Grant
New Danish-Tanzanian research project to improve health among older people in Tanzania
A new international research project aims to improve the care and treatment of older people in Tanzania and strengthen capacity across the healthcare system. The project brings together researchers and healthcare professionals from Tanzania and Denmark and has received DKK 10 million in funding from Danida.
More people in Tanzania are living longer, but the healthcare system has not kept pace with this trend. Many older people live with chronic illnesses and reduced functional ability without access to the treatment they need – particularly in rural areas, where health services are limited.
The new research project HeART (Health and Ageing Research for Tanzania) aims to help change this. The project brings together experts from Tanzania and Denmark with the shared goal of improving health and quality of life for older citizens.
Focus on inequality and vulnerability
As part of the project, the researchers will explore how older people in Tanzania experience ageing, illness and interactions with the healthcare system. At the same time, they will examine how factors such as poverty, gender, disability and stigma affect older people’s health and increase their vulnerability.
– Older people are an overlooked group in many low- and middle-income countries. With the HeART project, we will gain new knowledge that can help develop better and more targeted interventions, says Dorthe Susanne Nielsen, professor of vulnerability at the Department of Clinical Research and Odense University Hospital.
Strengthening skills in the healthcare system
A central part of the project is to build capacity in the Tanzanian healthcare system. Through training and academic exchange, nurses, doctors and community health workers will gain new competencies in geriatrics.
Selected healthcare professionals will also take part in exchange visits in Denmark, where they will gain insight into best practice in care for older people.
At the same time, healthcare workers in Tanzania will carry out home visits in vulnerable rural areas to reach citizens who otherwise have difficulty accessing health services.
New database to support decision-making
As part of the project, a new database – the HeART database – will be established to collect knowledge about older people’s health and social conditions. The data will be used to improve the planning of health initiatives and provide authorities and professionals with a stronger foundation for developing the field.
Long-term initiative for education and research
In the longer term, the ambition is to develop a national database and strengthen education and training in gerontology and geriatric care at diploma, master’s and PhD level.
The project builds on many years of collaboration between Tanzanian and Danish institutions and combines research, education and local engagement.
– The goal is not only new knowledge, but also tangible improvements in everyday life for older people in Tanzania – especially those who are currently furthest removed from the healthcare system, says Dorthe Susanne Nielsen.
About the HeART project (Health and Ageing Research for Tanzania)
Grant amount: DKK 10 million
Project period: 2026–2031
Host institution: University of Southern Denmark (SDU) in collaboration with Tanzanian research and healthcare institutions
Project leadership: Dorthe Susanne Nielsen (PI), Professor Stephen Kibusi, Dr Khadija Malima, Dr Dicksom Mkoka and Postdoc Siri Aas Smedemark
Partners: University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Department of Geriatric Medicine G, Odense University Hospital, the University of Dodoma in Tanzania and Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania
Purpose: To improve health and quality of life among older people in Tanzania through new knowledge, stronger capacity in the healthcare system and better access to care – with a particular focus on vulnerable groups.
Methods:
- Research into ageing, illness and access to health services
- Analysis of social factors such as poverty, gender, disability and stigma
- Skills development for healthcare professionals in geriatrics
- Academic exchange between Tanzania and Denmark
- Home visits by healthcare workers in vulnerable rural areas
- Establishment of the HeART database to collect data on older people’s health and living conditions
Meet the researcher
Dorthe Susanne Nielsen is professor of vulnerability at the Department of Clinical Research, SDU, and Odense University Hospital. Dorthe Susanne Nielsen is head of COPe – Research Centre for Culture and Older People (Vulnerability) at the Department of Clinical Research and OUH.