title: Shamba Maisha: a pilot study assessing impacts of a micro-irrigation intervention on the health and economic wellbeing of HIV patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV/AIDS negatively impacts poverty alleviation and food security, which reciprocally hinder the rapid scale up and effectiveness of HIV care programs. Nyanza province has the highest HIV prevalence (15.3%), and is the third highest contributor (2.4 million people) to rural poverty in Kenya. Thus, we tested the feasibility of providing a micro-irrigation pump to HIV-positive farmers in order to evaluate its impact on health and economic advancement among HIV-positive patients and their families.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty HIV-positive patients enrolled in the Family AIDS Care and Education Services (FACES) program in Kisumu, Kenya were provided a micro-financed loan to receive an irrigation pump and farming guidance from KickStart, the developer of the pump. Economic data, CD4 counts, household health and loan repayment history were collected 12 months after the pumps were distributed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean annual family income increased by $1,332 over baseline. CD4 counts did not change significantly. Though income increased, only three (10%) participants had paid off more than a quarter of the loan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated the feasibility of an income-generating micro-irrigation intervention among HIV-positive patients and the collection of health and economic data. While family income improved significantly, loan repayment rates were low- likely complicated by the drought that occurred in Kenya during the intervention period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Jay A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pandit
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sirotin
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tittle
authors.forename: Elijah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Onjolo
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bukusi
authors.forename: Craig R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics*; D005378:Financial Support; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
references.citation: SAHARA J. 2008 Jul;5(2):94-102
references.pmid: 18709212
references.citation: J Gen Intern Med. 2009 Jan;24(1):14-20
references.pmid: 18953617
references.citation: AIDS Behav. 2009 Jun;13(3):470-3
references.pmid: 19363651
references.citation: Public Health Rep. 2008 Jan-Feb;123(1):9-20
references.pmid: 18348475
references.citation: Health Econ. 1999 Aug;8(5):415-28
references.pmid: 10470548
references.citation: PLoS Med. 2007 Oct;4(10):1576-7
references.pmid: 17958463
references.citation: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2003 Nov 1;34(3):281-8
references.pmid: 14600572
references.citation: AIDS Behav. 2009 Jun;13(3):462-9
references.pmid: 19294500
references.citation: AIDS. 2008 Aug 20;22(13):1659-65
references.pmid: 18670227