Can Microenterprise Programs Reduce HIV Risk in the United States?
by Amy Smoyer, M.S.W., M.P.A. and Helen Rose Patterson Microenterprise is one of a collection of microfinance programs designed to alleviate poverty by helping low-income individuals acquire assets and achieve financial independence. Originally an economic development tool in the developing world, especially for women, these initiatives have become increasingly prevalent domestically. However, the performance of microenterprise programs in the United States is mixed. Evaluations find that these programs do not usually lift participants out of poverty, but they can offer a degree of financial independence and psycho-social benefits. This policy update describes microenterprise programs, summarizes existing research on the subject, and explores the possibility that given both their economic benefits, however marginal, and their non-economic benefits, these programs may be an important structural intervention for reducing HIV risk among very low income, marginalized individuals in the Uni
