Research: Health Issues and AIDS in rural Tanzania

Anthropology

Location
Pittsburgh, PA in Spring Semester
Karagwe District, Tanzania in Summer

Description
Students in this course will conduct research in rural Tanzania in conjunction with Nyakahanga district hospital and the AIDS control program there. Participants in this course will spend three weeks in Tanzania immersed in the rich culture of the northwestern Karagwe district and helping with a research project that will benefit the hospital's AIDS program.

Participants in this class will get an inside look at the medical and public health issues related to HIV/AIDS in Africa and work side by side with AIDS workers in an AIDS program servicing northwestern Tanzania. HIV/AIDS is a disease that is far more widespread than indicated in statistics and rapidly increasing among young adults. The disease is devastating families leaving behind millions of orphans. The goal of this class is to develop and complete research projects that will benefit the AIDS control programs including developing educational materials, analyzing disease trends, and working with issues related to HIV/AIDS orphans.

This course is open only to very motivated upper level undergraduates or graduate students (limit of 5). Students in this course are required to have background in the health sciences (including nursing or biology), public health, or anthropology and a GPA of 3.5.

It requires enrolling in a directed study with Dr. Linda Winkler in Spring 2004 in order to learn about Tanzania, health issues and AIDS in Africa, and develop the research project.

Tanzania
Tanzania is one of the largest countries in Eastern Africa and a frequent destination for safaris due to its great natural beauty. Possible field trips may include a safari in the Serengeti Plain, a once in a lifetime opportunity. In addition to its natural beauty and wildlife (monkeys, elephants, zebras, lions, and giraffes to name a few), Tanzania possesses a marvelously diverse human population. Over 130 tribal groups live in Tanzania including the Maasai. It is also one of the poorest countries in the world with over 50% of the population below the poverty line.

We will travel to Tanzania to work with the community of Karagwe and the Nyakahanga Hospital which houses many important community health programs (WHO, UNICEF, and African AIDS Control Program). It services the Karagwe District of northwestern Tanzania (with a population of 400,000 people). It provides medical care for approximately 230 admitted patients and 200 outpatients a day.

Details

Instructor: Linda Winkler

Course Cost

Credits: 9 (3 credits for Spring Course and 6 credits for Summer Research in Tanzania)

Credits Awarded: Credits are awarded for this course through the University of Pittsburgh.

Required Class Meetings:
-Spring Semester, University of Pittsburgh Oakland Campus
Thursdays 12:30 noon - 1:30 pm

Service-Learning Abroad:
Summer, Tanzania, June 14- July 7, 2004

Apply Now! Apply for this course through the Amizade Center. Click here for applications.