Exploring feasibility and acceptability of an integrated urban gardens and peer nutritional counselling intervention for people with HIV in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Objective: Food security interventions with people living with HIV (PLHIV) are needed to improve HIV outcomes. This process evaluation of a pilot intervention involving urban gardening and peer nutritional counselling with PLHIV assesses feasibility, acceptability and implementation challenges to inform scale-up. Design: Mixed methods were used, including quantitative data on intervention participation and feasibility and acceptability among participants (n 45) and qualitative data from a purposive sample of participants (n 21). Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and coded using a codebook developed iteratively. Setting: An HIV clinic in the northwest-central part of the Dominican Republic. Results: The intervention was feasible for most participants: 84 % attended a garden workshop and 71 % established an urban garden; 91 % received all three core nutritional counselling sessions; and 73 % attended the cooking workshop. The intervention was also highly acceptable: nearly, all participants (93–96 %) rated the gardening as ‘helpful’ or ‘very helpful’ for taking HIV medications, their mental/emotional well-being and staying healthy; similarly, high percentages (89–97 %) rated the nutrition counselling ‘helpful’ or ‘very helpful’ for following a healthy diet, reducing unhealthy foods and increasing fruit/vegetable intake. Garden barriers included lack of space and animals/pests. Transportation barriers impeded nutritional counselling. Harvested veggies were consumed by participants’ households, shared with neighbours and family, and sold in the community. Many emphasised that comradery with other PLHIV helped them cope with HIV-related marginalisation. Conclusion: An urban gardens and peer nutritional counselling intervention with PLHIV was feasible and acceptable; however, addressing issues of transportation, pests and space is necessary for equitable participation and benefit.