Africa Research, Implementation Science, and Education Network (ARISE)

• Applicant: Dr. Jan-Walter De Neve
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine ; Epidemiology and Medical Biometry/Statistics
• Term: from 2018 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 405898232

Adolescence is a critical period of development and changes in adolescence have health consequences over the life-course. With the youngest population in the world, Africa’s adolescents represent an opportunity to improve health in the region. Birth rates among adolescents in Africa reach over 200 births per 1,000 girls. The region bears the brunt of the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic with more than 80% of adolescents living with HIV residing in Africa. Self-harm, interpersonal violence, and road injuries are major contributors to adolescent mortality while communicable disease deaths from lower respiratory tract infections, malaria, tuberculosis, and diarrheal disease remain common. Little is known, however, about the attitudes, behaviors, and risk and protective factors for adolescents in the region. Gaps remain in major indicators of adolescent health such as around age at sexual debut and the prevalence of sexual violence. Data are missing for many countries in the region and there is limited availability of age- and sex-disaggregated data for adolescents. This has hampered the full realization of adolescent health and its potential impact on the development of the region. To address these major knowledge gaps in adolescent health, a scientific network was recently created to bring together junior researchers and institutions from six countries in Africa and advance research and training capacity—the Africa Research, Implementation Science, and Education Network (ARISE Network). The ARISE network is convened by the Africa Academy for Public Health (AAPH) in partnership with leading institutions in the African region and institutions in the North including the Heidelberg Institute of Public Health (HIPH) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH). Network activities include discussions to prioritize and map out plans to advance purposeful and collaborative public health research and capacity building efforts with a focus on adolescent health as well as implementation science. The proposed outcomes of the current proposal include: (i) the expansion of the ARISE Network to include three additional sites; (ii) increased ties between Heidelberg University and the international research community; (iii) high impact scientific articles; (iv) cutting-edge capacity building; (v) effective dissemination of scientific results and public engagement; and (vi) a joint grant proposal for sustained funding submitted to at least three international funders by 2021. The ARISE Network links researchers across disciplines to develop and carry out studies, identify gaps, and create sustainable solutions together to improve adolescent health.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks