Effect of economic assets on sexual risk-taking intentions among orphaned adolescents in Uganda.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the effect of economic assets on sexual risk-taking intentions among school-going AIDS-orphaned adolescents in rural Uganda.


METHODS
AIDS-orphaned adolescents from 15 comparable schools were randomly assigned to control (n = 133) or treatment (n = 127) conditions. Treatment participants received child savings accounts, workshops, and mentorship. This economic intervention was in addition to the traditional care and support services for school-going orphaned adolescents (counseling and school supplies) provided to both treatment and control groups. Adolescents in the treatment condition were compared with adolescents in the control condition at baseline and at 10 months after the intervention.


RESULTS
After control for sociodemographic factors, child-caregiver/parental communication, and peer pressure, adolescents in the economic intervention group reported a significant reduction in sexual risk-taking intentions compared with adolescents in the control condition.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicate that in Uganda, a country devastated by poverty and disease (including HIV/AIDS), having access to economic assets plays an important role in influencing adolescents' sexual risk-taking intentions. These findings have implications for the care and support of orphaned adolescents, especially in poor African countries devastated by poverty and sexually transmitted diseases.
Ssewamala
Fred M
FM
School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025, USA. fs2114@columbia.edu
Han
Chang-Keun
CK
Neilands
Torsten B
TB
Ismayilova
Leyla
L
Sperber
Elizabeth
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D054540:Child, Orphaned / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda