The Africa Research, Implementation Science and Education (ARISE) Network developed and implemented longitudinally an instrument to collect key adolescent health indicators in low middle-income Countries (LMICs) across seven diverse community settings in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The ARISE Network extended the planned community-based survey to include school settings in Tanga, Tanzania because as much as community-based studies are useful for reaching adolescents both in- and out-of-school, school-based approaches offer an additional structured entry point to reach adolescents in a cost-effective and sustainable way; provides important information on the influence of the school environment on adolescent health; informs the use of novel digital approaches to collect data remotely from school-going adolescents; and lays a framework for sustainable longitudinal monitoring of key health information in schools.
Dissemination of ARISE Adolescent Health Survey findings was conducted in Tanga City Council on the 17th July 2023. It was attended by the Minister of Health Hon. Minister Ummy Mwalimu (MP) and members of diverse Tanga City Council (TCC) departments who are key implementers of day-to-day activities involving adolescents in Tanga.
During the meeting, key findings on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Mental Health, Health Service Utilization, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, and Substance Use were presented by Africa Academy of Public Health AAPH (convener of the ARISE Network) to the Minister of Health. The honorable Minister appreciated the great efforts by AAPH in collaboration with TCC and highlighted the need of implementing further research on Mental Health issues as well as Sexual and Reproductive Health. In addition, Minister Ummy Mwalimu pointed out the need for having a larger city-wide dissemination including more stakeholders and youth representatives. This would bring about a collective understanding of the adolescents’ health needs in the Tanga City community and promote evidence-based interventions’ designing and implementation for better acceptability and impact.
The data generated and lessons learnt from this project are critical to inform design and implementation of sustainable high-impact adolescent health and nutrition programs in Tanga City, Tanzania, and LMICs across SSA and beyond.