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Towards effective food security interventions for HIV+ individuals: Impact of home delivered meals
Author(s) -
Jin Sarah,
Tavarez Isy,
Boshnack Nick,
Cole Chris,
Fang Xindi,
Shao Stephanie,
Girguis Mariam,
Gibson Britton,
Humphries Debbie
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.617.19
Subject(s) - medicine , psychological intervention , viral load , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , gerontology , family medicine , nursing
Nutrition interventions are increasingly recognized as pivotal to vulnerable HIV positive (+) patients. Objective To determine whether HIV+ individuals receiving home delivered meals have different rates of viral suppression when compared to HIV+ individuals who are not receiving home delivered meals. Methods Two chart reviews were conducted, comparing rate of viral suppression among HIV+ participants in Caring Cuisine (CC), a home delivered meals program, with HIV+ case management clients who did not receive home delivered meals. The first was a cross‐sectional study of current clients (n=164). The second was a five year retrospective matched case‐control study of clients with multiple measures of viral load at different time points with respect to initiation of CC participation (n=45 CC participants; n=90 for non‐CC participants). Results Cross‐sectionally, CC clients had higher rates of viral load suppression (58.5% vs. 38.5%, p=<0.01) despite being older (p <0 .01) and with lower annual incomes (p<0.05). After six months of receiving home delivered meals, CC participants were more likely to have viral load suppression (OR=2.11; p=0.038) than matched non‐participants. Conclusion Home delivered meals may be an effective ancillary treatment for vulnerable HIV+ patients. Further research is needed to determine efficacy and effectiveness of this approach. Research Support: Yale School of Medicine