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Christopher Hariri Mbotwa
Biography
Dr. Christopher Mbotwa is an academic and researcher with expertise in biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health. Currently affiliated with the University of Dar es Salaam at the Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences. He holds PhD in Epidemiology from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science (MUHAS), with a sandwich training at University of Oslo (UiO), Norway. He also holds master’s degree in Statistics and a bachelor’s degree in Statistics, both from the University of Dar es Salaam. Dr. Mbotwa has been involved in different research projects, including studies on mHealth and HIV. Dr. Mbotwa is a recipient of several awards, including a summer fellowship from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health as part of the HIV Implementation Science Training program and competitive research grants from the University of Dar es Salaam. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, with a focus on HIV, mHealth interventions, maternal health, and other public health topics.
Research Interest
Analytical epidemiology, Global Health (Population Health), Digital Health (mHealth), Causal inference; HIV prevention; Maternal and Child Health; Statistical modelling (Health data analytics)
Contacts
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Projects
Strengthening Doctorial Education for Health in Tanzania (DOCETA) (2024-2026)
Funder: Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED)
Institutions: University of Oslo, Norway; Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Tanzania; University of Dodoma, Tanzania
Role: Postdoctoral fellow
The burden of medical and geriatric comorbidities and their association with quality of life among older adults living with HIV in urban Tanzania (2024-2025)
Funder: NIH - Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Institutions: MUHAS, Tanzania; Northwestern University at Chicago, USA
Role: Statistician and data manager
Effectiveness of mHealth in promoting retention in HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among female sex workers in Tanzania: a pragmatic quasi-experimental trial (2023-2024)
Funder: NIH - Fogarty International Center (FIC) through HIV implementation Science (HIS) Project
Institutions: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, USA; MUHAS, Tanzania
Role: Investigator/trainee
HIV Implementation Science (HIS) summer training fellowship (2023)
Funder: NIH - Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Institutions: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, USA; MUHAS, Tanzania
Role: PhD trainee
Pragmatic trial for HIV pr-exposure prophylaxis roll-out in Tanzania (PREPTA) (2019-2023)
Funder: Research Council of Norway
Institutions: MUHAS, Tanzania; University of Oslo, Norway
Role: PhD student
Investigator on Molecular analysis of germline BRCA1/2 mutations in triple negative breast cancer patients in Tanzania (2021-2022)
Funder: University of Dar es Salaam
Institutions: University of Dar es Salam, Tanzania; Istanbul University, Turkey
Role: Statistician
Publications
Minja J, Rweyemamu LP, Joho AA, Moshi FV, Shamba D, Mbotwa CH. Prevalence of short inter-birth intervals and associated factors among women of reproductive age: evidence from a nationally representative survey in Tanzania. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.2025:185. doi: 10.1186/s12884-024-07026-5
Solomon VJ, Kibona SE, Mukyanuzi EN, Mbotwa CH. Modern contraceptive discontinuation and associated factors among adolescent girls and young women in Tanzania: An analysis of a nationally representative data. Women’s Health. 2025;21. doi:10.1177/17455057251318379
Mbotwa CH, Kazaura MR, Moen K, Sudfeld CR, Metta E, Leshabari MT, Bakari M, Mmbaga EJ. Trial of an mhealth intervention to improve HIV prophylaxis for female sex workers, United Republic of Tanzania. Bulletin of World Health Organization 2024;102. doi: 10.2471/BLT.24.291516
Nsojo A, Mbotwa C, Rweyemamu L, Mbwanji G, Wilson F, George L, Mwasomola D, Mweya CN, Mwakyula I. In vitro performance of cost differentiated ceftriaxone brands against Escherichia coli: insights from a tertiary referral hospital in Mbeya, Tanzania. JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance. 2024 Oct;6(5):dlae162. doi: 10.1093/jacamr/dlae162
Rweyemamu LP, Mbotwa CH, Massawe JI, Mramba RP. Mental distress and associated factors among undergraduate students: evidence from a cross-sectional study at the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. Discover Mental Health. 2024 Oct 10;4(1):44. doi: 10.1007/s44192-024-00098-x
Nsojo A, George L, Mwasomola D, Tawete J, Mbotwa CH, Mweya CN, Mwakyula I. Prescribing patterns of antimicrobials according to the WHO AWaRe classification at a tertiary referral hospital in the southern highlands of Tanzania. Infection Prevention in Practice. 2024 Jun 1;6(2):100347. doi: 10.1016/j.infpip.2024.100347
Mbotwa CH, Rweyemamu LP. Tobacco Use and Associated Factors Among Men in Tanzania: Further Analysis of the 2022 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey Data. Tobacco Use Insights. 2024 May 29;17:1179173X241259605. doi: 10.1177/1179173X241259605
Mbotwa CH, Kazaura MR, Moen K, Leshabari MT, Metta E, Mmbaga EJ. Retention in an mHealth app aiming to promote the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among female sex workers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A prospective cohort study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2023;11:e46853. doi: 10.2196/46853
Lichtwarck HO, Mbotwa CH, Moen K, Mmbaga EJ. Early disengagement from HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis services and associated factors among female sex workers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a socioecological approach. BMJ Global Health. 2023 Dec 1;8(12):e013662. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013662
Mbotwa CH, Kazaura MR, Moen K, Lichtwarck HO, Leshabari MT, Metta E, Mmbaga EJ. Effect of an mHealth intervention on retention in HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis services among female sex workers: Preliminary evidence of the use of the Jichunge app in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. DIGITAL HEALTH. 2023;9. doi: 10.1177/20552076231170507
Mbotwa, C., Kazaura, Moen K, Leshabari MT, Metta E, Leyna GH, Mmbaga EJ.. Predictors of mHealth use in promoting adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis among female sex workers: an evaluation of the Jichunge intervention in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. BMC Health Serv Res 22, 859 (2022). doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08245-2
Mbotwa C. H., Moshi F. V., MoshaI. H., Kibona S. E., Ezekiel M. J., & Kazaura M. R. (2022). Predictors of condom use among unmarried sexually active women of Reproductive age in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 23(2), 1-11. doi: 10.4314/thrb.v23i2.1
Mosha, I., Mapunda, G., Mbotwa, C., & Nyamhanga, T. (2022). Sexual harassment in public transport among female university students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 23(4), 1-11. doi: 10.4314/thrb.v23i1
Ezekiel MJ, Akwary ER, Mbotwa C, Mosha IH. Factors associated with uptake of postpartum family planning services in Dodoma City Council, Tanzania: A cross-section study. Tanzania Journal of Health Research. 2022 Jun 13;23(1):1-9. doi: 10.4314/thrb.v23i1.10
Mauka W, Mbotwa C, Moen K, Lichtwarck HO, Haaland I, Leyna GH, Leshabari MT, Mmbaga EJ. Development of a mobile health application for HIV prevention among at-risk populations in urban settings in East Africa: a participatory design approach. JMIR Formative Research. 2021 Oct 7;5(10):e23204. doi: 10.2196/23204
Rweyemamu LP, Akan G, Mbotwa CH, Dharsee N, Namkinga LA, Lyantagaye SL, Mselle TF, Atalar F. Absence of Germline BRCA1 c. 68_69delAG and c. 5266dupC Mutations among Hormone Receptor-negative Breast Cancer Patients: A First Impression at a Tertiary Cancer-care Facility in Tanzania. Tanzania Journal of Science. 2021 Dec 29;47(5):1859-69. doi: 10.4314/tjs.v47i5.27
Mushi, V., Mbotwa, C.H., Zacharia, A. et al. Predictors for the uptake of optimal doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy in Tanzania: further analysis of the data of the 2015–2016 Tanzania demographic and health survey and malaria indicator survey. Malar J 20, 75 (2021). doi: 10.1186/s12936-021-03616-2
Moshi, F.V., Mbotwa, C.H. Determinants for choice of home birth over health facility birth among women of reproductive age in Tanzania: an analysis of data from the 2015-16 Tanzania demographic and health survey and malaria indicator survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 20, 561 (2020). doi: 10.1186/s12884-020-03266-3
Kibona SE, Mbotwa CH. Comparison of Mortality by Gender and Regions in Tanzania using Direct Standardized Death Rates (DSDR) Method. Tanzania Journal of Health Research. 2019;21(1):1-7.. doi: 10.4314/thrb.v21i1.