Chicago Site-Specific Scientific Initiatives
As a MWCCS study participant, you may be eligible to participate in a number of substudies. Study staff will confirm your study eligibility.
Ultrascan
HIV serostatus has been shown to increase risk for osteoporosis, loss of bone density, and sarcopenia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate your bone mineral density. The test is non-invasive and radiation-free. The Ultrascan 650 is a rapid portable device that sends an ultrasound wave across your forearm (⅓ distal radius). This procedure takes 10-15 minutes.
DXA
The gold standard bone density test DXA can determine whether or not a patient has osteoporosis (disease that breaks down bone tissue, making them fragile and more likely to break) or osteopenia (low bone density). It measures your bone mineral density (BMD) from two areas of the body: (1) lumbar spine, which is the vertebrae in the lower part of the spine and (2) the hip.
WatchPAT
WatchPAT is a portable device worn on your wrist during sleep. It uses proprietary PAT (Peripheral Arterial Tonometry) technology to assess sleep metrics and quantify sleep apnea.
Joint Pain
The PEG questionnaire evaluates pain intensity in various joints: hip, knee, and spine and how pain affects your enjoyment of life and general activity.
Climate Anxiety
You will be given a questionnaire to assess your experience with the effect of climate change and global warming on your physical and mental health.
Cannabis Use by Older Women
You will be interviewed to help identify and compare the influences on cannabis use decision-making and health impacts on older women (age 60+) with and without HIV.
Barriers to Sleep Apnea Treatment for Women with HIV
If your WatchPAT results showed you screened positive for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you will be interviewed to ask about your experience obtaining care for your OSA or circumstances why you didn’t obtain care.
Somfit Feasibility in Women Living with HIV
Somfit is a wearable device used to detect sleep apnea and other sleep problems. You will be asked to wear the Somfit device for one night while you sleep to see if people living with HIV have worse sleep quality and are more likely to have sleep apnea that people living without HIV.