Broadening Research on Microfinance and Related Strategies for HIV Prevention: Commentary on Dworkin and Blankenship (2009)

In this commentary, we respond to Dworkin & Blankenship (2009) about the limitations of microfinance used as a stand-alone strategy for HIV prevention, & advocate expanding the literature consulted in planning research on interventions, such as microfinance, targeting structural & contextual factors. We expand on their point about the methods most appropriate for studying microfinance & other structural interventions, suggesting that study designs beyond the randomized controlled trial (RCT) can provide compelling evidence of the success of these types of interventions & in many cases are more appropriate than the RCT. We conclude by providing an applied example, describing our ongoing of a large multi-level intervention involving microfinance & food security elements, being conducted in collaboration with an international poverty relief organization. Adapted from the source document.