[Long Term Follow Up of HIV Patients: Insight and Achievement from a 17 Years 'Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study'...

The "Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study" was initiated in 2006 to determine the factors affecting the progression of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), onset of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and resulting death and to ensure continuous efforts to improve the quality of life of the people infected with HIV. This cohort study was a large-scale multi-institution (16 medical institutions nationwide) cohort study in which approximately 10% of people living with HIV (PLWH) in the country participated, with the total number of study participants and the retention rate being 2,177 and 65.6%, respectively. The total numbers of case report forms (CRFs) and human resources (serum and plasma samples) collected were 22,349 and 15,765, respectively (as of October 10, 2023). Cohort statistics were continuously analyzed to understand the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of PLWH in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Over the past 17 years, research based on the Korean HIV/AIDS cohort study has led to the establishment of a robust operating system for cohort-based research, standardized research methods, and survey tools (such as CRFs) and the development of methods for standardizing and purifying data collected from multicenter cohorts. Systematic data management using this approach can provide a scientific basis for national HIV/AIDS prevention and disease management policies. ROK has established the 2nd Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Prevention and Control Plan (2024-2028) with the vision of "zero new infections, zero deaths, and zero discrimination." The plan aims to reduce the number of new infections by 50% by 2030 compared with that in 2023, and various measures are being implemented to achieve this goal.