out of whom 153 (41.8%) presented with CD4 count <200 cells/ul and 229 (62.6%) presented with WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 at the time of clinic enrollment. Strategies to improve early diagnosis and treatment initiation should be improved.
Background
Female Commercial Sex Workers (FCSW) are in a constant risk of being abused by their customers or community. With the increased rate of unwanted pregnancies signify the problem in preventive measures and emergency contraception. This study aimed on assessing prevalence of sexual assault and use of emergency contraceptives among female commercial sex workers in Dodoma city, Tanzania.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to 326 female commercial sex workers with a snow ball sampling technique in 10 administrative wards of Dodoma city where by selection of 10 wards from 41 total wards was performed systematically through excel.
Results
Majority of study respondents 58% were aged between 21 to 31 years. More than a half (51.8%) had experienced sexual assault and majority (64.4%) had never used emergency contraceptives. There was significant relationship between use of emergency contraceptives with variable like ever being pregnant (p = 0.002), ever used drug (p < 0.001), level of education (p = 0.009) and ever heard about emergency contraceptives (p < 0.001). After adjusting for the confounders, the determinants of emergency contraceptives use among female commercial sex workers were level of education; ordinary secondary education (AOR = 0.373 at 95% CI = 0.158–0.878, p = 0.024), College level of education (AOR = 0.131 at 95% CI = 0.036–0.469, p = 0.002), ever used drug (AOR = 0.197 at 95% CI = 0.197–0.608, p < 0.001) and ever heard about emergency contraceptives (AOR = 6.2 at 95% CI = 3.443–11.17,p < 0.001).
Conclusion
FCSW suffer a significant sexual assault which most of them are afraid to report these assaults basing on the nature of worker being illegal. Most of them heard about emergency contraceptives but few of them are consuming them in their protection against unwanted and unplanned pregnancy.
Background: Tanzania is experiencing the increase burden of Sickle cell disease, with an estimate of 20.6% Sickle Cell carriers. There is no preventive measure has been put in this area by the government; a great focus has been directed in the diagnosis and management and national guideline emphasis on the care rather than prevention.
Methods: A non-controlled quasi-experimental study conducted from June to September 2020 among 697 randomly recruited students from the University of Dodoma. Pre and post-test knowledge information were collected through structured self-administered questionnaires. Data analysed using SPSS v20. Simple and multiple linear analysis model used to test for significant association of variables at 95% CI, at p<0.05. The results were presented using tables and figures.
Results: The mean knowledge score at pre-test was 0.009±1.014 which improved to 0.365±0.901 on the post-test, with a statistically significant difference (t=6.965, p<0.01). The results of linear regression showed that knowledge change was not statistically associated with other predictors (p>0.05)
Conclusion : Health education demonstrated to be effective towards change in knowledge on sickle cell disease among University students.
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