Peer-reviewed article
Suubi+Adherence-Round 2: A study protocol to examine the longitudinal HIV treatment adherence among youth living with HIV transitioning into young adulthood in Southern Uganda
Fred M. Ssewamala, Ozge Sensoy Bahar, Proscovia Nabunya, April Denise Thames, Torsten B. Neilands et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study protocol describes a five-year follow-up of 702 adolescents living with HIV in Uganda who originally participated in the Suubi+Adherence intervention. The intervention combined standard HIV care with a family economic empowerment program including youth savings accounts, financial literacy training, and peer mentorship. The follow-up study will track whether the short-term improvements in viral suppression and mental health seen in the first phase are sustained as participants transition into young adulthood, and will examine whether economic empowerment can help prevent HIV-associated cognitive disorders.
Key points
- The original Suubi+Adherence study of 702 adolescents (aged 10-16) found superior short-term viral suppression and positive health and mental health outcomes with the intervention
- The intervention combined bolstered standard care with a youth savings account program, financial literacy training, and peer mentorship
- Round 2 will track the same cohort for five years (2020-2025) as they transition into young adulthood
- The follow-up will examine long-term ART adherence, HIV care engagement, protective health behaviors, and the potential of financial economic empowerment to mitigate HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders
- The study is guided by asset and human development theories and includes qualitative components and cost-effectiveness analysis
Limitations
This is a study protocol describing a planned follow-up study, not results. It does not provide data on outcomes or evidence of effectiveness, only the research design and questions to be addressed in the upcoming follow-up phase.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Youth living with HIV (YLHIV) in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) are less likely to adhere to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and other health-related regimens. As a consequence, YLHIV are not only at risk for health problems and mental health comorbidities, but are also at risk for cognitive deficits, including in areas of memory and executive functioning. The Suubi+Adherence study followed 702 adolescents (10-16 years of age) receiving bolstered standard of care and a family economic empowerment intervention comprising an incentivized youth financial savings account (YSA) augmented with financial literacy training (FLT) and peer mentorship. The study findings pointed to superior short-term viral suppression and positive adolescent health and mental health functioning among participants receiving the intervention. The original group of adolescents who received Suubi+Adherence are now transitioning into young adulthood. This paper presents a protocol for the follow-up phase titled Suubi+Adherence Round 2. METHODS: The original cohort in Suubi+Adherence will be tracked for an additional five years (2020-2025). Specifically, the long term follow-up will allow to: 1) ascertain the extent to which the short term outcomes identified in the first 6 years of the intervention are maintained as the same group transitions through young adulthood; and 2) address new scientific questions regarding ART adherence; HIV care engagement; protective health behaviors; and the potential of FEE to mitigate the development of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in YLHIV. Additionally, the team examines the potential mechanisms through which the observed long-term outcomes happen. Moreover, the Suubi+Adherence-Round 2 adds a qualitative component and extends the cost effectiveness component. DISCUSSION: Guided by asset and human development theories, Suubi+Adherence-R2 will build on the recently concluded Suubi+Adherence study to conduct one of the largest and longest running studies of YLHIV in SSA as they transition into young adulthood. The study will address new scientific questions regarding long-term ART adherence, HIV care engagement, protective health behaviors, and the potential of FEE to mitigate the development of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders in YLHIV. The findings may inform efforts to improve HIV care among Uganda's YLHIV, with potential replicability in other low-resource countries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov , ID: NCT01790373.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Family economic empowerment intervention comprising incentivized youth financial savings accounts augmented with financial literacy training and peer mentorship, combined with bolstered standard of care
- Population
- 702 adolescents aged 10-16 years living with HIV in Southern Uganda
Key finding
Original intervention phase (Suubi+Adherence, 6 years) showed superior short-term viral suppression among participants receiving the intervention
Ssewamala et al. · Prof. Fred M. Ssewamala (OpenAlex works) · 21 Jan 2021