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Engaging Young Men as Community Health Leaders in an STI and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kajula, LJ; Kilonzo, MN; Conserve, DF; Mwikoko, G; Kajuna, D; Balvanz, P; Yamanis, TJ; Mulawa, MI; Hill, LM; Mbwambo, JK; Maman, S
Published in: Global social welfare : research, policy & practice
December 2019

This article presents lessons learned from a microfinance and health intervention for young men designed to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STI) and intimate partner violence (IPV) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We describe the different strategies we used to identify and train young men to become change agents within their social networks.A cluster-randomized trial with 60 camps was undertaken in the Kinondoni District of Dar es Salaam. A total of 170 members from 30 intervention camps were trained in March 2014 as popular opinion leaders (POLs), whom we call Camp Health Leaders (CHLs). We describe the process of nominating, training, and retaining CHLs. We also describe our monitoring process, which included the collection of weekly diaries assessing topics discussed, number of peers engaged in conversations, reactions of peers, and challenges faced.POLs within naturally existing social networks can be engaged in STI and IPV prevention initiatives. Continuous efforts in retention, such as holding community advisory board (CAB) meetings, developing prevention slogans and t-shirts, and offering small grants to POL teams for intervention activities, were important to keeping POLs engaged in the intervention. Further, booster-training sessions were critical to maintain the message of the project and ensure that the challenges POLs face with implementing the programs were addressed in a timely manner.Recruiting POLs in a Tanzanian urban setting and engaging them in STI and IPV reduction through social networks is possible. Training POLs in health information and interpersonal communication is important. Utilizing booster sessions and a variety of retention strategies for POLs in programs that aim to reduce IPV and STI infections among young men is essential to maintain the health leaders' engagement in the intervention as well as intervention fidelity.

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Published In

Global social welfare : research, policy & practice

DOI

EISSN

2196-8799

ISSN

2196-8799

Publication Date

December 2019

Volume

6

Issue

4

Start / End Page

259 / 266

Related Subject Headings

  • 4410 Sociology
  • 4206 Public health
  • 3801 Applied economics
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Kajula, L. J., Kilonzo, M. N., Conserve, D. F., Mwikoko, G., Kajuna, D., Balvanz, P., … Maman, S. (2019). Engaging Young Men as Community Health Leaders in an STI and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Global Social Welfare : Research, Policy & Practice, 6(4), 259–266. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-018-00134-z
Kajula, Lusajo J., Mrema N. Kilonzo, Donaldson F. Conserve, Gema Mwikoko, Deus Kajuna, Peter Balvanz, Thespina J. Yamanis, et al. “Engaging Young Men as Community Health Leaders in an STI and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Global Social Welfare : Research, Policy & Practice 6, no. 4 (December 2019): 259–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-018-00134-z.
Kajula LJ, Kilonzo MN, Conserve DF, Mwikoko G, Kajuna D, Balvanz P, et al. Engaging Young Men as Community Health Leaders in an STI and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Global social welfare : research, policy & practice. 2019 Dec;6(4):259–66.
Kajula, Lusajo J., et al. “Engaging Young Men as Community Health Leaders in an STI and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Global Social Welfare : Research, Policy & Practice, vol. 6, no. 4, Dec. 2019, pp. 259–66. Epmc, doi:10.1007/s40609-018-00134-z.
Kajula LJ, Kilonzo MN, Conserve DF, Mwikoko G, Kajuna D, Balvanz P, Yamanis TJ, Mulawa MI, Hill LM, Mbwambo JK, Maman S. Engaging Young Men as Community Health Leaders in an STI and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Global social welfare : research, policy & practice. 2019 Dec;6(4):259–266.
Journal cover image

Published In

Global social welfare : research, policy & practice

DOI

EISSN

2196-8799

ISSN

2196-8799

Publication Date

December 2019

Volume

6

Issue

4

Start / End Page

259 / 266

Related Subject Headings

  • 4410 Sociology
  • 4206 Public health
  • 3801 Applied economics