CSK supported data collection activities for a baseline survey for an interventional study under EGPAF titled “Effectiveness of Early Child Development Multi-Media Communication on Caregiver and Community Health Worker Behaviors: Evaluation of the Malezi II Program” in Tabora region, Tanzania. Data collection for this study included conducting enumeration and screening of 8,909 Households in four districts of Tabora region (using EA maps) and administering a baseline survey questionnaire to 1,261 households meeting the study eligibility criteria. Through this activity, CSK team developed strong experience in working with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The activity involved working with our client to procure both the sample frame, sampling clusters and enumeration maps. In this activity, CSK also involved NBS representative in the training of enumerators as well as in the field pre-testing of study tools and procedures.

CSK supported data collection activities for an eligibility survey for an interventional study titled “Star Homes – better health through better housing: Phase 1 house construction” in Mtwara region, Tanzania. In that study CSK screened more than 14,000 households (HHs) for the study inclusion criteria and conducted a lottery which led to the identification of 550 HHs that will be participating in the study. The study is aimed at constructing 110 improved houses in 55 villages of Mtwara district council, Tanzania, and later on conducting a clinical trial to evaluate their ability to reduce the risk of a range of diseases, including malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea. The improved houses incorporate improved features such as elevated bedrooms, permeable walls, rainwater harvesting, and appropriate latrines. CSK is leading the implementation of this study in Tanzania which is being implemented in collaboration with Mahidol – Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), University of Copenhagen, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and University of the Philippines.

CSK supported a household survey of orphans and vulnerable children “OVCs” (sample size more than 5,000) that included HIV testing at the household level in four regions of Tanzania. This study was conducted in close collaboration with ministry of health of Tanzania whose HIV service managers supported provision of and quality monitoring HIV test kits in the study regions. The Ministry of healthy also participated in the quality assurance of the HIV testing procedures at the household level during the study. In that study, CSK recruited and worked with certified nurses (most of whom were ministry of health employees) who administered the study surveys and conducted HIV testing and counselling among the OVCs at the households.

As a sub-grantee for Population Council, CSK was fully responsible for implementing field activities for the mid-term performance evaluation of the USAID-funded Tulonge Afya (TA) project in 6 regions of Tanzania. Tulonge Afya is an SBCC (social and behavioral change communication) flagship project in Tanzania that is being implemented all over Tanzania, with a focus in 19 regions. The project aims to foster positive health practices in households and communities by transforming socio-cultural norms and supporting the adoption of healthier behaviors in five health areas, including sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, HIV and AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. Data collection activities for TA mid-term performance evaluation included: 1) 20 key informant interviews with National level project stakeholders, including from ministry of health (MoH) officials, USAID, and other implementing partners (IPs), 2) 24 in-depth interviews with regional and district level project stakeholders, including MoH officials, CSOs and IPs., 3) 60 Focus group discussions with project beneficiaries, and 4) 30 direct observations of project activities.

CSK supported data collection activities for a qualitative study under palladium international titled “Pediatric HIV: a mixed-methods study exploring factors that influence transitions in care and viral load suppression.” in two regions of Tanzania. Data collection for this study included: 1) 64 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with male and female adolescents aged 15-19 years, 2) 8 focus group discussions (FGDs) among male and female adolescents, 3) 64 IDIs with parents/caregivers of adolescents, 4) 8 FGDs with health care providers and 5) 17 KIIs with policymakers and program managers at the national (n=10), regional (n=1) and district (n=6) level.

CSK supported data collection activities for a mixed methods study under population council titled “DREAMS formative assessment regarding PrEP introduction for adolescent girls and young women in Tanzania” in two regions of Tanzania. Data collection for this study included:1) 12 in-depth interviews (IDIs) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) AGE 15-24 years, 2) 38 focus group discussions (FGDs) among AGYW, 4) 16 IDIs with male partners of AGYW, 5) 55 FGDs with parents of AGYW, 6) 21 KIIs with policy makers, and 7) 316 surveys among service providers of AGYW.

CSK consultants have been supporting data collection activities for the process evaluation of the adolescent 360 (A360) project that is being implemented by PSI in 10 regions of Tanzania. The project aims at fostering modern contraceptive use among adolescent girls and utilizes Human-Centered-Design (HCD) approach through youth engagement to create high-performing adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) interventions at scale in Tanzania.  CSK have been responsible for collecting process evaluation data (at six-monthly interval) in the regions that the program is being implemented. This evaluation utilizes various data collection approaches, including key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and direct activities observations. This evaluation also utilizes innovative data collection methods such as participatory peer research methodologies (PEER) and participatory action research (PAR) methodology. CSK staff were responsible for recruiting and training peer researchers as well as managing PAR activities. CSK staff gained a special experience during the final round of process evaluation activities under this project that happened during the COVID-19 period where they had to implement all planned interviews via phone and skype/zoom meetings, and despite various challenges faced in relation to remote data collection, CSK team managed to conduct 96 out of the planned 106 interviews.

CSK supported data collection activities for a mixed methods study under JHU titled “Assessing the Quality of Counselling and In-service Communication Related to Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) Services for Adolescents” in three regions of Tanzania. Data collection for this study were implemented in 2 phases and included focus group discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews (IDIs), key informant interviews (KIIs), individual survey interviews (SIs), and on-site observations (OB). Phase I comprised of qualitative data collection activities while phase II involved quantitative data collection activities. During phase I, CSK team conducted a total of 201 qualitative interviews, including: 1) 53 FGDs with circumcised and non-circumcised male adolescents aged 13-19 years, 2) 32 FGDs with female adolescents age 16019, 3) 36 IDIs among male adolescents who have received VMMC services, 4) 17 KIIs with VMMC counselors and managers, and 5) 63 FGDs with parents of adolescents.

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​The quantitative component (phase II of the study) consisted of 2 rounds of survey interviews (SIs) with male adolescents (ages 10-19): first round was done just prior to circumcision and 2nd round 48 hours after the male adolescent had undergone VMMC procedure. The second round also involved video recordings of the entire process of VMMC counselling among a few selected adolescents as part of observations (video recording was used instead of having an observer in the room to allow for privacy and freedom). A total of 540 adolescents participated in the pre-procedure interviews and 498 (92.2%) participated in the post-procedure interviews; among these, 20 were video recorded during their entire counselling sessions.