THP-2

A seven photo collage of Dr. Simon Rosser, the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, medical students in Tanzania, the THP study team, and an African man with a pride flag..

The THP-2 Study

The purpose of the Training for Health Professional-2 (THP-2) study is to improve sexual and reproductive health care in Tanzania by strengthening how future health professionals are trained to address sexual health outcomes. We do this by evaluating a culturally grounded sexual health curriculum developed for medical, nursing, and midwifery students. Findings from this study will be shared with educators, policymakers, researchers, and health institutions in Tanzania and beyond. 

The THP-2 Study is:

  • An NIH-funded study led by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and carried out in partnership with Tanzanian health universities.

  • Conducted in collaboration with:

    • Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)

    • University of Dodoma (UDOM)

    • Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (KCMC)

    • State University of Zanzibar (SUZA)

  • Focused on training health professional students and faculty in sexual and reproductive health care.

  • Designed to evaluation both medium- and long-term outcomes and real-world implementation of a sexual health curriculum.

The Research Team

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University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health

Principal Investigator:

B. R. Simon Rosser, PhD, MPH

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

School of Nursing

Principal Investigator:

Dickson Mkoka, PhD

Publications

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Selected Publications

  • Ross, M.W., Leshabari, S., Rosser, B.R.S., Trent, M., Mgopa, L., Wadley, J. Kohli, N., Agardh, A. (2018). Evaluation of an assessment instrument for a sexual health curriculum for nurses and midwifery students in Tanzania: The Sexual Health Education Professionals Scale (SHEPS). Journal of Applied Nursing Research, 40:152-156. 
  • Rosser, B.R.S., Mgopa, L., Leshabari, S., Ross, M.W., Gadiel Lukumay, G., Massae, A., Mkonyi, E., Mohammed, I., Mushy, S.E. Mwakawanga, D., Trent, M. Wadley, J. (2020). Legal and ethical considerations in delivery of sexual health care in Tanzania. African Journal of Health, Nursing and Midwifery, 3(7), 84-102. 
  • Rosser, B.R.S., Maticka-Tyndale, E., Ross, M.W. (2021). Ethical challenges in international and global research. In S. Panicker & B. Stanley (eds). Handbook of Research Ethics in Psychological Science. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  • Mgopa LR, Rosser, BRS, Ross, MW, Gadiel Lukumay, G, Mohammed, I,  Massae, A, Leshabari, S, Mkonyi, E, Mushy, S, Mwakawanga, D, Trent, M, Wadley, J, Bonilla, ZE. (2021). Cultural and clinical challenges in sexual health care provision to men who have sex with men in Tanzania: A qualitative study of health professionals’ experiences and health students’ perspectives. BMC Pubic Health, 21:676. 
  • Mgopa L.R, Gadiel G.L, Mushy S.E., Mkony E, Leshabari S, Massae A, Mwakawanga D.L, Mohammed I, Ross M.W, Trent M, Wadley J, Bonilla Z.E., Rosser B.R.S, (2022). Perceptions of sexual health care provision in Tanzania. A key informant qualitative study. Journal of Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 19: 849-859. 
  • Mgopa L.R, Rosser B.R.S, Ross M.W, Mohamed I, Gadiel G, Massae A, Mushy S, Mkonyi E, Mwakawanga D.L, Trent M, Wadley J, Bonilla Z.E, Leshabari S. Clinical care of victims of interpersonal violence and rape in Tanzania: A qualitative investigation. International Journal of Women’s Health, 13:727-741.
  • Mushy S.E., Gadiel Lukumay, G., Mgopa L.R, Bonilla, Z.E., Rosser, B.R.S., Massae, A., Mkonyi, E., Mohammed, I., Mwakawanga, D., Trent, M., Wadley, J. Ross, M.W., Leshabari, S. (2021). The management of masturbation as a sexual health problem by health professionals and students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A qualitative focus group study. J. Sexual Medicine, 18(10):1690-1697. 
  • Mwakawanga, D.L., Mkonyi, E., Mushy, S.E, Trent, M., Rosser, B.R.S., Bonilla, Z.E. Massae, A., Mgopa, L.,.  Gadiel, G., Mohammed, I, Leshabari, S., Ross, M.W., Wadley, J. Would you offer a contraception to a 14-year Old Girl? Perspectives of Midwifery, Nursing, and Medical Students and Professionals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. BMC Reproductive Health, 18(245) 1-11. 
  • Mkonyi, E, Mwakawanga, D.L., Rosser, B.R.S., Bonilla, Z.E. Mgopa, L,.  Gadiel, G. Massae, A,,  Mohammed, I, Mushy, S.E, Ross, M.W., Trent, M., Wadley, J., Leshabari, S. (2022) The healthcare management of child sexual abuse in Tanzania: Results from a focus group study of midwifery, nursing and medical providers and students. Child Abuse and Neglect, 121, 105268.
  • Lukumay, G.G., Mgopa L.R, Mushy S.E, Rosser, B.R.S., Massae, A.F., Mkonyi, Mohammed, I., Mwakawanga D.L,  Trent M, Wadley J, Ross, M.W., Bonilla, Z., Leshabari, S.  (2023). Community myths and misconceptions about sexual health promotion: Stakeholders’ views from a qualitative study in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. Plos One, 18(2): e0264706. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264706. 
  • Rosser, B.R.S., Mkoka, D.A., Rohloff, C.,  Mgopa L.R., Ross, M.W., Lukumay, G.G., Mohammed, I., Massawe, A.F., Mkonyi, E., Mushy, S.E., Mwakawanga, D.L., Kohli, N., Trent, M., Wadley, J. Bonilla, Z.E. (2022). Tailoring a sexual health curriculum to the sexual health challenges seen by midwifery, nursing and medical providers and students in Tanzania. African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine. 14 (1): a3434.
  • Mkonyi, E., Mwakawanga, D.L., Rosser, B.R.S., . Bonilla, Z.E., Lukumay, G.G., Mohammed, I., Mushy, S.E., Mgopa, L.R., Ross, M.W., Massawe, A. F., Trent, M., Wadley, J. (2022). Management of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Healthcare Professionals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Abstracts of the 25th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) and SASHSA (South African Sexual Health Association). International Journal of Sexual Health, 34(sup 1): A143.
  • Rosser, B.R.S., Mkoka, D.A., Lukumay, G.G., Mgopa, L.R., Trent, M., Ross, M.W., Kohli, N., Massawe, A.F., Mkonyi, E., Mushy, S,.E., Mwakawanga, D.L., Rolhoff, C., Wadley, J., Bonilla, Z.E. (2021). Development of an African-centric sexual health curriculum for midwifery, nursing and medical students and providers in Tanzania. Abstracts of the 25th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) and SASHSA (South African Sexual Health Association). International Journal of Sexual Health, 34(sup 1): A316.
  • Ross, M.W., Leshabari, S., Rolhoff, C., Mkoka, D.A., Lukumay, G.G., Mgopa, L.R., Trent, M., Kohli, N., Massae, A.F., Mkonyi, E., Mushy, S.E.,  Mwakawanga, D.L., Wadley, J., Bonilla, J.E., Mohammed, I., Rosser, B. R.S. (2021). Evaluating the sexual health education for professionals scale in a pilot course for health care professions: a Tanzanian trial. Abstracts of the 25th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) and SASHSA (South African Sexual Health Association). International Journal of Sexual Health, 34(sup 1): A326.
  • Mkonyi, E., Silla, N., Rohloff, C., Lukumay, G., Ross, M., Kohli, N., Mgopa, L., Massae, A., Mohammed, I., Mushy, S., Mwakawanga, D., Rosser, B. R., & Trent, M. (2023). Not Lost in Translation: The Use of Standardized Patients Technology among Health Professional Students in Tanzania. East African Journal of Health and Science, 6(1), 149-161. 
    https://doi.org/10.37284/eajhs.6.1.1243
  • Mkonyi, E., Trent, M., Mwakawanga, D., Massae, A., Ross, M., Bonilla, Z., Mohammed, I., Lukumay, G., Mushy, S., Mgopa, L., Wadley, J., Mkoka, D., & Rosser, B. R. (2023). Evaluating the History-Taking Process of Sexual Reproductive Health Problems in Tanzania: Lessons from a Study of Health Students and Practitioners. East African Journal of Health and Science, 6(1), 133-148. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajhs.6.1.1239.
  • Massae, A., Mgopa, L., Bonilla, Z.E., Mohammed, I., Mushy S.E., Gadiel, G., Rosser, B.R.S., Mkonyi, E., Mwakawanga, D., Ross, M.W., Leshabari, S., Wadley, J., Trent, M. (2024). Addressing sexual health concerns in Tanzania: Perceived barriers among midwifery, nursing and medical students and providers in the Training for Health Professionals study. Culture, Health and Sexuality, 26(9) 1217-1231.
  • Mkonyi, E., Trent, M., Mwakawanga, D., Massae, A., Ross, M., Bonilla, Z., Mohammed, I., Lukumay, G., Mushy, S., Mgopa, L., Wadley, J., Mkoka, D., & Rosser, B. R. (2024). Male Erectile Dysfunction Problems in Healthcare Facilities in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. East African Journal of Health and Science, 7(1), 46-59. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajhs.7.1.1728
  • Mwakawanga, D.L, Massae, A.F., Lukumay, G.G., Mushy, S.E., Mkoka, D.A., Kohli, N., Mgopa, L.R., Rohloff, C.T., Mkonyi, E., Trent, M., Ross, M.W., Rosser, B.R.S., Connor, J. (2024). The need for, acceptability and feasibility of a curriculum to train nursing and medical students in the sexual health care of patients with female genital mutilation/circumcision in Tanzania: A Mixed-methods study. BMC Women’s Health, 24. Open access. 
  • Mushy, S.E., Mkoka, D.A., Lukumay, G.G., Massae, A.F., Mark, K., Rohloff, C.T., Mgopa, L.R., Mwakawanga, D.L., Kohli, N., Ross, M.W., Trent, M., Athuman, K., Rosser, B.R.S.  The need for and acceptability of a cancer training course for medical and nursing students in Tanzania: a convergent mixed methods study. BMC Med Educ 24, 614 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05497-w
  • Lukumay, G.G., Trent, M. Mushy, S.E., Mgopa, L.R., Rosser, B.R.S., Mkoka, D.A., Kohli, N., Rohloff, C.T., Mkonyi, E., Massawe, A.F., Mwakawanga, D.L., Ross, M.W. (2024). Sexual health communication and history taking: Inter-rater reliability of standardized patients and faculty ratings in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. BMC Education, in press.
  • Mushy, S.E., Lukumay, G.G., Massae, A.F., Mkoka, D.A., Rohloff, C.T., Kohli, N., Mgopa, L.R., Mwakawanga, D.L., Mkonyi, E., Ross, M.W. and Trent, M., (2025). Knowledge of Mandatory Reporting Laws and Recording of Clients’ Abuse Data: Effects of a Sexual Health Curriculum Training for Health Students in Tanzania. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 34(1):103-122.
  • Mkoka, D. A., Ross, M. W., Mkonyi, E., Trent, M., Lukumay, G. G., Kohli, N., Mgopa, L. R., Rohloff, C. T., Mwakawanga, D. L., Mohammed, I., Mushy, S. E., Massae, A. F., Zhang, Z., & Rosser, B. R. S. (2025). Evaluation of an Afrocentric Sexual Health Education Curriculum for Medical, Nursing and Midwifery Students in Tanzania. East African Journal of Health and Science, 8(1). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.37284/2707-3920 
  • Rosser, B.R.S., Mkoka, D.A., Trent, M., Kohli, N., Mgopa L.R., Rohloff, C.T., Mkonyi, E., Ross, M.W., Mushy, S.E., Mohammed, I., Massae, A.F., Zhang, Z., Mwakawanga, D.L., Lukumay, G.G. (2025). Effects of an Afrocentric sexual health education curriculum for medical, nursing and midwifery students in Tanzania: A single blinded randomized controlled phase 3 trial. Archives of Sexual Behavior, in press.
  • Mark, K.P., Mushy, S.E., Puchner-Hardman, M., Mgopa, L.R., Lukumay, G.G., Rosser, B.R.S., Massawe, A.F., Mwakawanga, D.L., Chikwala, V.Z., Sumari, E.I., Lyimo, A.A., Kilian, K., Trent, M.E., Ross, M.W., Löfgren, C., Connor, J.J., Mfinanga, R.F., Mkoka, D.A. (2025). Needs assessment of training midwifery, nursing, and medical students in sexual and reproductive health care for people with disabilities in Tanzania. Disability & Health Journal, in press.