![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Methods: We used longtudinal (waves 1-5) data from an NIH-funded study (Bridges) among 1410 adolescents orphaned by HIV/AIDS, recruited from 48 school in the Southern Uganda. (see ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01447615). Adolescents were eligible to participate if; they were orphaned by AIDS, enrolled in school, aged 10 to 16, and living with a family. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups at the school level (Control, Bridges, and Bridges Plus). The control group received bolstered usual care services while participants in both intervention groups received an EEI comprising of (1) a Child Development Account (CDA) with either a 1:1 match rate (Bridges) or 2:1 match (Bridges-PLUS). The primary outcome for the study was asset development, defined in terms of ownership of 1) physical, and 2) financial assets. Ownership of physical assets was measured using the asset index and financial assets were assessed through a single-item question, probing whether participants had any savings. Three-level mixed effects linear and logistic regression models were run to examine the sex differences in the effects of an EEI on physical and financial assets, respectively.
Results: The mean age, at baseline, was 12.6 years. Results from the mixed effects linear regression model showed a nonsignficant main intervention effect (χ2(2) = 0.89, p=0.642) and the intervention by time interaction effects (χ2(8) = 6.80, p=0.558) for physical assets. However, the analysis revealed a significant time effect (χ2(4) = 29.28, p < 0.001), suggesting changes in the accumulation of physical assets over time. Regarding financial assets, results from the logistic mixed effects model showed that both the intervention main effect (χ2(2) = 97.62, p<0.001) and the intervention by time interaction effect (χ2(8) = 87.13, p<0.001) were statistically significant suggesting a significant effect of the EEI on the accumulation of financial assets. Furthermore, the main effects for time were also statistically significant (χ2(4) = 115.32, p < 0.001), suggesting changes in the accumulation of financial assets over time. Overall, the analysis indicated that young women were less likely to accumulate phyiscal (β = -0.811, 95% CI: -1.332, -0.290, p = 0.002) and financial (OR = 0.520, 95% CI: 0.387 - 0.699, p < 0.001) assets compared to young men, regardless of their study groups.
Conclusion The study findings highlight the potential of economic empowerment interventions in enhancing the economic well-being of participating individuals. However, given the differences in asset accumulation between youmg men and women, there is need for addressing gender disparities and socioeconomic barriers so as to promote equitable asset development and foster economic resilience for young women.