Browsing by Author "Malungo, J."

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Community members’ interaction with health professionals and health literacy under one health approach in selected wards in Tanzania: The Nexus
(Moshi University College, 2018) Muhanga, M.; Malungo, J.
Health care providers are a community’s trusted source of health information and can impact on health literacy. However, their effectiveness depends very much on how health care providers recognize and respond to patients’ information and communication needs. This article from a cross –sectional study discusses the influence of the community members’ interaction with health professionals (CMIWHP) on health literacy (HL) under One Health Approach in selected wards in Morogoro, Tanzania. It specifically:- (i) assessed HL of the people in the study area, (ii) assessed CMIWHP, and; (iii) assessed the association/linkages (nexus) between CMIWHP and HL levels. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire administered through a Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic platform from 1440 respondents obtained through multistage sampling procedure, 80 focus group discussions’ participants and 16 key informant interviewees. Indexes of score were constructed to measure CMIWHP and HL respectively. A chi-square test of independence was used to establish the association/linkages (nexus) between CMIWHP and HL. IBM-SPSS v.20 analysed quantitative data while qualitative data were organized into themes on specific objectives to back up findings. The study revealed, about one third of the respondents (32.9%) with adequate HL, moderate HL (30.8%) and majority with inadequate HL (36.3%). The results further indicate that only 17.5% (95% CI:15.0 to 19.9) had high CMIWHP, 42.5% (95% CI:39.5 to 45.9) with medium CMIWHP and the majority 40.0% (95% CI:37.2 to 43.1) had low CMIWHP. Chi-square results indicate a significant association between CMIWHP and HL, χ(2)=168.593, p=.000, phi=.342 It is concluded that CMIWHP significantly associates/links to HL levels, but with a medium effect . It is recommended that effective interventions should be established to enable further health care providers recognition and responses to patients’ information and communication needs.
Health Literacy and its Associates in the Context of One Health Approach: A Research Agenda Towards an Industrial Economy in Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2019) Muhanga, M.; Malungo, J.
Transformation of agriculture and natural resources for sustainable development towards industrial economy in Tanzania, inter alia, relies on the quality of population. Health has always remained a very essential determinant of quality of a population. Evidently, attaining optimal health calls for collaboration between humans, animals and environmental health professionals plus understanding consequences of humans, animals and environment interactions on health. Attaining good health faces numerous challenges, health literacy (HL) inclusive. Despite, HL being a predictor of health outcomes, health care costs and utilization, yet, it is not empirically known to which extent most countries, Tanzania inclusive, have made efforts in terms of research and interventions in this important variable. A cross sectional study was conducted in Morogoro urban and Mvomero districts in Morogoro, Tanzania to specifically (i) assess HL, (ii) determine factors associated with HL, (iii) identify research efforts and interventions on HL in Tanzania. . Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 1440 respondents obtained using multistage sampling procedure. HL was measured using One Health Literacy Assessment tool. Quantitative data were analysed using IBM-SPSS (v20) and Gretl software. The results revealed that 36.3% of the respondents had inadequate HL, 30.8% with Marginal HL and Adequate HL standing at 32.9%. Pearson coefficient correlation revealed HL correlating to group of attitudes (r = 0.135, p = 0.01), levels of engagement in health-related discussion (r = 0.609, p < 0.05), health behaviour categories (r = - 0.648, p = 0.05) and category of information seeking (r = 0.753, p = 0.05). Scanty empirical evidence exists on having HL researched and documented adequately in Tanzania. Having observed low HL and scanty research efforts and interventions on HL, efforts should be strengthened to promote HL under One Health Approach, given its importance towards realization of optimal health for humans, animals and the environment.
Health Literacy and Some Socio-Demographic Aspects under One Health Approach in Eastern Tanzania: Connections and Realities
(Scholink INC, 2018) Muhanga, M.; Malungo, J.
Health Literacy significantly contributes towards attaining good health particularly when taken into the context of the interface of humans, animals and the environment. This cross-sectional study assessed health literacy and its connections to other socio-demographic aspects under One Health Approach in Morogoro municipality and Mvomero districts in Tanzania. A structured questionnaire administered through a Computer Aided Personal Interviewing (CAPI) electronic platform was used to collect data from 240 respondents obtained through a multistage sampling procedure. Health Literacy was assessed using context specific assessment tool. IBM-SPSS v20 and Gretl software were used to analyze data. The results revealed Inadequate Health Literacy at 36.3%, Moderate Health Literacy at 30.8% and Adequate Health Literacy standing at 32.9%. There was no association between educational attainment and the level of Health Literacy revealed. Health Literacy was lower among older individuals, with 40.2% of those who had Inadequate Health Literacy were from the elderly age category, more females (56.3%) had Inadequate Health Literacy than males (43.7%), Adequate Health Literacy was observed among married respondents at 65.8% in the category. Health literacy varies across some socio-demographic aspects. It therefore remains imperative that interventions in scale up health literacy by various stakeholders to consider these socio-demographic aspects.
One Health Approach (OHA) in Selected Urban Settings in Tanzania: Knowledge, Attitudes, Awareness, and Practices
(TVJ, 2019) Kimario, Kanti; Muhanga, M.; Malungo, J.; Kimario, K.
Attainment of optimal health calls for collaboration between animals, humans, and environmental health professionals together with understanding the consequences of animals, humans, and environment interactions on health. In cognizant of this, the government in Tanzania introduced One Health Strategic Plan (2015–2020), little is empirically known on how this plan has facilitated the enhancement of knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) under One Health Approach (OHA). This article analyses KAPs under OHA from a cross-sectional study conducted in Morogoro, Tanzania. Data were collected by a questionnaire from 1440 respondents obtained through a multistage sampling procedure, 80 Focus Group discussions (FGDs) participants and 16 key informant interviewees. IBM-SPSS v.20 analysed quantitative data while qualitative data were organised into themes on specific objectives. Results revealed that only 32.3% (95% CI:30.3 to 35.3) had adequate OH knowledge. Only 5% (95% CI:4.0 to 6.1) were aware of OHA concept and practices; 3.8% (CI 95%, 2.8 to 4.8) managed to identify collaborative efforts and strategies, and 2.5% (CI 95%, 1.7 to 3.4) correctly explained/ described OHA. Whereas, 38.5% (95% CI:32.6 to 37.5) had a positive (favourable) attitude towards OHA. Despite the efforts outlined in the OH Strategic Plan to promote OHA, there is little awareness and knowledge on OHA. This indicates that the One Health Strategic Plan (2015–2020) and other initiatives have not significantly facilitated the enhancement of KAPs. This study recommends strengthening efforts towards OHA information dissemination to enhance awareness and knowledge on the concept and practices.