Children growing up in poverty are disproportionately affected by diseases, including HIV. In this study, we use data from Suubi+Adherence, a longitudinal randomized control trial (2012–2018) with 702 adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV), to examine the effectiveness of a family-based multifaceted economic empowerment (EE) intervention in addressing economic instability and multidimensional poverty among ALWHIV in Southern Uganda. We constructed a Multidimensional Poverty Index of individual and household indicators, including health, assets, housing and family dynamics. We computed the proportion of multidimensionally poor children (H), estimated poverty intensity (A) and adjusted headcount ratio (M₀). Using repeated measures at five-time points (baseline, years 1, 2, 3 and 4-post baseline) across two study arms: treatment (receiving the EE intervention) vs. control arm (not receiving EE), we find that both the incidence and proportion of multidimensional poverty decreased in the treatment arm vs. the control arm. Given that there is a direct link between economic instability and poor health outcomes, these findings are informative. They point to the potential for family EE interventions to decrease multidimensional poverty among vulnerable children, including ALWHIV, impacting their overall wellbeing and ability to meet their treatment needs and improve HIV care continuum outcomes.

Child maltreatment (CM) is a significant and global public health concern with a complex array of causes and consequences. Identifying the most impactful modifiable factors at all levels of the ecosystem is a significant challenge for policymakers, practitioners, students, and researchers trying to grasp the multidisciplinary literature that accompanies such complex and dynamic problems. This article describes the process of creating a public facing dynamic literature map using a novel application of Group Model Building (GMB), as systems science method, with academic and field experts to develop a qualitative map of hypothesized paths to and following CM and then link this to empirical findings. The goal of the “map” was to address the problem of creating a publicly accessible summary of knowledge across disciplines that helps identify constructs and paths that may have received greater or lesser research attention so that it reflects a high level, and updateable, summary of what is known and gaps for further research. This multi-year process creates an accessible tool through use of electronic interactive visual mapping software in the hopes of better informing practice, policy, and research innovation. The present article provides a summary of the process and introduction to an Alpha version of this electronic map.