About the Intergenerational Health and Mental Health Study
Purpose
The Intergenerational Health and Mental Health Study (IHMHS) was the largest health study undertaken by the ABS in Australian history.
National health surveys are globally recognised for their significant role in monitoring population health status and health risk factors, including trends over time. The information collected in the IHMHS provides detailed insights into:
- the impact of mental and behavioural conditions and other long-term health conditions on people in Australia
- the use of health services and barriers to access
- risk factors underlying chronic conditions
- food consumption and physical activity
- undiagnosed health conditions and nutritional deficiencies
- biomedical factors that contribute to poor health outcomes
- lived experiences of suicide and related services.
Over 55,000 Australians took part in the IHMHS between 2020 and 2024. The information collected supports the creation, delivery and evaluation of health policies and research that will help Australians live longer, healthier lives.
Structure
The IHMHS covered all people in Australia, including people living in very remote areas and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It was comprised of seven surveys:
- National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHW) 2020–22
- National Health Survey (NHS) 2022
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) 2022–23
- National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NNPAS) 2023
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (NATSINPAS) 2023
- National Health Measures Survey (NHMS) 2022–24
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Measures Survey (NATSIHMS) 2022–24.
Surveys in the IHMHS
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Description
The IHMHS includes seven national surveys grouped into four studies.
- The National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing includes content on mental disorders, services used for mental health, suicidality and self-harm behaviours.
- The National Health Study includes the National Health Survey and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey. They include content on long-term health conditions, health-related actions, and risk factors.
- The National Nutrition and Physical Activity Study includes the National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. They include content on food, nutrient and dietary supplement intake, and physical and sedentary activity.
- The National Health Measures Study includes the National Health Measures Survey and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Measures Survey. They include content on biomarkers for selected chronic diseases and nutrients. It is drawn from voluntary participants from other IHMHS health or nutrition and physical activity studies.
The NHMS 2022–24 was comprised of volunteering participants from either the NHS 2022 or the NNPAS 2023. The NATSIHMS 2022–24 was comprised of volunteering participants from either the NATSIHS 2022–23 or the NATSINPAS 2023.
There is no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples component for the NSMHW 2020–22.
History of collection
The ABS previously conducted a similar set of surveys as part of the Australian Health Survey 2011–13. This collection was similar in size and scope, but did not include a survey designed specifically to collect information on mental disorders and their impacts. For more information, see Australian Health Survey: Users' Guide 2011–13 (cat. no. 4363.0.55.001).
The ABS has also conducted some components of the IHMHS individually on previous occasions. The NHS was conducted on a 3-year cycle between 2001 and 2022. Prior to this, it was conducted in 1989–90 and 1995. The NATSIHS has been previously conducted in 2018–19, 2012–13, and 2004–05. The NHS 2001 also included an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sample.
Other IHMHS surveys are not collected regularly. Nutrition and physical activity surveys (NNPAS and NATSINPAS), and health measures surveys (NHMS and NATSIHMS) were last conducted in 2011–12. The NSMHW was last conducted in 2007.