Kyaterekera Project: A Combination Intervention Addressing Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Vulnerable Women in Uganda

Guided by Social Cognitive and Asset theories as well as Behavioral Economics (BE) principles,the proposed RCT is carefully designed to test the additive contributions of savings-led microfinance beyond traditional HIV risk reduction (HIVRR) alone in decreasing biologically confirmed STIs, including HIV, improving high risk behavioral outcomes, while concurrently reducing income from sex work. Working within established health care- and outreach-based settings, we will randomly assign 990 FSWs to one of three study arms (11 town centers each): (1) a control arm comprising treatment as usual (TAU) for FSWs (quarterly 2-3 hour health education sessions, HIV testing services, and STI screening), bolstered with 4 evidence-based sessions of HIVRR provided by local providers (n=330 ); or (2) a treatment arm including TAU, 4 sessions of HIVRR, combined with receipt of a matched savings account (HIVRR+S) to be used on short-term and/or long term consumption and skills development per a participant's discretion/choice (n=330); or (3) a treatment arm including TAU, 4 sessions of HIVRR, combined with a matched savings account for short-term and/or long term consumption and skills development, plus 6 sessions of financial literacy with integrated BE principles (e.g., delay discounting, economic utility, information salience, and loss aversion), and 8 mentoring sessions for supportive transition to options for alternative income (HIVRR+S+FLM) (n=330).\* \*Revision note: Following COVID-19, with approval from NIMH (on record if requested), the HIVRR+S+FLM treatment of the study has been combined with the HIVRR+S+FL treatment arm. The total sample size has been revised to 542 participants, with approval from NIMH. Moreover, biomarker data collection at 6 and 12 months were suspended due to COVID-19.