Effect of a Multisectoral Agricultural Intervention on HIV Health Outcomes Among Adults in Kenya: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Journal: JAMA network open

Volume: 5

Issue: 12

Year of Publication: 2022

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco. Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia. Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. KickStart International, San Francisco, California. Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis. Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington-Bothell, Bothell. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco. Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, University of Connecticut, Storrs.

Abstract summary 

Food insecurity and HIV health outcomes are linked through nutritional, mental health, and health behavior pathways.To examine the effects of a multisectoral agriculture and livelihood intervention on HIV viral suppression and nutritional, mental health, and behavioral outcomes among HIV-positive adults prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART).This cluster randomized clinical trial was performed in 8 pairs of health facilities in Kenya. Participants were 18 years or older, living with HIV, and receiving ART for longer than 6 months; had moderate to severe food insecurity; and had access to arable land and surface water and/or shallow aquifers. Participants were followed up every 6 months for 24 months. Data were collected from June 23, 2016, to June 13, 2017, with follow-up completed by December 16, 2019. Data were analyzed from June 25 to August 31, 2020, using intention-to-treat and per-protocol methods.A loan to purchase a human-powered irrigation pump, fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides combined with the provision of training in sustainable agriculture and financial literacy.The primary outcome was the relative change from baseline to the end of follow-up in viral load suppression (≤200 copies/mL) compared between study groups using difference-in-differences analyses. Secondary outcomes included clinic attendance, ART adherence, food insecurity, depression, self-confidence, and social support.A total of 720 participants were enrolled (396 women [55.0%]; mean [SD] age, 40.38 [9.12] years), including 366 in the intervention group and 354 in the control group. Retention included 677 (94.0%) at the 24-month visit. HIV viral suppression improved in both groups from baseline to end of follow-up from 314 of 366 (85.8%) to 327 of 344 (95.1%) in the intervention group and from 291 of 353 (82.4%) to 314 of 333 (94.3%) in the control group (P = .86). Food insecurity decreased more in the intervention than the control group (difference in linear trend, -3.54 [95% CI, -4.16 to -2.92]). Proportions of those with depression during the 24-month follow-up period declined more in the intervention group (from 169 of 365 [46.3%] to 36 of 344 [10.5%]) than the control group (106 of 354 [29.9%] to 41 of 333 [12.3%]; difference in trend, -0.83 [95% CI, -1.45 to -0.20]). Self-confidence improved more in the intervention than control group (difference in trend, -0.37 [95% CI, -0.59 to -0.15]; P = .001), as did social support (difference in trend, -3.63 [95% CI, -4.30 to -2.95]; P < .001).In this cluster randomized trial, the multisectoral agricultural intervention led to demonstrable health and other benefits; however, it was not possible to detect additional effects of the intervention on HIV clinical indicators. Agricultural interventions that improve productivity and livelihoods hold promise as a way of addressing food insecurity and the underpinnings of poor health among people living with HIV in resource-limited settings.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02815579.

Authors & Co-authors:  Cohen Weke Frongillo Sheira Burger Mocello Wekesa Fisher Scow Thirumurthy Dworkin Shade Butler Bukusi Weiser

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations :  Core indicators of nutritional state for difficult-to-sample populations. J Nutr. 1990;120(suppl 11):1559-1600. doi:10.1093/jn/120.suppl_11.1555
Authors :  15
Identifiers
Doi : e2246158
SSN : 2574-3805
Study Population
Women
Mesh Terms
Adult
Other Terms
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Kenya
Publication Country
United States