"Are all referrals necessary?" Experiences and perceptions of maternity healthcare providers on emergency intrapartum referrals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Background: Intrapartum continuity of care to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality relies heavily on a functional and effective referral system between tiers of care. Capacity building of providers in managing intrapartum referrals is expected to improve the efficiency of the referral system, but this does not always work in practice. This study explored the experiences and perceptions of maternity healthcare providers on emergency intrapartum referrals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Gridlock from diagnosis to treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Tanzania: patients' perspectives from a focus group discussion.

Background: Molecular diagnostics have revolutionized the diagnosis of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Yet in Tanzania we found delay in diagnosis with more than 70% of MDR-TB patients having a history of several previous treatment courses for TB signaling prior opportunities for diagnosis. We aimed to explore patients' viewpoints and experiences with personal and socio-behavioral obstacles from MDR-TB diagnosis to treatment in an attempt to understand these prior findings.

A total facility approach to reducing HIV stigma in health facilities: implementation process and lessons learned.

Objectives: To describe development and implementation of a three-stage 'total facility' approach to reducing health facility HIV stigma in Ghana and Tanzania, to facilitate replication.

Design: HIV stigma in healthcare settings hinders the HIV response and can occur during any interaction between client and staff, between staff, and within institutional processes and structures. Therefore, the design focuses on multiple socioecological levels within a health facility and targets all levels of staff (clinical and nonclinical).

Determinants of Men's Involvement in Maternity Care in Dodoma Region, Central Tanzania.

Background: Men's involvement in maternity care is recognized as a key strategy in improving maternal health and accelerating reduction of maternal mortality. This study investigated the factors determining men's involvement in maternity care in Dodoma Region, Central Tanzania.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey used multistage sampling in four districts of Dodoma Region to select 966 married men participants aged 18 years and above.

Magnitude and factors associated with intimate partner violence in mainland Tanzania.

Background: In Tanzania like in many sub-Saharan countries the data about Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are scarce and diverse. This study aims to determine the magnitude of IPV and associated factors among ever partnered women in urban mainland Tanzania.

Methods: Data for this report were extracted from a big quasi-experimental survey that was used to evaluate MAP (MAP - Men as Partners) project.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices on Rift Valley fever among agro pastoral communities in Kongwa and Kilombero districts, Tanzania.

Background: Rift valley fever (RVF) is a re-emerging viral vector-borne disease with rapid global socio-economic impact. A large RVF outbreak occurred in Tanzania in 2007 and affected more than half of the regions with high (47 %) case fatality rate. Little is known about RVF and its dynamics.

Fertility desire and intention of people living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania: a call for restructuring care and treatment services.

Background: Scaling up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is currently underway in sub-Saharan Africa including, Tanzania, increasing survival of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Programmes pay little attention to PLWHA's reproductive health needs. Information on fertility desire and intention would assist in the integration of sexual and reproductive health in routine care and treatment clinics.

Attitudes towards and perceptions of reproductive health needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS in rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

The introduction of antiretroviral treatment has resulted in the resumption of socially productive and sexually active lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, together with the desire for children. However, factors affecting the reproductive health needs of people living with HIV/AIDS are not well understood. With this in mind, the aim of this paper was to investigate factors associated with these health needs using a qualitative approach.

Understanding the link between trafficking in persons and HIV and AIDS risk in Tanzania.

The magnitude of trafficking in persons in Tanzania is unknown. Consequently, available information on health risks of persons trafficked for different forms of exploitation is extremely scanty. We conducted a baseline study in eight administrative regions of Tanzania using both qualitative and quantitative methods to generate data on the health conditions of trafficked persons to inform trafficking in persons control measures through HIV and AIDS interventions.

Response to Rift Valley Fever in Tanzania: Challenges and Opportunities.

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is an arthropod borne viral disease affecting livestock (cattle, sheep, goats and camels), wildlife and humans caused by Phlebovirus. The disease occurs in periodic cycles of 4-15 years associated with flooding from unusually high precipitations in many flood-prone habitats. Aedes and Culex spp and other mosquito species are important epidemic vectors.

Reported human traffickers' profiles: a key step in the prevention of trafficking in persons through HIV and AIDS interventions in Tanzania.

Objective: a gap in comprehensive knowledge of trafficking in persons and the traffickers exists globally and in Tanzania in particular. Consequently, information on the profiles of human traffickers in the country is tremendously scanty.

Methods: we conducted a baseline study in eight administrative regions of Tanzania Mainland using both qualitative and quantitative methods to generate data in to inform anti-human trafficking health interventions and programs to be implemented in the country.

"When in the body, it makes you look fat and HIV negative": the constitution of antiretroviral therapy in local discourse among youth in Kahe, Tanzania.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is becoming increasingly more accessible within the health care system in Tanzania. However, the impact of the increased availability of ART on local conceptions about medicines, health and physical wellbeing has not been fully explored. In this article we examine how ART is constituted within local discourses about treatment and healing.