Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a lifelong condition which currently affects about 71,300 Canadians and 36.9 Million people worldwide as of 2023. Since the implementation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in 1996, the survival of HIV-positive people has greatly improved and the infection has been transformed from a death sentence to a chronic disease. Care of these patients has largely been led by family physicians. But aging with this chronic infection has led to changes in the types and frequency of complications that can be expected as well as changes in the rates of morbidity and mortality. Chronic disease processes like hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, and depression are better treated by family physicians and general practitioners than their specialist counterparts. As a result, there is a continuous need for healthcare and health maintenance. The aim of this study is to create, test and implement a case definition for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in order to review the electronic medical records of various databases in order to examine the record of patients living with HIV-AIDS. Subsequently, with validation of this definition, we will be better able to examine elements such as the burden of comorbid diseases, complications, morbidity and mortality in this unique population as well as better understand the complex needs of this population. Moreover, we will also get an overview of the implementation and quality of care delivered by primary care providers 25 years from the implementation of effective treatment and inform us on the future of HIV care in Canada.