ABS launches most comprehensive health survey ever conducted (Media Release)

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MEDIA RELEASE
3 March, 2011
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
31/2011

ABS launches most comprehensive health survey ever conducted

In the next few days, the ABS will commence the first Australian Health Survey (AHS), the biggest health survey ever conducted in Australia.

The AHS builds on previous health surveys allowing comparisons of health information over time such as obesity, smoking, health conditions and how we manage our health.

The AHS will collect new information about what we eat and drink, how active we are and biomedical measures. These new biomedical measures will reveal new insights into heart and kidney disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions by examining health risk factors such as cholesterol, glucose and sodium levels. The survey will be able to compare these biomedical risk factors with aspects of our lifestyle for those that are healthy and those who are not.

While the biomedical component of the survey is voluntary, the ABS encourages participation as this information will help Australians to be more knowledgeable and healthy as a nation, through better understanding of how our lifestyles and diets impact on our health.

The survey has been planned in consultation with a wide range of health stakeholders. The new components of the survey have been made possible through additional funding from The Department of Health and Ageing and the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

The first wave of the survey will be conducted over 2011-12 with results available in late 2012 and will be used by a wide range of health researchers, public health advocates, government, clinicians and community health organisations. The information will be used to identify health issues, design and evaluate new health programs and understand what affects our health.

Further information and detailed questions and answers are available on the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au/australianhealthsurvey

For interviews, please contact ABS Corporate Communication on 1300 175 070

Media notes:
  • Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source