Preliminary Effects of an urban gardens and peer nutritional counseling intervention on HIV treatment adherence and detectable viral load among people with HIV and food insecurity: Evidence from a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial in the Dominican Republic
Preliminary Effects of an urban gardens and peer nutritional counseling intervention on HIV treatment adherence and detectable viral load among people with HIV and food insecurity: Evidence from a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial in the Dominican Republic
Date
2022-09-06
Authors
Amarilis Then Paulino
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Abstract
A pilot cluster randomized controlled trial involving two HIV clinics in the Dominican
Republic assessed preliminary efficacy of an urban garden and peer nutritional counseling
intervention. A total of 115 participants (52 intervention, 63 control) with moderate or severe
food insecurity and sub-optimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and/or detectable
viral load were assessed at baseline, 6- and 12-months. Longitudinal multivariate regression
analysis controlling for socio-demographics and accounting for serial cluster correlation
found that the intervention: reduced the prevalence of detectable viral load by 20 percentage
points at 12 months; reduced any missed clinic appointments by 34 and 16 percentage points
at 6 and 12 months; increased the probability of “perfect” ART adherence by 24 and 20
percentage points at 6 and 12 months; and decreased food insecurity at 6 and 12 months.
Results are promising and warrant a larger controlled trial to establish intervention efficacy
for improving HIV clinical outcomes.
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Citation
Derose, K.P., Then-Paulino, A., Han, B. et al. Preliminary Effects of an Urban Gardens and Peer Nutritional Counseling Intervention on HIV Treatment Adherence and Detectable Viral Load Among People with HIV and Food Insecurity: Evidence from a Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in the Dominican Republic. AIDS Behav 27, 864–874 (2023).