The Impact of Social Services Interventions in Developing Countries: A Review of the Evidence of Impact on Clinical Outcomes in People Living with HIV

Social service interventions have been implemented in many countries to help people living with HIV (PLHIV) and household members cope with economic burden as a result of reduced earning or increased spending on health care. However, the evidence for specific interventions—economic strengthening and legal services—on key health outcomes has not been appraised.

Implementation of economic strengthening interventions is expected to have a high impact on the quality of life for PLHIV but uncertain impact on mortality, morbidity, retention in care, and HIV transmission. More rigorous research is needed to explore the impact of more targeted intervention components on health outcomes.