Sociocultural practices and COVID-19 prevention: A qualitative study of Mtwara, Shinyanga, and Arusha, Tanzania.

Background: The World Health Organization pronounced COVID-19 as a public health emergency in March 2020. Studies conducted in Tanzania and beyond indicate that poor literacy, limited understanding of the disease, challenging living conditions, increasing poverty, and unemployment are key determinants, while the influence of sociocultural factors has received less attention. This study reinforces the position of sociocultural practices in determining how people practiced the preventive measures against COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: This qualitative study explores the influence of sociocultural practices in the implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures in Arusha, Mtwara and Shinyanga regions of Tanzania. Setting: This study was conducted in Tanzania, covering diverse sociocultural contexts of Mtwara, Arusha and Shinyanga regions. Methods: Focus group discussions, key informant interviews and rapid ethnographic field observations were used to obtain more detailed information from study participants. Results: Findings suggest that sociocultural practices shaped how individuals and communities responded to COVID-19 preventive measures, influencing acceptance, hesitation, resistance, or modification of public health guidelines, including vaccine uptake. In Mtwara, Arusha, and Shinyanga, people embraced their sociocultural practices to navigate the new disease, whose origins were debated or unknown. Their responses to the pandemic were mediated by sociocultural practices and other factors. Conclusion: Sociocultural practices shaped the acceptance, adaptation, or resistance to COVID-19 measures in Tanzania, emphasising the need for community-integrated public health strategies. Contribution: This study underscores the impact of sociocultural factors on public health, offering insights for socioculturally tailored pandemic interventions.