Tanzabilities

Tanzabilities

Tanzabilities is a 5-year NIH-funded intervention to improve healthcare provider knowledge and skills in providing sexual and reproductive healthcare to people with disabilities in Tanzania. Our intro video and additional information below provides an overview of this work:

Tanzania has among the most significant adverse reproductive health statistics of any country and high rates of persons with disabilities who are invisible in reproductive healthcare, yet health professionals receive no training in how to address reproductive health concerns in persons with disabilities. This study will conduct the formative research needed to develop a rigorous reproductive health curriculum for healthcare providers treating Tanzanian people with disabilities. We will test the intervention (curriculum) on health workers’ skills to effectively address reproductive health concerns for people with disabilities using a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Image Caption: This image shows a large group of people who gathered for the Tanzabilities Curriculum Retreat where we built the curriculum. This group of people includes several members of the Community Advisory Board, Principal Investigators, scientific Co-Investigators, and Research Assistants.

This study is in partnership between Muhumbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and University of Minnesota (UMN).

The Tanzabilities Study is:

  • Based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in partnership with the University of Minnesota (UMN) in Minneapolis, USA.
  • Led by Principal Investigator Drs. Kristen Mark and Dickson Mkoka. 
  • This research study is overseen by the MUHAS Institutional Review Board, NIMBRI Review Board, and the UMN Institutional Review Board. 

The Tanzabilities study has 3 aims.

Aim 1: Assessing reproductive health needs of the Tanzanian disability community and the learning needs of healthcare workers/students.

Aim 2: Developing a curriculum tailored to the African context that addresses the needs of people with disabilities.

Aim 3: Scientifically evaluating the effectiveness of the developed curriculum.

We utilize a Community Advisory Board for all activities of Tanzabilities and rely on their expertise and lived experience for all stages of the project. The advisory board is composed of eight experts and community members engaged in the disability space in Tanzania. They represent various organizations and a wide range of disabilities, advocating for the health and social well-being of Tanzania’s disability community.

This study is conducted jointly by University of Minnesota and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences. NIH Grant Number:  R01HD110999. UMN IRB: STUDY00019968. MUHAS IRB: DA.282/298/01.C/1946. TANZANIA NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH IRB: NIMR/HQ/R.8a/Vol.IX/4506