Online Program

286766
Impact of family-based economic empowerment on AIDS-orphaned children's psychosocial functioning in Uganda


Monday, November 4, 2013 : 9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Leyla Karimli, MPhil, PhD Candidate, School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY
Fred Ssewamala, PhD, Director, International Center for Child Health & Asset Development, Columbia University, New York, NY
Aim: The aims of this paper are to: 1) examine the effect of a family-based economic empowerment intervention on orphaned children's psychosocial functioning; and 2) examine whether reported savings by children and their families in the course of intervention moderates the effect of the intervention on the indicated outcomes.

Methods: We use longitudinal panel data from a cluster randomized control trial consisting of two study arms: treatment condition (n=179); and a control condition (n=167). Data were collected at baseline, 12-month, and 24-month follow-up. Multilevel regression is used, and differential changes in outcome variables over time are measured at 12 months and at 24 months.

Results: Our findings demonstrate significant effect of a family-based economic empowerment intervention on orphaned children's psychological well-being. At Wave 3, children in the treatment group reported higher scores on Tennessee Self-Concept scale (B= 3.5, 95% CI= 0.8; 6.2, p<0.01) and lower scores on the Beck Hopelessness Scale (B= -1.6, 95% CI= -2.3; -0.8, p<0.000), compared to children in the control group. In regard to education aspirations, the effect of economic empowerment was significant at Wave 2—children in the treatment group reported having higher education aspirations (B= 0.4, 95% CI= 0.002; 0.7, p<0.05), compared to children in the control group. Results, however, did not hold at Wave 3. Results demonstrate significant moderator effect of economic performance in the intervention on children's reported self-concept.

Policy implications: Our findings point to the importance of economic empowerment in addressing AIDS-children's psychosocial functioning.

Learning Areas:

Biostatistics, economics
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the impact of family-based economic empowerment intervention on orphaned children’s psychological well-being Assess the moderator effect of economic performance in analyzing the psychosocial outcomes Formulate knowledge for public health programming and education

Keyword(s): Children and Adolescents, International

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have over four years' of experience working as a Research Associate with Professor Fred Ssewamala-a principal investigator in the family-based economic empowerment intervention study evaluated in our presentation. Professor Ssewamala will be co-presenter and co-author of the paper to be presented at the conference.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.