Evaluating a Microfinance Intervention for High Risk Women in Mongolia
Evaluating a Microfinance Intervention for High Risk Women in Mongolia
The proposed study aims to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a combined
 4-session HIV sexual risk reduction (HIVSRR) and microfinance intervention (including 34
 training session and matched savings) to reduce unprotected sex and to increase proportion of
 income from sex work among women engaged in high risk sexual activity in Ulaanbaatar,
 Mongolia. Feasibility and preliminary efficacy will be tested using a randomized clinical
 trial (RCT) with 134 women sex workers meeting eligibility criteria. Following eligibility
 screening, eligible women will complete informed consent, a baseline assessment, and be
 randomized to one of 2 study conditions: 1) the combination HIV sexual risk reduction plus
 microfinance (HIVSRR+MF); or 2) a 4-session HIVSRR alone control condition.

 The study design will permit us to:

 1. Examine and enhance the feasibility (i.e. recruitment, engagement, attendance, retention
 data collection) of a combination HIV sexual risk reduction and MF intervention with
 high risk women in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia;

 2. Examine the preliminary outcomes of the interventions on decreasing unprotected acts of
 vaginal and anal intercourse; increasing the proportion of protected vaginal and/or anal
 acts using barrier protection and decreasing number of sexual partners with repeated
 measures at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 3 and 6 month follow-up
 assessments.

 3. Use the results of the pilot study to inform the design of a future R01 application.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  She is at least 18 years of age;

 -  She reports having engaged in vaginal or anal sexual intercourse in the past 90 days
 in exchange for money, alcohol or other goods;

 -  She reports having engaged in unprotected vaginal or anal sexual intercourse in the
 past 90 days with a paying sexual partner; and

 -  She reports being interested in learning about and developing her own small business.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  assessed to have a severe cognitive or psychiatric impairment that would interfere
 with the ability to provide informed consent or complete study instruments