Australian Vietnam Veteran Health Study
The study investigated the post-war health of former soldiers 20 years or more after their service, examining the relationship between combat exposure and physical and mental health, and later encompassed the well-being of their partners and children. Participants were over 600 Australian veterans who had been posted to Vietnam during the period of Australian involvement from 1962 to 1972. Wave 1 was conducted from 1990 to 1993, approximately 22 years after the veterans had returned to Australia. Wave 2 took place from 2005 to 2006, and at this time, family members of the participants were recruited. Over 230 female partners of the veterans were interviewed from 2006 to 2007, and over 300 adult children of participants were interviewed from 2012 to 2014.
Study design
Cohort, Cohort - occupational, Cohort - intergenerational
Number of participants at first data collection
641 (veteran participants)
237 (female partners of veteran participants)
315 (children of veteran participants)
Age at first data collection
Varied (veteran participants)
Varied (female partners of veteran participants)
20 - 60 years (children of veteran participants)
Participant year of birth
Varied (veteran participants)
Varied (female partners of veteran participants)
Varied (children of veteran participants)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
No
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
1990 (veteran participants)
2006 (female partners of veteran participants)
2012 (children of veteran participants)
Primary Institutions
University of Sydney (USYD)
Links
doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.02.003
doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-09-00071
Profile paper DOI
Funders
Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)
Australian Rotary Health (ARH)
Australian Veterans' Children Assistance Trust (AVCAT, formerly known as the Australian Vietnam War Veterans' Trust)
Australian War Memorial
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Ongoing?
No
Data types collected
- Interview – face-to-face
- Secondary data
- Self-report questionnaire – paper or computer assisted
- None
- None
- Employer data
- Healthcare data
- Mortality data
Engagement
Keywords
