Outcomes of the KC life 360 intervention: Improving employment and housing for persons living with HIV

PLoS One. 2022 Sep 16;17(9):e0274923. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274923. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Housing and employment are key factors in the health and wellbeing of persons living with HIV (PLWH) in the United States. Approximately 14% of low-income PLWH report housing instability or temporary housing, and up to 70% report being unemployed. The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of an intervention to improve housing and employment for PLWH in the Midwest. Participants (N = 87) were recruited from the Kansas City metropolitan area to participate in a one-year intervention to improve housing and employment. All individuals were living with HIV and were not stably housed, fully employed, nor fully engaged in HIV medical care. A series of generalized estimating equations were conducted using client-level longitudinal data to examine how housing, employment, viral load, and retention in care changed over time. Housing improved from baseline to follow-up, with more individuals reporting having stable housing (OR = 23.5; p < 0.001). Employment also improved from baseline to follow-up, with more individuals reporting full-time employment (OR = 1.9; p < 0.001). Viral suppression improved from baseline to follow-up, with more individuals being virally suppressed (OR = 1.6; p < 0.05). Retention in care did not change significantly from baseline to follow-up (OR = 0.820; p = 0.370). Client navigation seems to be a promising intervention to improve housing and employment for PLWH in the Midwest. Additional research is needed on the impact of service coordination on client-level outcomes. Future studies should be conducted on the scalability of client navigation interventions to improve the lives of low-income, underserved PLWH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Employment
  • HIV Infections* / drug therapy
  • Housing*
  • Humans
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States
  • Viral Load

Grants and funding

KCHD:89HA00028 Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Initiative, Improving Health Outcomes Through the Coordination of Supportive Employment & Housing Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services The funder did not play any role in the study design, data collection or analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.