Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
08:24
Experimental Assessment of Mouse Sociability Using an Automated Image Processing Approach
Published on: May 15, 2016
Cohort profile: the MUg Observational Cohort
Anna Funk1, Steve Kanters, Margaret Nansubuga
1Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and The Mildmay Centre, Kampala, Uganda.
International Journal of Epidemiology
|November 23, 2012
Summary
Mildmay Uganda established an observational cohort of 8835 individuals receiving combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV care. This database monitors treatment outcomes and identifies trends in HIV management in Uganda.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Mildmay Uganda (MUg) is a key HIV treatment center in Uganda.
- Collaboration with Canadian researchers aims to enhance research capacity.
- Development of an observational cohort database is crucial for understanding HIV care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To monitor clinical care and outcomes for HIV patients on treatment.
- To identify functional and dysfunctional trends in HIV care within Uganda.
- To establish a comprehensive observational cohort database for research.
Main Methods:
- Creation of the MUg observational cohort database with 8835 individuals initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) between 2004-2011.
- Routine data collection including demographic, behavioral, and clinical variables at treatment initiation and follow-up.
- Utilizing physician visits and laboratory results for comprehensive data capture.
Main Results:
- The cohort includes 8835 individuals, with a female majority (63.2%) and a median age of 31 years.
- A significant proportion (24.9%) of the cohort is under 18 years old.
- The median baseline CD4 cell count is 172 cells/mm³.
Conclusions:
- The MUg observational cohort provides valuable data for understanding HIV treatment and care in Uganda.
- The database supports ongoing research into HIV management strategies and patient outcomes.
- Encourages collaborations for further research into HIV epidemiology and clinical care.
Related Concept Videos
01:11Observational Studies
Observational studies are a type of analytical study where researchers observe events without any interventions. In other words, the researcher does not influence the response variable or the experiment's outcome.
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One example of...
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One example of...
01:08Data Collection by Observations
Data collection refers to a systematic way of obtaining, observing, measuring, and analyzing accurate information. Observational studies are one of the most widely used methods of data collection. It involves collecting data by observing the behavior and physical characteristics of a sample without making any modifications to the sample.
An astronomer viewing the motion and brightness of stars in the sky and recording the data is an example of observational data collection. A botanist recording...
An astronomer viewing the motion and brightness of stars in the sky and recording the data is an example of observational data collection. A botanist recording...
01:26Longitudinal Studies
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
02:20Longitudinal Research
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
01:50Cross-Sectional Research
In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
02:30Naturalistic Observations
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...