title: Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS): Overview and description.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) is a study of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected and uninfected patients seen in infectious disease and general medical clinics. VACS includes the earlier 3 and 5 site studies (VACS 3 and VACS 5) as well as the ongoing 8 site study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to provide background and context for analyses based upon VACS data, including study design and rationale as well as its basic protocol and the baseline characteristics of the enrolled sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a prospectively consented multisite observational study of veterans in care with and without HIV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were derived from patient and provider self report, telephone interviews, blood and DNA samples, focus groups, and full access to the national VA "paperless" electronic medical record system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 7200 veterans have been enrolled in at least one of the studies. The 8 site study (VACS) has enrolled 2979 HIV-infected and 3019 HIV-uninfected age-race-site matched comparators and has achieved stratified enrollment targets for race/ethnicity and age and 99% of its total target enrollment as of October 30, 2005. Participants in VACS are similar to other veterans receiving care within the VA. VACS participants are older and more predominantly black than those reported by the Centers for Disease Control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VACS has assembled a rich, in-depth, and representative sample of veterans in care with and without HIV infection to conduct longitudinal analyses of questions concerning the association between alcohol use and related comorbid and AIDS-defining conditions.
authors.affiliation: VA Conneticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516, USA. amy.justice2@va.gov
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Justice
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dombrowski
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conigliaro
authors.forename: Shawn L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Fultz
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Tamra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Madenwald
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goulet
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simberkoff
authors.forename: Adeel A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Butt
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rimland
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Barradas
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gibert
authors.forename: Kris Ann K
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Oursler
authors.forename: Sheldon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Leaf
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.forename: Kendall
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bryant
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002423:Cause of Death; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D016730:Program Development; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011786:Quality Control; D014728:Veterans
chemical_list: D004247:DNA