MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study

Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/
Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS)
Combined Cohort Study
(MWCCS)

The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS) is a collaborative research effort that aims to understand and reduce the impact of age-related challenges and comorbidities which affect people living with HIV (PLWH). MWCCS also investigates the impacts of health disparities and chronic stressors that can have a profound effect on PLWH as they age.

Advances in HIV medications have successfully kept people's immune systems healthy with fewer side effects. These improvements enable most people living with HIV to live long and healthy lives. However, there are different age-related challenges that differ between people living with and without HIV.

Since 2013, the Atlanta (Emory) site has served as one of 13 MWCCS clinical research sites nationwide that participate in this longitudinal cohort study, looking at chronic conditions related to HIV infection in the era of effective antiretroviral therapy.

Local and National MWCCS History

2019

MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study

The NIH combined the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) into the current MWCCS. It is a prospective observational cohort study designed to study the impact of chronic health conditions – including heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders – that affect men and women living with HIV.

2013

Atlanta added as new WIHS site.

In conjunction with enrollment wave WIHS V, the Atlanta GA site was added as one of four new Southern sites

1994

WIHS begins enrollment.

WIHS Enrollment WAVE I of women living with or affected by HIV were enrolled.

1993

Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) was established.

The NIH established the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) to study the impact and progression of HIV infection among women in response to the rising number of AIDS cases and the relative lack of clinical, behavioral, and epidemiological data in this population.

1984

Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) was established.

The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) was a longitudinal study of HIV-1 infection among gay and bisexual men in the United States. The MACS began in 1984 and has enrolled more than 7,300 study participants who were evaluated every six months.