Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39953582›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

Exploring perceptions of the services offered in Tanzanian sober houses: a mixed- methods study among service users and providers.

Samuel Janson, Stella E Mushy, Mecca McPherson, Frank Mhando, Larissa Jennings Mayo-Wilson, Masunga K Iseselo, Haneefa Saleem, Jerome Kamwela, Jumanne Issango, Justin Knox and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Samuel JansonThe George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA. samjanson@gwmail.gwu.edu.
Stella E MushyMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Mecca McPhersonTemple University College of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Frank MhandoUniversity of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Larissa Jennings Mayo-WilsonThe University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Masunga K IseseloMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Haneefa SaleemThe Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Jerome KamwelaTanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS), Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Jumanne IssangoTanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS), Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Justin KnoxColumbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Gaspar MbitaJhpiego, Monrovia, Liberia.
Deng B MadutDuke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
Jan OstermannUniversity of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
Nathan ThielmanJhpiego, Monrovia, Liberia.
Betuel MwasaBenjamin Mkapa Foundation, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Donaldson F ConserveThe George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
BRIDGE Africa

Funding

Training in Equity and Structural Solutions in Addictions (TESSA)T32DA057920 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI GEETANJALI CHANDER, Judith Tsui · 2023 to 2026
$1.3M
NIDA NIH HHS T32 DA057920NIMH NIH HHS R25MH080665009
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn Tanzania, residential treatment centers for alcohol and other drugs, locally known as "sober houses," play a critical role in the treatment of people living with a substance use disorder (SUD), but little is known about the services they offer and service users' and providers' perceptions of those services. We aimed to address these gaps in knowledge and to better understand where evidence-based interventions may be able to address gaps in service provision. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis study used a mixed-methods approach across four sober houses in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We conducted 48 semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of sober house service users (n = 38) and service providers (n = 10). Eighty-six (86) service users also completed a written survey to capture demographic information and assess knowledge of HIV and willingness to use HIV preventive care. All interviews were audio-recorded, translated into English, and then coded according to constructs developed with the Recovery Capital Framework. Following coding, a thematic analysis was conducted for the qualitative data using the framework developed by Braun and Clarke.

resultsService users were generally positive about the treatment they were receiving but identified gaps in health service provision related to HIV, as well as a lack of preparation to address the employment-related challenges they face in the community after completing treatment. Service providers largely agreed with users' perceptions of needs and identified a lack of clinical personnel in sober houses and funding challenges as barriers to meeting these needs.

conclusionSober houses provide treatment services to Tanzanians with SUD that service users largely view as positive. This evaluation identified employment challenges after treatment completion and gaps related to HIV care in the sober house. Further research is needed to investigate how interventions can be adapted to the sober house setting to meet these needs.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelResidential TreatmentSubstance Abuse Treatment CentersSubstance-Related DisordersAdultFemaleHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHIV InfectionsHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchTanzaniaYoung AdultHIVPeople who use drugsResidential treatmentSober housesSubstance use treatmentTanzania

Identifiers

PMID39953582
PMCPMC11829410

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.