Evaluation of an Integrated Economic Strengthening and HIV Prevention Program for Vulnerable Youth in South Africa
- Conditions
- HIVHIV Infections
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Economic Strengthening (Impumelelo)Behavioral: HIV Prevention Education (Vhutshilo 2.2)
- Registration Number
- NCT02888678
- Lead Sponsor
- FHI 360
- Brief Summary
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.
- Detailed Description
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.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 1773
- 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
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- FACTORIAL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description ES + HIV Prevention HIV Prevention Education (Vhutshilo 2.2) Economic Strengthening + HIV prevention education combined intervention consists of 2 parts. Impumelelo: This intervention consists of 15 one-hour long sessions on financial education in combination with access to appropriate youth-friendly savings mechanisms. 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. ES + HIV Prevention Economic Strengthening (Impumelelo) Economic Strengthening + HIV prevention education combined intervention consists of 2 parts. Impumelelo: This intervention consists of 15 one-hour long sessions on financial education in combination with access to appropriate youth-friendly savings mechanisms. 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. ES only Economic Strengthening (Impumelelo) 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 only HIV Prevention Education (Vhutshilo 2.2) 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.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method STI prevalence Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Prevalence of gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or chlamydia infection (lab report)
STI prevalence Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Prevalence of gonorrhea, trichomoniasis or chlamydia infection (lab report)
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Percent of adolescents engaging in transactional sex in past 6 months Endline 2 In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit self-reported
Prevalence of pregnancy Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Prevalence of pregnancy among female participants (lab report)
Percent of adolescents engaging in protective sexual behavior Endline 2 In the 6 month time period prior to the date of the follow up visit 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
Percent of adolescents engaging in transactional sex in past 6 months Endline 1 In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit self-reported
Mean HIV knowledge score Endline 2 Eighteen months after baseline interview HIV knowledge score calculated based on the answers to survey questions
Mean financial literacy score Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Financial literacy score calculated based on the answers to survey questions
Mean HIV knowledge score Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview HIV knowledge score calculated based on the answers to survey questions
Prevalence of pregnancy Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Prevalence of pregnancy among female participants (lab report)
Percent of adolescents engaging in protective sexual behavior Endline 1 In the 6 month time period prior to the date of the follow up visit 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
Percent of adolescents reporting two or more sexual partners in the past 6 months Endline 1 In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit self-reported
Percent of adolescents reporting two or more sexual partners in the past 6 months Endline 2 In the 6 months prior to the date of the follow up visit self-reported
Mean financial literacy score Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Financial literacy score calculated based on the answers to survey questions
Percent of adolescents opening savings account Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents opening savings account (self report)
Mean total amount of savings in past 1 year Endline 2 In the one year prior to the date of the 18 month follow up visit Mean total amount of savings in past 1 year reported by adolescents (self report)
Percent of adolescents saving for education Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents saving for education (self report)
Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings (self report)
Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting (self report)
Percent of adolescents participating in savings group Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents participating in savings group (self report)
Percent of adolescents participating in savings group Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents participating in savings group (self report)
Percent of adolescents opening savings account Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents opening savings account (self report)
Mean total amount of savings in past 1 year Endline 1 In the one year prior to the date of the 9 month follow up visit Mean total amount of savings starting from prior to enrollment in the study up to 9 months of participation in the study
Percent of adolescents saving for education Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents saving for education (self report)
Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting Endline 2 eighteen months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents who participate in household budgeting (self report)
Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings Endline 1 Nine months after baseline interview Percent of adolescents whose caregiver provided money for savings (self report)
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
community Based Recruitment
🇿🇦Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa