Francis Sakita

Biographic Data

ID7709172
NAMEFrancis Sakita
GIVEN NAMESFrancis
FAMILY NAMESakita
SIGNATURESAKITA F
AFFILIATIONSKilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre
ORCID0000-0001-5879-6564
VERIFIEDYes
TOTAL WORKS14
TOTAL CITATIONS0
AUTHOR COUNT14
EDITOR COUNT0
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR2019
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR2026
H-INDEX0

  • Effect of an emergency department-based educational intervention on medication adherence and disease understanding after acute myocardial infarction in Tanzania

    Open AccessAbigail Pyne, Francis Sakita et al.ARTICLEFrontiers in Public Health2026

    Introduction Patient adherence to evidence-based secondary preventative therapies is limited among Tanzanians with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We evaluated the effect of an emergency department (ED)-based quality improvement intervention on disease understanding and medication use among Tanzanians with AMI. Methods In this pre-post study, patients with AMI symptoms were enrolled in a Tanzanian ED from September 2022 to August 2024. In Sept…

  • Emergency care knowledge, utilization, and barriers in Northern Tanzania

    Open AccessFrida Shayo, Gregory Goodluck Zaccheus et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2025

    Background Emergency care systems are critical to improving care for time-sensitive emergency conditions. The growth and development of these systems in Sub-Saharan Africa is becoming a priority. Layperson knowledge and recognition of emergency symptoms and subsequent care-seeking behavior are key to achieving timely access to care and appropriate treatment. This study aimed to assess community knowledge of emergency conditions as well as barrier…

  • The prevalence of HIV among patients with cardiovascular disease in a Tanzanian emergency department

    Eli Rowe Abernethy, Francis Sakita et al.ARTICLEAIDS Care2025

    Objectives Persons living with HIV (PLWH) face double the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to others. We assessed HIV prevalence among patients presenting to a Tanzanian emergency department (ED) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or heart failure (HF).Methods In this prospective observational study (Nov 2020–Jan 2023), adults with chest pain or dyspnea were enrolled. Patients without known HIV underwent HIV 1/2 assay and confirm…

  • The burden of generational harm due to alcohol use in Tanzania

    Open AccessKirstin West, Alena Pauley et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2024

    Background Rates of prenatal alcohol use in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are increasing despite regulatory bodies urging pregnant women to abstain from alcohol. Tanzania has minimal policies, interventions, and educational programs addressing prenatal alcohol exposure. Consequently, a considerable number of mothers and their fetuses are exposed to alcohol, leading to serious health consequences like fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Our study a…

  • Provider attitudes towards quality improvement for myocardial infarction care in northern Tanzania

    Open AccessLauren A Coaxum, Francis Sakita et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2024

    Introduction Myocardial Infarction (MI) is a leading cause of death worldwide. In high income countries, quality improvement strategies have played an important role in increasing uptake of evidence-based MI care and improving MI outcomes. The incidence of MI in sub-Saharan Africa is rising, but uptake of evidence-based care in northern Tanzania is low. There are currently no published quality improvement interventions from the region. The object…

  • Development of culturally-appropriate text message booster content to follow a brief intervention focused on reducing alcohol related harms for injury patients in Moshi, Tanzania

    Open AccessCatherine Staton, Deepti Agnihotri et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2024

    Alcohol use is a risk factor for death and disability and is attributed to almost one-third of injury deaths globally. This highlights the need for interventions aimed at alcohol reduction, especially in areas with high rates of injury with concurrent alcohol use, such as Tanzania. The aim of this study is to create a culturally appropriate text messages as a booster to a brief negotiational intervention (BNI), to in the Emergency Department of t…

  • Healthcare provider perspective on barriers and facilitators in the care of pediatric injury patients at a tertiary hospital in Northern Tanzania

    Open AccessElizabeth M Keating, Francis Sakita et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    Pediatric injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The recovery of injured children in LMICs is often impeded by barriers in accessing and receiving timely and quality care at healthcare facilities. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers and the facilitators in pediatric injury care at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC), a tertiary zonal referral hospital in Nort…

  • A feasibility assessment of a traumatic brain injury predictive modelling tool at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center and Duke University Hospital

    Open AccessPaige O’Leary, Alexis Domeracki et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common cause of death and disability globally. TBI, which disproportionately affects low middle-income countries (LMIC), uses significant amounts of health system resources in costly care and management. Innovative solutions are required to address this high burden of TBI. One possible solution is prognostic models which enhance diagnostic ability of physicians, thereby helping to tailor treatments more ef…

  • Longitudinal ECG changes among adults with HIV in Tanzania

    Open AccessFaraan O Rahim, Francis Sakita et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rising among people with HIV (PWH) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the utility of the electrocardiogram (ECG) in screening for CVD, there is limited data regarding longitudinal ECG changes among PWH in SSA. In this study, we aimed to describe ECG changes over a 6-month period in a cohort of PWH in northern Tanzania. Between September 2020 and March 2021, adult PWH were recruited from Majengo …

  • Six-month incidence of hypertension and diabetes among adults with HIV in Tanzania

    Open AccessFrancis Sakita, Francis M Sakita et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    Data describing the incidence of hypertension and diabetes among people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa remain sparse. In this study, adults with HIV were enrolled from a public clinic in Moshi, Tanzania (September 2020—March 2021). At enrollment, a survey was administered to collect information on comorbidities and medication use. Each participant’s blood pressure and point-of-care glucose were measured. Baseline hypertension was defined by blood…

  • Machine learning models to predict traumatic brain injury outcomes in Tanzania

    Open AccessArmand Zimmerman, Cyrus Elahi et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    Constraints to emergency department resources may prevent the timely provision of care following a patient’s arrival to the hospital. In-hospital delays may adversely affect health outcomes, particularly among trauma patients who require prompt management. Prognostic models can help optimize resource allocation thereby reducing in-hospital delays and improving trauma outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate the predictive value of…

  • Alcohol use among emergency medicine department patients in Tanzania

    Open AccessAlena Pauley, Emily C Thatcher et al.ARTICLEPLOS Global Public Health2023

    Background Alcohol is a leading behavioral risk factor for death and disability worldwide. Tanzania has few trained personnel and resources for treating unhealthy alcohol use. In Emergency Medicine Departments (EMDs), alcohol is a well-known risk factor for injury patients. At Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) in Moshi, Tanzania, 30% of EMD injury patients (IP) test positive for alcohol upon arrival to the ED. While the IP population is…

  • Prevalence and predictors of uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, and obesity among adults with HIV in northern Tanzania

    Open AccessJulian T Hertz, Sainikitha Prattipati et al.ARTICLEGlobal Public Health2022

    HIV is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but there has been less study of cardiovascular comorbidities among people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. In a cross-sectional observational study, Tanzanian adults presenting for outpatient HIV care completed a questionnaire and underwent weight, height, blood pressure, and blood glucose measurement. Hypertension was defined by blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or self-reported hyperten…

  • The Burden of Hypertension and Diabetes in an Emergency Department in Northern Tanzania

    Julian T Hertz, Francis Sakita et al.ARTICLEEthnicity & Disease2019

    The burden of hypertension and diabetes in a Tanzanian ED is high, and the ED may serve as an opportune location for case identification and linkage-to-care interventions. Given the large proportion of Africans with undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes, an ED-based screening program would likely identify many new cases of these diseases. The high burden of hypertension- and diabetes-related hospitalizations highlights the urgent need for improve…