A baseline cross-sectional survey of women's and household-level health indicators in Tsakare Community, Mount Darwin District, Zimbabwe: findings to inform targeted public health interventions

BACKGROUND: A clear understanding of community health is essential for guiding public health interventions. This baseline survey was conducted within the University of Zimbabwe's Education 5.0 initiative to generate foundational evidence for targeted interventions in the Tsakare Community, Mount Darwin District, Zimbabwe. OBJECTIVE: To describe sociodemographic characteristics, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health, knowledge of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, HIV awareness, and household management of childhood illnesses among women in the Tsakare Community. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used, targeting women knowledgeable about household health issues. Participants were randomly selected and data collected via a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were applied for analysis. RESULTS: Data from 401 women were analysed. The median age was 31 years and median age at first marriage was 18 years. Hypertension symptom awareness was low, with only 41.7% recognising severe headaches as a symptom, while 17.1% had elevated blood pressure. For diabetes, 53.4% identified fatigue as a symptom, yet only 11.8% recognised genetic predisposition as a risk factor. HIV knowledge was moderate, with persistent misconceptions about non-risk behaviours. Most caregivers relied on clinic medication for childhood illnesses, though home and traditional remedies remained common. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight gaps in health literacy, early marriage practices, and limited awareness of chronic and infectious diseases in Tsakare. Targeted, Education 5.0 driven interventions are needed to improve health literacy, strengthen maternal and child health services, and scale up prevention and screening for chronic and infectious diseases.