Project Title
Full Project Name: Design and Evaluation of Adolescent Health Interventions and Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Project Acronym (if applicable): ARISE- DASH
Project Duration (Start – End Date): 2023-2027
Project Status (Ongoing / Completed / Upcoming): On-going
Project Overview
DASH is a multi-country research network focused on improving adolescent health outcomes across Sub-Saharan Africa. The project aims to design, implement, and evaluate innovative, evidence-based interventions and policies targeting adolescents, a population often underserved in health systems. The study is implemented across several African countries, including HDSS sites, to generate context-specific insights into adolescent health challenges such as mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and nutrition. By leveraging longitudinal data platforms like HDSS, DASH integrates population-based surveillance with targeted intervention research. The project is important because adolescence is a critical life stage that shapes long-term health trajectories. Despite this, there is limited evidence on scalable interventions tailored to African contexts. DASH addresses this gap by combining implementation science, community engagement, and policy-relevant research. Ultimately, the project benefits adolescents, policymakers, and health systems by generating actionable evidence to inform sustainable and youth-responsive health policies.
3. Background and Rationale
Adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa face multiple, overlapping health challenges, including limited access to healthcare, mental health burdens, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Existing health systems often fail to adequately address their needs. DASH builds on HDSS infrastructure by using longitudinal population data to identify health trends and evaluate interventions over time. This integration strengthens the evidence base for adolescent health programming. The project aligns with global priorities such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and supports national adolescent health strategies.
4. Objectives
Overall Aim: To design and evaluate effective adolescent health interventions and policies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Specific Objectives:
1. To assess key adolescent health challenges across HDSS sites
2. To design context-specific interventions targeting priority health issues
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions using rigorous methods
4. To generate policy-relevant evidence for adolescent health programming
5. To strengthen research capacity and collaboration across African institutions
5. Study Setting and Population
Geographic Area: Multi-country settings in Sub-Saharan Africa, implemented across established Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa and Uganda.
Target Population: 2000 adolescents aged 10–19 years, including both in-school and out-of-school youth.
Is the project nested within the HDSS cohort? (Yes/No – Explain)
Yes — the study is nested within HDSS platforms, using:
- Existing population cohorts
- Routine household surveillance data
- Longitudinal follow-up systems
- Iterative co-design process with adolescents, parents, teachers, and community members
Intervention domains:
- Nutrition literacy
- Mental health
- Sexual and reproductive health
Estimated Sample Size (if applicable): 2000 adolescents.
6. Methodology
Study Design: Mixed methods (including cohort and intervention studies) and Intervention co-design and evaluation.
Data Collection Methods: Group discussions (multiple iterative rounds), semi-structured interviews, observational field notes and surveys via HDSS.
Data Collection Tools: Quantitative data will be collected electronically through mobile data collection software, allowing for real-time tracking and timely reporting,
Follow-up Frequency: Longitudinal survey in four waves between 2024 and 2027.
7. Partnerships and Collaborators
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- University of Ghana
- University of Dodoma
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
8. Community Engagement
- Community consultations
- CAB involvement
- Feedback sessions
- Local employment opportunities
9. Ethical Approval
Name of Ethics Committee:
Approval Number:
Consent Procedures:
Confidentiality and Data Protection Measures:
10. Outputs and Impact
Completed studies
• Community-based Adolescent Health Study 2018-2020
• School-based Adolescent Health and Nutrition Study 2020-2022
• Tropical Medicine & International Health; Volume 25, Issue 1; January 2020
Publications
• Adolescent Health in sub-Saharan Africa. Edited by: Justine Bukenya, Chelsey Canavan, Till Bärnighausen, Wafaie Fawzi. Adolescent Health and Well-being Longitudinal Study 2021-2023
• Maternal & Child Nutrition; Special Issue; 2024. Nutrition of school-age children https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1111/(ISSN)1740-8709.Nutrition_of_school-age_children
11. Data Access (if applicable)
Is data available for external researchers? (Yes/No) Yes, upon request.
Data Access Process: Get in contact with the ARISE Project Manager.
Link to Data Access Policy:
Contact Email: Machanyangwa@ukzn.ac.za or MahlaseT@ukzn.ac.za
12. Project Team (Please provide head shots as well)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Till Bärnighausen
Co-Investigators: Prof. Dr. Michael Laxy
Dr. Mary Mwanyika-Sando
Dr Adom Manu
Prof. Dr. Shuyan Liu
Project Manager: Irene Brandt
Field Coordinator: Christine Neumann
Key Staff: Dr Nompumelelo Nzimande-Mbele, Prof. Jabulani Ncayiyana, Dr Nolwazi Dlamini, Siphindile Machanyangwa, Tankiso Mahlase, Njabulo Ngidi, Dr Nonzuzo Mbokazi, Nomzamo Mthembu, Themba Manqele and Senhora Litchfield.
13. Contact Information
Project Email:
Social media platforms:
Physical Address:
Website link (if applicable):
14. Visual Content (Optional for Website Use)
-Maps of Study Area
-Infographics
-Photographs (with consent)
-Project Timeline