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University of California, Los
Angeles (UCLA) School of Nursing researchers reported that an intervention
delivered by lay women trained as accredited social health activists (ASHA) was
successful in improving antiretroviral therapy (ART), immune-cell counts, and
nutrition levels among HIV-infected women in rural India. The ASHA-LIFE (AL)
program supplied counseling to HIV-infected women and assisted them in
obtaining healthcare and treatment. Barriers to care for rural, HIV-infected
Indian women included stigma, transportation difficulties, and financial
constraints.
The study randomly selected
HIV-infected women in an Indian state, Andra Pradesh, to be part of either a
six-month AL intervention or a control group. Both AL and control groups
participated in six education sessions to learn about HIV/AIDS, dealing with the
illness, adhering to ART, and overcoming barriers to treatment. Broader topics
covered in the intervention included family care, nutrition, and life-skills.
ASHA visited the women in the AL group to identify and overcome barriers to
accessing ART and treatment and to supply high-protein foods. The control group
received standard-protein foods and did not receive ASHA visits or support.
Adey Nyamathi, distinguished
professor and associate dean of international research and scholarly studies at
UCLA School of Nursing, stated the AL group had better ART adherence, higher
CD4 T-cell levels, less “internalized stigma” and depression, and increases in
body, muscle, and fat mass in comparison to the control group.
The full report, “Impact of Asha
Intervention on Stigma Among Rural Indian Women with AIDS,” was published
online in the Western Journal of Nursing Research (2013; doi:
10.1177/0193945913482050).
The full report, “Impact of an Asha
Intervention on Depressive Symptoms Among Rural Women Living with AIDS in
India: Comparison of the Asha-Life and Usual Care Program,” was published
online in the journal AIDS Education and Prevention (2012; doi:
10.1521/aeap.2012.24.3.280).
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus.
To learn more about The Friends of
AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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