Effect of peer health workers on AIDS care in Rakai, Uganda: a cluster-randomized trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Human resource limitations are a challenge to the delivery of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low-resource settings. We conducted a cluster randomized trial to assess the effect of community-based peer health workers (PHW) on AIDS care of adults in Rakai, Uganda.

Methodology/principal findings

15 AIDS clinics were randomized 2:1 to receive the PHW intervention (n = 10) or control (n = 5). PHW tasks included clinic and home-based provision of counseling, clinical, adherence to ART, and social support. Primary outcomes were adherence and cumulative risk of virologic failure (>400 copies/mL). Secondary outcomes were virologic failure at each 24 week time point up to 192 weeks of ART. Analysis was by intention to treat. From May 2006 to July 2008, 1336 patients were f

SUBMITTER: Chang LW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2880005 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature