Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society
Australian Longitudinal Study of Health and Relationships
This study is a collaborative project between The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) at LaTrobe University, the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney and the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University. Funding is provided by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NH&MRC). The initial funding is for five years (four waves of data collection).
This is a national study of men's and women's health and relationships: as a longitudinal study it is the first of its kind in Australia.
The main aim of the study is to follow a nationally representative group of Australians over their lifetime documenting both the natural history and patterns of health and relationships. Among other areas, the study will explore issues of reproductive and sexual health behaviours and attitudes, relationship formation and changes, health status and behaviour, and family demographics.
In 2003 ARCSHS released the findings of the most comprehensive national prevalence study of sexual health behaviours and attitudes in an Australian population. Whilst the prevalence study provided a 'snap shot' of the Australian population the longitudinal study will provide a dynamic insight into the changes in sexual health and relationships over time. The results of this study will not only provide the foundations for future research but also inform government policies.
The first wave of the study is expected to canvas 9,000 randomly selected people aged between 16 and 64. The interviews are conducted over the telephone by highly trained survey interviewers from the Hunter Valley Research Foundation. All answers are entered directly into the computer and stored anonymously. Data is kept on secure, password protected databases. All aspects of the study, including results, are strictly confidential and only the researchers will have access to the information.