Alzheimer's Disease Research and Intervention Center (ADRIC)

Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment. Alzheimer's disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.

Alzheimer's disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells. One of the proteins involved is called amyloid, deposits of which form plaques around brain cells. The other protein is called tau, deposits of which form tangles within brain cells.

What are 5 symptoms of Alzheimer's?

Early symptoms

1. forget about recent conversations or events.

2. misplace items.

3. forget the names of places and objects.

4. have trouble thinking of the right word.

5. ask questions repetitively.

6. show poor judgement or find it harder to make decisions.

7. become less flexible and more hesitant to try new things.

Vijiji Tanzania is working on Dementia in Rungwe District Mbeya region of southern highlands of Tanzania.

Cognitive Study In Mbeya

The Effect of HIV among Older People

HIV infection is a major cause of disease burden and disability across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (HAND) and HIV dementia (HAD) are estimated to affect 8 million people with HIV infection across the continent and are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. As the coverage of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) across SSA increases, the prevalence of HIV infection is also increasing due to improved life expectancy and the proportion of people aged 50 and over living with HIV infection is predicted to triple by 2040.

This ageing population is likely to be vulnerable to HAND, but to date; only one previous study has been conducted in SSA in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. This study showed high prevalence of 47% of HAND in individuals aged over 50.

Molly Sadler and Nikky Thuma Reddy are to exploring on the patterns of Cognitive disorders in Tanzanian population of Mbeya region. They are focusing on determining the prevalence and risk factors for cognitive impairment in people living with HIV and receiving standard HIV care according to the Tanzanian guidelines. The risk factors being looked at include factors directly related to HIV infection, such as CD4 count and duration of infection, as well as comorbidities. The study will also look at cognitive reserve as a risk factor - there is increasing evidence that cognitive reserve may make people less likely to develop HAND. These risk factors are potentially modifiable and assessing them could help to prevent HAND in HIV patients in the future.

Vijiji Tanzania is currently conducting a case-control study that is executed using a total of 684 participants in which 342 HIV positive patients attending HIV clinic and the matched 342 non-HIV patients attending ophthalmology clinic who are recruited using systematic sampling. The study is comparing findings in HIV patients to a HIV negative control group of the same age and educational background attending hospital care for other health conditions. Patients are evaluated using a neurocognitive battery of tests previously used in Tanzania, plus clinical and functional assessment to determine diagnosis. The study also aims to determine the views of older people living with HIV on their risks and experiences of Cognitive Disorders.

Vijiji Tanzania is hoping that the study will lead to evidence based intervention in the Mbeya region in Tanzania and beyond, in particular to expand diagnosis of cognitive disorders in rural areas and link them to Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST). The CST is a group-based psychosocial intervention for people with dementia, which has been shown to improve cognition and quality of life. CST has the potential to be a low-cost, sustainable and effective intervention for patients in Tanzania and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

The PLATO study by Vijiji Tanzania

Period poverty and heALth ouTcomes explOration; The PLATO study

Vijiji Tanzania considers Human rights are rights that every human being has by virtue of his or her human dignity. Menstruation is intrinsically related to human dignity – when people cannot access safe bathing facilities and safe and effective means of managing their menstrual hygiene, they are not able to manage their menstruation with dignity. Menstruation-related teasing, exclusion and shame also undermine the principle of human dignity. Gender inequality, extreme poverty, humanitarian crises and harmful traditions can all turn menstruation into a time of deprivation and stigma, which can undermine their enjoyment of fundamental human rights. This is true for women and girls, as well as for transgender men and nonbinary persons who menstruate. Over the lifetime of a person who menstruates, they could easily spend three to eight years menstruating, during which they might face menstruation-related exclusion, neglect or discrimination. A variety of factors affect how people are treated during menstruation (and other times when they experience vaginal bleeding, such as during post-partum recovery).

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe mood disorder, is characterized by cognitive–affective and physical symptoms in the week before menses and affects millions of women worldwide. A significant recent development is the recognition of PMDD as a distinct disorder in the DSM-5. In 2012, a committee of international experts on the pathophysiology and treatment of PMDD submitted to the American Psychiatric Association DSM-5 Executive Committee a review of the current science regarding PMDD and gave their recommendation for PMDD's inclusion in the DSM-5 as a full diagnostic category. In defining PMDD, mood symptoms are key. Both the DSM-IV and DSM-5 diagnoses are based upon a perimenstrual pattern of at least five physical, affective, and/or behavioural symptoms, with a requirement of at least one of the key affective symptoms of affective lability (mood swings, tearfulness, sensitivity to rejection);

Vijiji Tanzania’s new women’s health strategy as well as the importance of reducing health disparities, we developed a purposeful and multi-faceted project to explore the overall health impact as a result of period poverty- called the PLATO project. The PLATO project plans to explore multiple issues using a data-connectivity approach with multiple work-streams. To do this, our first step (work-package 1) has been to conduct an evidence synthesis to report the current clinical and research gaps followed by a prospective mixed-methods study (work-package 2). We have recruited 30 participants ranging from 18 and 99 years of age comprising of all ethnicities/races and socio-economic backgrounds to better assess their health outcomes and overall impact, including their experiences (work-package 2). We will then develop a step-wise public health intervention that can be personalized to access healthcare services, and could improve the overall wellbeing and healthcare outcomes in women(work-package 3a). This will be validated (work-package 3b) using a feasibility study. To efficiently conduct this study, an adaptive protocol design has been used where gathered data could be linked leading to real-world adaption and implementation more easily.

Research Project MARIE

An Exploration of the Physical and Mental Health Impact Among Menopausal Women: The MARIE Project (WP2a & WP2b)

Vijiji Tanzania is exploring the understanding of the physical and mental health challenges faced by menopausal women in Tanzania. Menopause can bring mood changes, anxiety, and depression, shaped by biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. These experiences have often been under-researched in African contexts, highlighting the need for timely and culturally relevant interventions.

The study aims to explore mental health impacts during menopause and evaluate the MARiE digital support tool in Mbeya, Tanzania.

WP2a – Observational Study

- Primary Objective: Assess the mental health impact of menopause.

- Secondary Objectives: Examine changes in symptoms, lower back pain, quality of life (QoL), health inequalities, and workforce participation.

WP2b – Intervention Trial

- Primary Objective: Test the effectiveness of the MARiE tool in supporting mental health during menopause.

- Secondary Objectives: Track changes in symptoms, lower back pain, QoL, and health inequalities after the intervention.

The study is following three research steps — baseline, follow-up, and interviews — using a mixed-methods design:

 Quantitative data: Collected through structured online questionnaires on the Qualtrics XM platform at baseline and follow-up.

 Qualitative data: Gathered through participant interviews and open-ended responses to understand personal experiences.

 Design: WP2a as a prospective observational study; WP2b as a feasibility trial of the MARiE tool.

Vijiji Tanzania is dedicated to highlight the real-world experiences of menopausal women, identify mental health support gaps, and evaluate a tailored digital intervention.

The findings will help shape future large-scale studies and guide policies to promote health equity and improve workplace participation among menopausal women in Tanzania.