Clinical trial NCT01163695: The SUUBI Program: Asset-Ownership for Orphaned Children in Uganda
Official title: The SUUBI Program: Creating Asset-Ownership Opportunities and Health Promotion Among Orphaned Children in Uganda
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE1
Conditions: Poverty
Keywords: economic empowerment model, orphans, sub-Saharan Africa
Lead sponsor: Columbia University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
First posted: 2010-07-16
Enrollment: 286
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 11
Maximum age (years): 17
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: This study examines an economic empowerment model of care and support for orphaned adolescents in rural Uganda. The Suubi intervention focuses on economic empowerment of families caring for orphaned youths. It attempts to address the health risks and poor educational achievements resulting from poverty and limited options.

Detailed description: The AIDS epidemic and a 20-year civil war have had a devastating impact on Uganda. The events have led to population displacement, worsening living conditions, exacerbation of poverty, and disruption of already weakened social service systems. As implemented, the Suubi Project goes considerably beyond the usual care, which primarily consists of institutionalization and reactive strategies (involving food and material aid). Specifically, the intervention promotes children's savings accounts, also known as children development accounts, for postprimary education and microenterprise development (i.e., development of small income-generating businesses).

The Suubi intervention is grounded in asset theory (Sherraden 1990, 1991), which holds that assets (e.g., savings, educational opportunities, and economic opportunities in the form of income-generating activities or microenterprises) have important economic, social, and psychological benefits for individuals and families. Asset building is increasingly viewed as a critical factor for reducing poverty, improving psychosocial functioning, and positively affecting attitudes and behaviors.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* an orphaned child, defined as a child who has lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS; enrolled in primary school (even though possibly not attending regularly); between the ages of 12 to 15 years.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Savings and asset-accumulation
timeFrame: baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Sexual risk taking
timeFrame: baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention
measure: Educational outcomes
timeFrame: baseline, 10-month, and 20-month post-intervention
measure: Mental health
timeFrame: baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention
measure: Social and family support
timeFrame: baseline, 10-month and 20-month post-intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Rakai
country: Uganda
facility: St. Joseph's Matale Parish
Study officials:
affiliation: Columbia University
name: Fred M Ssewamala, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Ssewamala FM, Ismayilova L, McKay M, Sperber E, Bannon W Jr, Alicea S. Gender and the effects of an economic empowerment program on attitudes toward sexual risk-taking among AIDS-orphaned adolescent youth in Uganda. J Adolesc Health. 2010 Apr;46(4):372-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.010.
citation: Ssewamala FM, Han CK, Neilands TB, Ismayilova L, Sperber E. Effect of economic assets on sexual risk-taking intentions among orphaned adolescents in Uganda. Am J Public Health. 2010 Mar;100(3):483-8. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.158840. Epub 2010 Jan 14.
citation: Ssewamala FM, Han CK, Neilands TB. Asset ownership and health and mental health functioning among AIDS-orphaned adolescents: findings from a randomized clinical trial in rural Uganda. Soc Sci Med. 2009 Jul;69(2):191-8. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.05.019. Epub 2009 Jun 10.
citation: Ssewamala FM, Alicea S, Bannon WM Jr, Ismayilova L. A novel economic intervention to reduce HIV risks among school-going AIDS orphans in rural Uganda. J Adolesc Health. 2008 Jan;42(1):102-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.011.
citation: Ismayilova L, Ssewamala FM, Karimli L. Family support as a mediator of change in sexual risk-taking attitudes among orphaned adolescents in rural Uganda. J Adolesc Health. 2012 Mar;50(3):228-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.06.008. Epub 2011 Aug 27.