Material security scale as a measurement of poverty among key populations at-risk for HIV/AIDS in Malaysia: An implication for people who use drugs and transgender people during the COVID-19 pandemic

Mohd Salleh, Nur Afiqah and Ahmad, Ahsan and Vicknasingam, Balasingam and Kamarulzaman, Adeeba and Yahya, `Abqariyah (2022) Material security scale as a measurement of poverty among key populations at-risk for HIV/AIDS in Malaysia: An implication for people who use drugs and transgender people during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (15). ISSN 1660-4601, DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19158997.

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Abstract

The HIV epidemic is fueled by poverty; yet, methods to measure poverty remain scarce among populations at risk for HIV infection and disease progression to AIDS in Malaysia. Between August and November 2020, using data from a cross-sectional study of people who use drugs, (PWUD), transgender people, sex workers and men who have sex with men, this study examined the reliability and validity of a material security scale as a measurement of poverty. Additionally, we assessed factors associated with material security scores. We performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for 268 study participants included in the analysis. A revised nine-item three-factor structure of the material security scale demonstrated an excellent fit in CFA. The revised material security score displayed good reliability, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.843, 0.826 and 0.818 for housing, economic resources and basic needs factors, respectively. In a subsequent analysis, PWUD and transgender people were less likely to present good material security scores during the pandemic, compared to their counterparts. The revised nine-item scale is a useful tool to assess poverty among key populations at-risk for HIV/AIDS with the potential to be extrapolated in similar income settings.

Item Type: Article
Funders: International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), COVID-19 emergency grant (2020): COVID-19 and Decarceration in Southeast Asia
Uncontrolled Keywords: HIV; Social determinants of health; Poverty; Reliability; Validity
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Divisions: Faculty of Medicine > Medicine Department
Faculty of Medicine > Social & Preventive Medicine
Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA)
Depositing User: Ms. Juhaida Abd Rahim
Date Deposited: 08 Nov 2023 08:37
Last Modified: 08 Nov 2023 08:37
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/41572

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