Edward J Mills1, Achyuta Adhvaryu2, Pamela Jakiela3, Josephine Birungi4, Stephen Okoboi4, Teddy Nabwire W Chimulwa4, Jonathan Wanganisi5, Tina Achilla6, Evan Popoff7, Shirin Golchi1, Dean Karlan8,9,10. 1. Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. 2. Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 3. Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. 4. The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), Kampala, Uganda. 5. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Entebbe. 6. Deliverance Church Kololo, Kampala, Uganda. 7. Precision Health Economics, Vancouver, Canada. 8. Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. 9. Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), New Haven, Connecticut. 10. M.I.T. Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: HIV infection has profound clinical and economic costs at the household level. This is particularly important in low-income settings, where access to additional sources of income or loans may be limited. While several microfinance interventions have been proposed, unconditional cash grants, a strategy to allow participants to choose how to use finances that may improve household security and health, has not previously been evaluated. METHODS: We examined the effect of an unconditional cash transfer to HIV-infected individuals using a 2 × 2 factorial randomized trial in two rural districts in Uganda. Our primary outcomes were changes in CD4 cell count, sexual behaviors, and adherence to ART. Secondary outcomes were changes in household food security and adult mental health. We applied a Bayesian approach for our primary analysis. RESULTS: We randomized 2170 patients as participants, with 1081 receiving a cash grant. We found no important intervention effects on CD4 T-cell counts between groups [mean difference 35.48, 95% credible interval (CrI) -59.9 to 1131.6], food security [odds ratio (OR) 1.22, 95% CrI: 0.47 to 3.02], medication adherence (OR 3.15, 95% CrI: 0.58 to 18.15), or sexual behavior (OR 0.45 95% CrI: 0.12 to 1.55), or health expenditure in the previous 3 weeks (mean difference $2.65, 95% CrI: -9.30 to 15.69). In secondary analysis, we detected an effect of mental planning on CD4 cell count change between groups (104.2 cells, 9% CrI: 5.99 to 202.16). We did not have data on viral load outcomes. CONCLUSION: Although all outcomes were associated with favorable point estimates, our trial did not demonstrate important effects of unconditional cash grants on health outcomes of HIV-positive patients receiving treatment.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:HIV infection has profound clinical and economic costs at the household level. This is particularly important in low-income settings, where access to additional sources of income or loans may be limited. While several microfinance interventions have been proposed, unconditional cash grants, a strategy to allow participants to choose how to use finances that may improve household security and health, has not previously been evaluated. METHODS: We examined the effect of an unconditional cash transfer to HIV-infected individuals using a 2 × 2 factorial randomized trial in two rural districts in Uganda. Our primary outcomes were changes in CD4 cell count, sexual behaviors, and adherence to ART. Secondary outcomes were changes in household food security and adult mental health. We applied a Bayesian approach for our primary analysis. RESULTS: We randomized 2170 patients as participants, with 1081 receiving a cash grant. We found no important intervention effects on CD4 T-cell counts between groups [mean difference 35.48, 95% credible interval (CrI) -59.9 to 1131.6], food security [odds ratio (OR) 1.22, 95% CrI: 0.47 to 3.02], medication adherence (OR 3.15, 95% CrI: 0.58 to 18.15), or sexual behavior (OR 0.45 95% CrI: 0.12 to 1.55), or health expenditure in the previous 3 weeks (mean difference $2.65, 95% CrI: -9.30 to 15.69). In secondary analysis, we detected an effect of mental planning on CD4 cell count change between groups (104.2 cells, 9% CrI: 5.99 to 202.16). We did not have data on viral load outcomes. CONCLUSION: Although all outcomes were associated with favorable point estimates, our trial did not demonstrate important effects of unconditional cash grants on health outcomes of HIV-positivepatients receiving treatment.
Authors: Aaron Richterman; Fernet Leandre; J Gregory Jerome; Alexander C Tsai; Louise C Ivers Journal: Open Forum Infect Dis Date: 2020-08-11 Impact factor: 3.835
Authors: Marie C D Stoner; Kelly Kilburn; Peter Godfrey-Faussett; Peter Ghys; Audrey E Pettifor Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2021-11-29 Impact factor: 11.069