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In 2019, the National Institutes of Health combined the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) into the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS). In this paper, participants who made a study visit during October 2018–September 2019 (targeted for MWCCS enrollment) are described by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serostatus and compared with people living with HIV (PLWH) in the United States. Participants include 2,115 women and 1,901 men with a median age of 56 years (interquartile range, 48–63); 62% are PLWH. Study sites encompass the South (18%), the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast (45%), the West Coast (22%), and the Midwest (15%). Participant race/ethnicity approximates that of PLWH throughout the United States. Longitudinal data and specimens collected for 35 years (men) and 25 years (women) were combined. Differences in data collection and coding were reviewed, and key risk factor and comorbidity data were harmonized. For example, recent use of alcohol (62%) and tobacco (28%) are common, as are dyslipidemia (64%), hypertension (56%), obesity (42%), mildly or severely impaired daily activities (31%), depressive symptoms (28%), and diabetes (22%). The MWCCS repository includes serum, plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, cell pellets, urine, cervicovaginal lavage samples, oral samples, B-cell lines, stool, and semen specimens. Demographic differences between the MACS and WIHS can confound analyses by sex. The merged MWCCS is both an ongoing observational cohort study and a valuable resource for harmonized longitudinal data and specimens for HIV-related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marginalized populations may be predisposed to poor health outcomes due to health disparities. Although much of the research on health and quality of life is from the perspective of the impact of clinical diagnosis, there is a need for more diverse inquiries and recognition of the individuals' perceptions and preferences. The present study examined the importance of an individual's perception of his or her current health in predicting quality of life over and beyond the presence of physical or mental health conditions. The sample included 150 low-income adults, of which 84.7 percent were African American and 15.4 percent were of another minority race or ethnicity. Participants had an average monthly income of $703. Having a better perception of health was significantly associated with increased quality of life scores. Subjective perceptions of current health were a better predictor of quality of life than the presence of a serious physical or mental health condition. The article ends with a discussion of appropriate interventions to improve health perceptions in similar populations predisposed to poor health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]