With a full-scale randomized control trial, the investigators will evaluate the efficacy and cost effectiveness of Mlambe, an economic and relationship-strengthening intervention that provides incentivized saving accounts, financial literacy training, and relationship skills education to break the cycle of poverty around drinking, strengthen couple support and communication, and reduce heavy drinking among HIV-affected married couples with a partner who drinks alcohol in Malawi.
The inter-related issues of alcohol use, intimate partner violence (IPV), and economic insecurity threaten to derail progress towards UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Rates of heavy drinking are alarmingly high among people living with HIV (PLWH), and almost twice that of the general population. Heavy drinking is very common in Malawi, and has deleterious effects on antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and HIV clinical outcomes, but also indirectly affects health by damaging the couple relationships needed for social support, economic survival, and well-being. Most alcohol interventions treat heavy drinking as an individual-level issue; however, for people in committed relationships, research suggests an urgent need for interventions that consider alcohol use as a couple-level issue involving both partners. Novel alcohol interventions are paramount for breaking cycles of IPV and poverty, and creating stronger families to prevent HIV, and reduce HIV mortality, morbidity, and transmission. Yet, no interventions to date have jointly addressed the economic and relationship context of drinking alcohol among people living with HIV in SSA, which may have synergistic effects on heavy alcohol use when combined. To address this gap, the investigators developed and tested Mlambe, an economic and relationship-strengthening intervention that provides incentivized saving accounts, financial literacy training, and relationship skills education to break the cycle of poverty around drinking, strengthen couple support and communication, and reduce heavy drinking. Pilot results showed that Mlambe was feasible and acceptable, and showed promise of efficacy. Given this strong evidence, the investigators will evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Mlambe with a full-scale RCT. This is the first RCT of an integrated economic and relationship-strengthening intervention to address alcohol use in HIV-affected couples. For Aim 1, the primary hypothesis is that the odds of heavy alcohol use will be lower in Mlambe as compared to enhanced usual care (EUC). Secondarily, the investigators expect that Mlambe participants will have a higher odds of ART and appointment adherence, and viral suppression, and lower number of drinking days, AUDIT-C score, and PEth levels. For Aim 2, the investigators hypothesize that Mlambe participants will report greater improvements in relationship dynamics (e.g., better communication, less IPV) as compared to EUC participants.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
500
A combined economic and relationship-strengthening intervention. Sessions consist of incentivized savings accounts, financial literacy training, and relationships skills building, including couple communication.
Invest in Knowledge Initiative (IKI)
Zomba, Malawi
RECRUITINGUnhealthy alcohol use measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) and/or the Phosphatidylethanol test
The three item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C ) screens for alcohol use issues and has a value range between 0-12. Scores equal to 3 or more for women and 4 or more for men indicate unhealthy drinking. The Phosphatidylethanol test (PEth) is a biomarker used to validate self-reported drinking. Measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), PEth has a value range of 0 to over 400 ng/mL. Higher scores indicate unhealthy drinking.
Time frame: 11 months
Unhealthy alcohol use measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) and/or the Phosphatidylethanol test
The three item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C ) screens for alcohol use issues and has a value range between 0-12. Scores equal to 3 or more for women and 4 or more for men indicate unhealthy drinking. The Phosphatidylethanol test (PEth) is a biomarker used to validate self-reported drinking. Measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), PEth has a value range of 0 to over 400 ng/mL. Higher scores indicate unhealthy drinking.
Time frame: 15 months
Unhealthy alcohol use measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) and/or the Phosphatidylethanol test
The three item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C ) screens for alcohol use issues and has a value range between 0-12. Scores equal to 3 or more for women and 4 or more for men indicate unhealthy drinking. The Phosphatidylethanol test (PEth) is a biomarker used to validate self-reported drinking. Measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), PEth has a value range of 0 to over 400 ng/mL. Higher scores indicate unhealthy drinking.
Time frame: 20 months
Viral Suppression measured using whole blood viral load tests
Viral suppression will be defined as a viral load value below the limit of detection of the test.
Time frame: 15 months
Antiretroviral medication adherence measured using a Visual Analog Scale
Antiretroviral medication adherence will be measured using the adapted Visual Analog Scale. Scores range from 0-100% adherence. 95% adherence or more will be considered adherent.
Time frame: 11 months
Antiretroviral medication adherence measured using a Visual Analog Scale
Antiretroviral medication adherence will be measured using the adapted Visual Analog Scale. Scores range from 0-100% adherence. 95% adherence or more will be considered adherent.
Time frame: 15 months
Antiretroviral medication adherence measured using a Visual Analog Scale
Antiretroviral medication adherence will be measured using the adapted Visual Analog Scale. Scores range from 0-100% adherence. 95% adherence or more will be considered adherent.
Time frame: 20 months
Medical appointment adherence assessment
Appointment adherence will be defined as no missed HIV care visits in the past 3 months.
Time frame: 11 months
Medical appointment adherence assessment
Appointment adherence will be defined as no missed HIV care visits in the past 3 months.
Time frame: 15 months
Medical appointment adherence assessment
Appointment adherence will be defined as no missed HIV care visits in the past 3 months.
Time frame: 20 months
Number of drinking days measured using the "Timeline follow-back" method
Number of drinking days in the past 30 days will be measured using the "timeline follow-back" method. Value Range from 0-30. Higher numbers indicate more drinking days.
Time frame: 11 months
Number of drinking days measured using the "Timeline follow-back" method
Number of drinking days in the past 30 days will be measured using the "timeline follow-back" method. Value Range from 0-30. Higher numbers indicate more drinking days.
Time frame: 15 months
Number of drinking days measured using the "Timeline follow-back" method
Number of drinking days in the past 30 days will be measured using the "timeline follow-back" method. Value Range from 0-30. Higher numbers indicate more drinking days.
Time frame: 20 months
AUDIT-C score measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.
The three item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit-C) screens for alcohol use issues and has a value range between 0-12. Scores equal to 3 or more for women and 4 or more for men indicate unhealthy drinking (continuous variable)
Time frame: 11 months
AUDIT-C score measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.
The three item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit-C) screens for alcohol use issues and has a value range between 0-12. Scores equal to 3 or more for women and 4 or more for men indicate unhealthy drinking (continuous variable)
Time frame: 15 months
AUDIT-C score measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.
The three item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit-C) screens for alcohol use issues and has a value range between 0-12. Scores equal to 3 or more for women and 4 or more for men indicate unhealthy drinking (continuous variable)
Time frame: 20 months
PEth level measured using a Phosphatidylethanol biomarker test
The Phosphatidylethanol test (PEth) is a biomarker used to validate self-reported drinking. Measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), PEth has a value range of 0 to over 400 ng/mL. Higher scores indicate unhealthy drinking.
Time frame: 11 months
PEth level measured using a Phosphatidylethanol biomarker test
The Phosphatidylethanol test (PEth) is a biomarker used to validate self-reported drinking. Measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), PEth has a value range of 0 to over 400 ng/mL. Higher scores indicate unhealthy drinking.
Time frame: 15 months
PEth level measured using a Phosphatidylethanol biomarker test
The Phosphatidylethanol test (PEth) is a biomarker used to validate self-reported drinking. Measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), PEth has a value range of 0 to over 400 ng/mL. Higher scores indicate unhealthy drinking.
Time frame: 20 months
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