▁established ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁impact ▁and ▁pro gression ▁of ▁H IV ▁disease ▁in ▁women . ▁ ▁The ▁W I HS ▁en roll s ▁both ▁H IV - pos itive ▁and ▁H IV - negative ▁women . ▁ ▁The ▁core ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁study ▁includes ▁a ▁detailed ▁and ▁struct ured ▁interview , ▁physical ▁and ▁gy ne colog ic ▁exam ination , ▁and ▁labor atory ▁testing . ▁The ▁W I HS ▁participants ▁are ▁also ▁asked ▁to ▁en roll ▁in ▁various ▁sub - stud ies , ▁such ▁as ▁card i ov asc ular , ▁met abol ic , ▁mus cul os ke let al , ▁and ▁ne uro c ogn ition . ▁New ▁propos als ▁for ▁W I HS ▁sub - stud ies ▁are ▁submitted ▁for ▁appro val ▁by ▁various ▁scientific ▁investig ators ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Fund ing ▁ ▁The ▁W I HS ▁is ▁fund ed ▁primarily ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Institute ▁of ▁All er gy ▁and ▁In fect ious ▁D ise ases ▁( N IA ID ), ▁with ▁additional ▁co - fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁E un ice ▁Kennedy ▁Sh river ▁National ▁Institute ▁of ▁Child ▁Health ▁and ▁Human ▁Development ▁( N IC HD ), ▁the ▁National ▁Can cer ▁Institute ▁( N CI ), ▁the ▁National ▁Institute ▁on ▁D rug ▁Ab use ▁( N ID A ), ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Institute ▁on ▁M ental ▁Health ▁( N IM H ). ▁Target ed ▁supp lement al ▁fund ing ▁for ▁specific ▁projects ▁is ▁also ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Institute