Evaluation of an Integrated Economic Strengthening and HIV Prevention Program for Vulnerable Youth in South Africa

FHI 3601,773 enrolled

Overview

This study evaluates whether the integration of an Economic Strengthening program with an HIV-prevention education program produce synergistic effects on economic and health outcomes for South African youth ages 14-17 years old.

In South Africa, the overall HIV prevalence of 12.2% can be reviewed based on a number of factors: age, province, type of locality, race, economic household conditions, and marital status. Those to be reached through the ASPIRES intervention and evaluation are economically disadvantaged Black African youth, male and female, located in urban localities in Gauteng province, and are situated within a setting of high risk and vulnerability for HIV. The ASPIRES project is providing technical assistance to provide economic strengthening (ES) and HIV prevention education programming for adolescents. The ASPIRES ES intervention includes financial capability building through the provision of financial education in combination with access to appropriate youth-friendly savings mechanisms. The HIV prevention education intervention Vhutshilo 2.2 will be used in this study. This study will assess whether the integration of an ES intervention with an HIV-prevention education intervention improves economic and health outcomes beyond singular interventions, estimate the resources required at the program level to support the ES and HIV-prevention education interventions; and describe whether the interventions were perceived as effective in addressing economic and health outcomes and to describe how and why the interventions were perceived as effective or not. This study will enroll up to 2000 youth ages 14-17 and randomly assign them to either 1) ES intervention only, 2) HIV prevention intervention only, 3) combined ES and HIV intervention, or 4) no intervention.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

1,773

Conditions

HIV HIV Infections

Interventions

Economic Strengthening (Impumelelo)BEHAVIORAL

Economic Strengthening (Impumelelo): This intervention consists of 15 one-hour long sessions on financial education in combination with access to appropriate youth-friendly savings mechanisms.

HIV Prevention Education (Vhutshilo 2.2)BEHAVIORAL

HIV Prevention Education (Vhutshilo 2.2): This intervention consists of 15 one-hour long sessions that are interactive, skills focused, and cover such topics as expressing one's feelings; dealing with loss and grief; decision-making; coping; gender violence; understanding HIV and other sexually transmitted infections; healthy relationships and staying safe in sexual relationships; and contraception and risks associated with unplanned pregnancy.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 14 YearsMax age: 17 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Beneficiary of Future Families in a study community * Parent or guardian consent allowing adolescent to participate in the study * Willing to sign or make their mark on an assent form * Willing to provide contact information * Only one adolescent is eligible per household

Locations (1)

community Based Recruitment

Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

STI prevalence Endline 1

Prevalence of gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or chlamydia infection (lab report)

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

STI prevalence Endline 2

Prevalence of gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or chlamydia infection (lab report)

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview

Secondary Outcomes

Prevalence of pregnancy Endline 1

Prevalence of pregnancy among female participants (lab report)

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Prevalence of pregnancy Endline 2

Prevalence of pregnancy among female participants (lab report)

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents engaging in protective sexual behavior Endline 1

Percent of adolescents engaging in protective sexual behavior, defined as self-reported abstinence or consistent condom use (a condom used every time) over the past 6 months

Time frame: In the 6 month time period prior to the date of the follow up visit

Percent of adolescents engaging in protective sexual behavior Endline 2

Percent of adolescents engaging in protective sexual behavior, defined as self-reported abstinence or consistent condom use (a condom used every time) over the past 6 months

Time frame: In the 6 month time period prior to the date of the follow up visit

Percent of adolescents engaging in transactional sex in past 6 months Endline 1

self-reported

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Time frame: In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit

Percent of adolescents engaging in transactional sex in past 6 months Endline 2

self-reported

Time frame: In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit

Percent of adolescents reporting two or more sexual partners in the past 6 months Endline 1

self-reported

Time frame: In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit

Percent of adolescents reporting two or more sexual partners in the past 6 months Endline 2

self-reported

Time frame: In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit

Mean HIV knowledge score Endline 1

HIV knowledge score calculated based on the answers to survey questions

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Mean HIV knowledge score Endline 2

HIV knowledge score calculated based on the answers to survey questions

Time frame: Eighteen months after baseline interview

Mean financial literacy score Endline 1

Financial literacy score calculated based on the answers to survey questions

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Mean financial literacy score Endline 2

Financial literacy score calculated based on the answers to survey questions

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents participating in savings group Endline 1

Percent of adolescents participating in savings group (self report)

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents participating in savings group Endline 2

Percent of adolescents participating in savings group (self report)

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents opening savings account Endline 1

Percent of adolescents opening savings account (self report)

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents opening savings account Endline 2

Percent of adolescents opening savings account (self report)

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview

Mean total amount of savings in past 1 year Endline 1

Mean total amount of savings starting from prior to enrollment in the study up to 9 months of participation in the study

Time frame: In the one year prior to the date of the 9 month follow up visit

Mean total amount of savings in past 1 year Endline 2

Mean total amount of savings in past 1 year reported by adolescents (self report)

Time frame: In the one year prior to the date of the 18 month follow up visit

Percent of adolescents saving for education Endline 1

Percent of adolescents saving for education (self report)

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents saving for education Endline 2

Percent of adolescents saving for education (self report)

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings Endline 1

Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings (self report)

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings Endline 2

Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings (self report)

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting Endline 1

Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting (self report)

Time frame: Nine months after baseline interview

Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting Endline 2

Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting (self report)

Time frame: eighteen months after baseline interview