East African Journal of Public Health

Contact Dermatitis among Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Two Regional Referral Hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Hussein Mwanga — 2026-01-29

Background: Contact dermatitis is a common occupational skin disease among healthcare workers (HCWs), often linked to wet work, disinfectants, and glove use. It negatively affects work productivity and quality of life, yet data from Tanzania remain scarce.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2024 at two regional referral hospitals in Dar es Salaam. Stratified random sampling was used across professional cadres. Data were collected using a Standardised Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire. Contact dermatitis was defined as two or more skin symptoms within the past 12 months. Modified Poisson regression was applied to identify associated factors, adjusting for age, sex, and education.

Results: A total of 369 HCWs participated, of whom 200 (54.2%) were women. Most were aged 31–40 years (41.5%). The prevalence of contact dermatitis was 30.0%. The most commonly reported symptoms were dry skin (31.7%), itching (27.9%), and redness (16.3%). Hands were the most frequently affected (86.3%). Independent predictors included female sex (adjusted prevalence ratio–APR=1.11; 95% CI: 1.03–1.19), personal history of hay fever (APR =1.08; 95% CI:1.00–1.16), allergy (APR=1.14;95% CI:1.05–1.24), working in the medical department (APR=1.11; 95% CI:1.01–1.22), working >8 hours/day (APR=1.17; 95% CI:1.09–1.25), and using >10 pairs of gloves/day (APR=1.20; 95% CI:1.06–1.35).

Conclusion: Contact dermatitis is common among HCWs and is associated with both personal and work-related factors. Preventive measures should include optimizing glove use, promoting skin-friendly hand hygiene practices, regulating workloads, and strengthening occupational health services.

Trends and Distribution of Cancer Cases in Tanzania from 2007-2021: A Retrospective Hospital-Based Study

Baldwina Tita — 2026-01-29

The increasing prevalence of cancers in Tanzania poses a significant public health concern. Despite data being collected from major referral hospitals, systemic challenges such as delayed diagnosis and incomplete historical records may still affect overall cancer surveillance. This study aims to determine the trends and distribution of cancer incidence in Tanzania and to identify the most affected regions using data from hospital-based cancer registries.

Association between Diet Quality and Nutritional Status among Secondary School Adolescents in Mbeya City

Mercy Kamwela — 2026-01-29

Background: Adolescence is a critical phase of life because it involves changes that are crucial to a person’s health and well-being. There is a coexistence of overnutrition and undernutrition among adolescents. Poor diet is among the causes of malnutrition, but little is still known about the quality of diet among adolescents in Tanzania

Objective: The study’s objective was to assess diet quality among adolescents by using the Diet Quality Index International (DQI-I) and assess its association with adolescents’ nutritional status in Mbeya City, Tanzania.

Methods: This study used cross-sectional data from Mbeya City, involving 192 adolescents. Anthropometric measurements (heights and weights) were collected, and z-scores were calculated based on the 2007 WHO growth standards for age and sex. Information on demographics and diet was collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Diet quality score and its component scores were established by the use of the Diet Quality Index- International (DQI-I). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multinomial logistic regression were used to establish prevalence, means, standard deviation, and the association between variables.

Results: There was a coexistence of undernutrition (stunting: 58.3%, underweight: 29.0%, and thinness: 21.4%) and overnutrition (overweight: 5.8%). The mean diet quality score was 56.66 (SD=8.97). Diet quality score and all its components did not show a significant association with nutritional status except for diet variety which was associated with thinness (AOR= 0.85(95% CI 0.75-0.97), p=0.01).

Conclusion: There is a coexistence of undernutrition and overweight among secondary school adolescents, along with poor diet quality. This highlights the need for further research and targeted intervention.

Reasons for Teenage Pregnancy as Experienced by School Dropout Teen Mothers in Katavi Region, Tanzania

Tumaini Nyamhanga — 2026-01-29

Background: Teenage pregnancy, defined as pregnancy between 10 and 19 years, carries significant health risks. In Tanzania, it has led to the expulsion of over 70,000 schoolgirls between 2003 and 2015, with Katavi being particularly affected. Limited research has examined the causes from the perspective of school dropout teen mothers, a gap this study sought to fill.

Methods: We employed a qualitative case study involving purposively sampled 18 teen mothers who dropped out of school (2017-2019). We conducted in-depth interviews with the study participants using an interview guide. We audio-recorded interviews in Kiswahili. The recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, translated into English, and qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings were presented in terms of themes and sub-themes.

Results: The findings indicate that teenage pregnancy arises from factors operating at multiple levels: individual, family, community, and societal. At the individual level, pregnancy was linked to students’ limited life skills and strong sexual desire. At the family level, poverty and financial instability-manifested through food insecurity, inability to meet basic needs, and lack of safe accommodation were key contributors. At the community level, unregulated student housing in school neighborhoods created risky environments. At the societal level, the findings point to systemic government failures to adequately provide food and accommodation in school-owned hostels.

Conclusion: Teenage pregnancy is a multifaceted problem driven by individual, family, community, and societal factors, including limited life skills, poverty, unsafe housing, unregulated student accommodation, and inadequate government support Comprehensive, multi-level interventions are required that strengthen individual capacities, family support, community regulation, and national policies to ensure safe and affordable school accommodation.

Teachers-Adolescent Students’ Conflicts Resolutions and their Mental Health Afflictions during Adolescent Development in Arumeru Secondary Schools, Tanzania

Richard Nashon — 2026-01-29

Background: Adolescence is a stormy period marked by conflicts. Studies indicate that teachers and adolescents frequently experience conflicts due to age-related changes. However, little is known about how these conflicts are resolved and about their impact on adolescents' mental health during this period. This study explored teachers' and adolescents' views on teacher-adolescent conflicts and how these conflicts affect adolescents’ mental health during their development in Arumeru secondary schools in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania.

Methods: This qualitative study employed a case study design guided by psychosocial theory. Data saturation was achieved with 44 purposively sampled participants who participated in in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions. The data were analyzed thematically with the assistance of NVivo 14.

Results: The study found that teachers and adolescent students adopt different conflict-resolution styles, which are likely to affect their psychological well-being and mental health. Some choose to live with psychological hostility, leading to stress, depression, and aggression. Positive resolution styles included seeking intervention from a third party for psychological relief; participants also chose either a comforting or a negotiating approach to achieve psychological relief, and, where possible, either ignored the conflict or sided with one side to maintain peace of mind among the conflicting parties.

Conclusion: The study identified several conflict resolution styles and their potential hiccups on adolescents’ psychological health and mental well-being. School management should create a supportive environment where adolescent students can openly discuss their challenges, allowing for appropriate support to promote stable psychological well-being and mental health.