Ageing Research Projects

Over the next decades, Australia's population profile will undergo considerable change with a significant increase in the proportion of older Australians. This 'ageing of the population' will affect all aspects of our personal and community lives.

The National Strategy for an Ageing Australia has been developed to provide a coordinated national response to issues surrounding population ageing. The report identified four key areas:

• independence and self-provision (includes employment for mature aged workers);
• attitude, lifestyle and community support;
• healthy ageing, and 
• world class care.

One of the principles guiding the National Strategy is that a strong evidence base should inform the policy response to population ageing. Also, one of the actions required to meet the goal of healthy ageing is 'providing information that enables people to make informal decisions and encouraging individuals to take informed actions to maintain or improve their health'. 

In this context, the Office for an Ageing Australia of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing has funded the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to carry out a number of projects designed to assist the provision of a strong evidence base to support the development of healthy ageing policy. 

Ageing Research Online

One of the initiatives of the Building Ageing Research Capacity (BARC) Project has been the development of the Ageing Research Online website, an interactive and collaborative, web-based directory of ageing-related research projects, courses of study and research grants. In addition there is a noticeboard for promoting ageing related activities, an email newsletter, and capacity for online forums.  

Information is added by the users of the site. Users are encouraged to register as entry administrators and add information on their completed, ongoing and planned research projects, courses of study, research grants, and forthcoming conferences.  

Longitudinal Studies on Ageing

Longitudinal (or cohort) studies are a type of research which follows a group of people (a cohort) who are initially free of the outcome of interests over a period of time. This type of research examines whether those with a particular exposure develop the outcome of interest at a different rate to those without that exposure. Longitudinal/cohort studies allow investigation of causation of the outcome of interest, and provide the most direct measurement of risk of the outcome. 

Statistical data on healthy ageing

The Office for an Ageing Australia, Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has funded the Australian Institute of Health and Ageing to conduct analyses in the area of healthy ageing that will inform policy makers, program deliverers, researchers and community organisations. The initial areas of analysis are:

• Obesity trends in older Australians
• Vision problems in older Australians
• Workforce participation and obesity and 
• Workforce participation and behavioural risk factors 

Last reviewed on 2 February 2005