Do you want to participate in our study on HIV and COVID-19? We are looking for people with HIV willing to fill in eight short questionnaires within a three-month period. We want to learn more on COVID-19 in people with HIV, and if HIV medication has an effect on COVID-19 infections.
(Prefer this in Dutch? Click here. Een voorkeur voor Nederlands? Klik dan hier).
The Hiv Vereniging (Dutch Association of People with HIV), the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam and the Radboud MC in Nijmegen are working together on a research project to find out if people with HIV have different chances to get infected with the new coronavirus and if people with HIV get more or less severe symptoms when they get the new coronavirus.
The research done so far indicates that there are no big differences between people with or without HIV and their chances of getting the new coronavirus and how ill people become when they get it. However, we need more information to be more certain of this. The research project will also investigate if HIV medication alters the chance of infection or the course of the disease. In summary, we are looking for people willing to fill out a questionnaire!
What does participating mean?
When you participate in this research project, you are asked to fill out a total of eight questionnaires. The first questionnaire takes about 10-15 minutes to fill out, the other questionnaires at most 5 minutes. You will be asked to fill out a new questionnaire after a certain period, and the project ends for you after three months (see the image below). We are looking at three months because we want to know if people get COVID-19 during our project. There is no financial compensation for Filling in the questionnaires.
Why is this study important?
The number of new infections with COVID-19 is currently decreasing in the Netherlands.
However, most people expect a rise in COVID-19 infection later this year, so this research project will provide us new information on the effects of COVID-19 on people with HIV.
Who can participate?
Every person with HIV can participate in this project, regardless of where you live or where you obtain your medical check-ups. Participants are completely anonymous and the questionnaires are easy to complete. The questionnaires are available in English and in Dutch. You can participate if you’ve already had COVID-19 or if you feel you have no risk that you will get it. You can also participate of you don’t know you’ve (had) COVID-19. If you participate, you can decide to stop participation at any moment for any reason. You can sign up until the 1st of December, but the sooner, the better.
How can you sign up for the study?
You can participate by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. In the email you only need to say that you are interested in participating in the research project. You’ll receive a link where you can fill out the questionnaire. When a new link becomes available (every two weeks), you’ll receive an email. For privacy reasons, the word ‘HIV’ will never be mentioned in the emails.
More information
Through pdf this link (294 KB) , you can find a letter from the investigators with information about the research project. Here you can find more information about HIV and the novel coronavirus. The results of this study will be published in a scientific journal and via the Hiv Vereniging. Other questions about HIV? Contact the Service Point (Servicepunt) of the Hiv Vereniging via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 020 – 689 25 77 (Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 14:00 to 22:00).
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