Individual Study / SHCS

Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Swiss HIV Cohort Study

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Networks -
Datasets -
Variables -
Start Year
1988
Supplementary Information
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Members

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Investigators Contacts
  • Prof. Andri Rauch
    Bern University Hospital
  • Sandra E. Chaudron
    University of Zurich

Design

Study design
Cohort
Follow Up
The HIV-infected patients are followed in the cohort on an outpatient basis every 6 months.

Marker Paper

Scherrer AU, Traytel A, Braun DL, Calmy A, Battegay M, Cavassini M, Furrer H, Schmid P, Bernasconi E, Stoeckle M, Kahlert C, Trkola A, Kouyos RD, Tarr P, Marzolini C, Wandeler G, Fellay J, Bucher H, Yerly S, Suter F, Hirsch H, Huber M, Dollenmaier G, Perreau M, Martinetti G, Rauch A, Günthard HF, and the SHCS. Cohort profile update: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). International Journal of Epidemiology.

PUBMED 34363666

Recruitment

Recruitment Target
  • Individuals

Number of Participants

Number of Participants
22,400
Number of Participants with Biological Samples
20,087
Supplementary Information
As of 2025, 22,400 individuals participated in this study and recruitment is ongoing. Biosamples are available for 20,087 out of 22,400 participants (status end of 2025).

Access

Availability of data and biosamples

Possible Access to Data
Possible Access to Biosamples
Other

Availability of access information

On the study website : http://www.shcs.ch

Supplementary Information

In principle, every research can use SHCS data, including biological samples. A research proposal needs to be submitted and approved by the SHCS scientific board. https://www.shcs.ch/162-researchers. Schoeni-Affolter F, Ledergerber B, Rickenbach M, et al. Cohort Profile: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study, International Journal of Epidemiology, 2010; Oct (5): 1179–1189. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyp321

Timeline

SHCS population

Selection Criteria
Minimum age
18
Newborns
Twins
Countries
  • Switzerland
Territory
Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich, and two canton St Gallen and Ticino
Ethnic Origin
Health Status
  • HIV infected
Supplementary Information about selection criteria

Recruitment

Sources of recruitment
  • Specific population
Specific Population
  • Clinic patients
Supplementary Information
Participants are recruited through different clinics in Switzerland. The clinics can delegate recruitment of participants and follow-up visits to other outpatient clinics or to specialized private physicians, provided that the requirements of the protocol can be entirely fulfilled and controlled. So participants were recruited from university hospitals, affiliated hospitals and private physicians.

Number of Participants

Number of Participants
21,993
Number of Participants with Biological Samples
20,112
Data Collection Events
# Name Description Start End
0 SHCS - Registration Socio-demographic data were collected: date of birth, sex, nationality, ethnicity, educational degree and last held professional position, sexual preference. Other specific data such as: results ... 1988-01
1 SHCS - Follow-up 1 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1988-01 1988-06
2 SHCS - Follow-up 2 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1988-07 1988-12
3 SHCS - Follow-up 3 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1989-01 1989-06
4 SHCS - Follow-up 4 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1989-07 1989-12
5 SHCS - Follow-up 5 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1990-01 1990-06
6 SHCS - Follow-up 6 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1990-07 1990-12
7 SHCS - Follow-up 7 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1991-01 1991-06
8 SHCS - Follow-up 8 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1991-07 1991-12
9 SHCS - Follow-up 9 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1992-01 1992-06
10 SHCS - Follow-up 10 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic diseases of HIV ... 1992-07 1992-12
11 SHCS - Follow-up 11 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on ... 1993-01 1993-06
12 SHCS - Follow-up 12 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on ... 1993-07 1993-12
13 SHCS - Follow-up 13 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on ... 1994-01 1994-06
14 SHCS - Follow-up 14 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on ... 1994-07 1994-12
15 SHCS - Follow-up 15 Information concerning participants' ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, and medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on ... 1995-01 1995-06
16 SHCS - Follow-up 16 Information concerning participant's ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic ... 1995-07 1995-12
17 SHCS - Follow-up 17 Information concerning participant's ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic ... 1996-01 1996-06
18 SHCS - Follow-up 18 Information concerning participant's ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic ... 1996-07 1996-12
19 SHCS - Follow-up 19 Information concerning participant's ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic ... 1997-01 1997-06
20 SHCS - Follow-up 20 Information concerning participant's ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic ... 1997-07 1997-12
21 SHCS - Follow-up 21 Information concerning participant's ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic ... 1998-01 1998-06
22 SHCS - Follow-up 22 Information concerning participant's ability to work, worked hours, family situation, sexual partnership, medication were collected during a visit to the physician. Information on opportunistic ... 1998-07 1998-12
23 SHCS - Follow-up 23 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, sexual partnership, condom use, medication protocol were collected during a visit to the ... 1999-01 1999-06
24 SHCS - Follow-up 24 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, sexual partnership, condom use, medication protocol were collected during a visit to the ... 1999-07 1999-12
25 SHCS - Follow-up 25 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual partnership, condom use, sexual behaviours, medication ... 2000-01 2000-06
26 SHCS - Follow-up 26 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2000-07 2000-12
27 SHCS - Follow-up 27 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2001-01 2001-06
28 SHCS - Follow-up 28 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2001-07 2001-12
29 SHCS - Follow-up 29 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2002-01 2002-06
30 SHCS - Follow-up 30 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2002-07 2002-12
31 SHCS - Follow-up 31 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2003-01 2003-06
32 SHCS - Follow-up 32 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2003-07 2003-12
33 SHCS - Follow-up 33 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2004-01 2004-06
34 SHCS - Follow-up 34 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2004-07 2004-12
35 SHCS - Follow-up 35 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, medication protocol were collected during a visit ... 2005-01 2005-06
36 SHCS - Follow-up 36 Information concerning participants' source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, obstetric event, and ... 2005-07 2005-12
37 SHCS - Follow-up 37 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, obstetric event, medication ... 2006-01 2006-06
38 SHCS - Follow-up 38 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, obstetric event, medication ... 2006-07 2006-12
39 SHCS - Follow-up 39 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2007-01 2007-06
40 SHCS - Follow-up 40 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2007-07 2007-12
41 SHCS - Follow-up 41 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2008-01 2008-06
42 SHCS - Follow-up 42 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2008-07 2008-12
43 SHCS - Follow-up 43 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2009-01 2009-06
44 SHCS - Follow-up 44 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol ... 2009-07 2009-12
45 SHCS - Follow-up 45 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol ... 2010-01 2010-06
46 SHCS - Follow-up 46 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol ... 2010-07 2010-12
47 SHCS - Follow-up 47 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol ... 2011-01 2011-06
48 SHCS - Follow-up 48 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol ... 2011-07 2011-12
49 SHCS - Follow-up 49 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol ... 2012-01 2012-06
50 SHCS - Follow-up 50 Information concerning participant's source of income, ability to work, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol ... 2012-07 2012-12
51 SHCS - Follow-up 51 Information concerning participant's source of income, housework and physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2013-01 2013-06
52 SHCS - Follow-up 52 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2013-07 2013-12
53 SHCS - Follow-up 53 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2014-01 2014-06
54 SHCS - Follow-up 54 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2014-07 2014-12
55 SHCS - Follow-up 55 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2015-01 2015-06
56 SHCS - Follow-up 56 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, pregnancy, ... 2015-07 2015-12
57 SHCS - Follow-up 57 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2016-01 2016-06
58 SHCS - Follow-up 58 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2016-07 2016-12
59 SHCS - Follow-up 59 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2017-01 2017-06
60 SHCS - Follow-up 60 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2017-07 2017-12
61 SHCS - Follow-up 61 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2018-01 2018-06
62 SHCS - Follow-up 62 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2018-07 2018-12
63 SHCS - Follow-up 63 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2019-01 2019-06
64 SHCS - Follow-up 64 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2019-07 2019-12
65 SHCS - Follow-up 65 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2020-01 2020-06
66 SHCS - Follow-up 66 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2020-07 2020-12
67 SHCS - Follow-up 67 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2021-01 2021-06
68 SHCS - Follow-up 68 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2021-07 2021-12
69 SHCS - Follow-up 69 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2022-01 2022-06
70 SHCS - Follow-up 70 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2022-07 2022-12
71 SHCS - Follow-up 71 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2023-01 2023-06
72 SHCS - Follow-up 72 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2023-07 2023-12
73 SHCS - Follow-up 73 Information concerning participant's source of income, physical activity, smoking, hospitalizations, family situation, household structure, sexual behaviors, alcohol consumption, drugs use, ... 2024-01

Classifications

Socio-demographic and economic characteristics
Lifestyle and behaviours
Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history
Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations
Diseases
Symptoms and signs
Medication and supplements
Non-pharmacological interventions
Health and community care services utilization
Death
Physical measures and assessments
Laboratory measures
Cognition, personality and psychological measures and assessments
Life events, life plans, beliefs and values
Preschool, school and work life
Social environment and relationships
Physical environment
Administrative information
Social network
Social participation
Social support
Parenting and familial environment
Other social environment characteristics

Socio-demographic and economic characteristics

Age/birthdate
Sex/gender
Marital/partner status
Family and household structure
Education
Residence
Citizenship and immigrant status
Ethnicity, race and religion
Labour force and retirement
Income, possessions, and benefits

Lifestyle and behaviours

Tobacco
Alcohol
Drugs
Physical activity
Sexual behaviours and orientation
Leisure activities
Misbehaviour and criminality
Other and unspecified lifestyle information

Birth, pregnancy and reproductive health history

Puberty, menstruation, menopause and andropause
Pregnancy, delivery and birth

Perception of health, quality of life, development and functional limitations

Perception of health
Functional limitations

Diseases

Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
Neoplasms (C00-D48)
Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89)
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90)
Mental and behavioural disorders (F00-F99)
Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99)
Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)
Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K93)
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
Diseases of the genitourinary system (N00-N99)
Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T98)
Diseases without precise specification or falling into multiple categories

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behaviour (R40-R46)
General symptoms and signs (R50-R69)
Symptoms related to multiple categories

Medication and supplements

Medication and supplement intake
Posology and protocol of administration

Non-pharmacological interventions

Surgical interventions
Radiological interventions
Cognitive, psychological and sensory interventions
Educational and health promotion interventions
Laboratory diagnosis interventions
Other and unspecified non-pharmacological interventions

Health and community care services utilization

Visits to health professionals
Hospitalizations

Death

Vital status
Cause of death
Other end of life or death-related information

Physical measures and assessments

Anthropometry
Circulation and respiration
Muscles, skeleton and mobility
Digestion

Laboratory measures

Hematology
Biochemistry
Microbiology
Virology
Immunology
Histology
Genomics
Other laboratory measures

Preschool, school and work life

Work life

Social environment and relationships

Social participation
Other social environment characteristics

Administrative information

Identifiers
Date and time-related information
Questionnaire and interview-related information
Physical and cognitive measure and biosample-related information
Data and sample collection center-related information
Other administrative information

Other social environment characteristics

HIV Stigma Scale