Better sexual and reproductive health training for future nurses, midwives, and doctors in Tanzania
Official title: Evaluating the effects of reproductive health training on provider behavior
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11393986 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a sexual and reproductive health course to nursing, midwifery, and medical students in Tanzania to help them provide better care for people with HIV, STIs, and other sexual health needs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2018 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $115,422 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD092655-08S3 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393986 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are nursing, midwifery, and medical students or other early-career health providers at Muhimbili University or similar training programs in sub-Saharan Africa.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking immediate clinical treatment rather than educational improvements, or patients in areas where the training is not implemented, may not see direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project trains health students at Muhimbili University in Tanzania with a sexual health curriculum tailored to the local context and tests how that training changes provider behavior. In a randomized, single-blind trial, 412 nursing, midwifery, and medical students were assigned to receive the new curriculum or usual training. Researchers measured students’ sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and clinical skills at three months and plan longer-term follow-up in the renewal phase. The aim is to improve the quality of sexual and reproductive health care in a region with high HIV and STI rates.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, better-trained providers could deliver improved counseling, diagnosis, and care for people living with HIV and other sexual and reproductive health concerns.
How similar studies have gone: An earlier randomized trial at MUHAS found moderate-to-large improvements in students’ sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and clinical skills at three months.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rosser, B R Simon — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Rosser, B R Simon
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.