Improving HIV Care Engagement Among Ugandan Adolescent Girls and Young Women: The Kisoboka Mukwano Intervention

Launched by ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY · Jul 9, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called the Kisoboka Mukwano Intervention, aims to help adolescent girls and young women in Uganda who are living with HIV. The study focuses on improving their access to HIV care and treatment outcomes by involving their male partners, especially targeting issues related to alcohol use and intimate partner violence (IPV). By working together as couples, the hope is to create a supportive environment that reduces risks and promotes better health for these young women.

To be eligible for this study, participants should be adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 who are HIV-positive and have had difficulties engaging with HIV care, such as missing appointments or not taking their medication regularly. They must also have experienced some form of intimate partner violence from their current male partner. Male partners need to be 18 years or older and should have a history of drinking alcohol in amounts that could be concerning. Participants can expect to be part of a program that encourages open communication and support between partners, helping them both to address challenges related to HIV and improve their overall well-being.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • Inclusion Criteria
• Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW)/Female:
• • aged 18-24 or self-reported as emancipated minors aged 15-17,
• • HIV+
• • meets one or more of the following non-engagement criteria: not currently enrolled in an HIV clinic (e.g., never enrolled, dropped out); not currently taking ART; missed 1 or more scheduled HIV care appointments requiring physical presence (e.g., viral load \[VL\] testing) in the last 12 months; \< 90% ART adherence in the last 2 weeks; most recent VL\>1000 or expected recent VL test results absent in clinic records despite initiating ART \>6 months ago
• • self-report a history of at least one incident of IPV (physical, sexual, and/or emotional) and/or controlling behavior ever perpetrated by their current male partner
• • agree to let research staff contact their male partner.
• Male Partners of AGYW/Male:
• • aged 18+ years or emancipated minors
• • report consuming ≥ 6 drinks per occasion at least once or more in the prior 30 days or scores 4 or more on the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test)-C
• Couples (each partner (male and female) must independently report):
• • married or living together as if married for ≥6 months
• • planning to stay together for at least another 2 months (intervention period)
• • lived in the Wakiso District area ≥3 months
• • not planning to move from the area within the next 6 months
• • respond similarly (not exact but close) to questions on the study-developed Couple Verification Screening
• • Exclusion Criteria
• AGYW (female):
• • reporting any severe physical IPV experienced in prior 3 months.
• Couples (male and female):
• • do not speak Luganda or English
• • do not feel they cannot safely participate in the study.