Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study (TAHS)
TAHS investigates respiratory health in a birth cohort of adults from Tasmania, Australia. Initially, over 8,000 children born in 1961 were recruited in 1968 through school-based recruitment across Tasmania. Over time, the study expanded to include their siblings and parents, increasing the participant pool to better understand genetic and environmental influences on respiratory health. Participants have been followed up at various intervals since the study’s inception, with the latest follow-up planned through 2027, ensuring long-term data collection and analysis.
Study design
Cohort - intergenerational
Number of participants at first data collection
8,583 (participants)
16,221 (parents)
21,035 (siblings)
Age at first data collection
7 years (participants)
Varied (parents)
Varied (siblings)
Participant year of birth
1961 (participants)
Varied (parents)
Varied (siblings)
Participant sex
All
Representative sample at baseline?
No
Sample features
Country
Year of first data collection
1968
Primary Institutions
Menzies School of Health Research
Monash University
University of Melbourne
University of New South Wales (UNSW)
University of Queensland (UQ)
Links
Profile paper DOI
Funders
Asthma Foundation of Queensland
Asthma Foundation of Tasmania
Asthma Foundation of Victoria
Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
Ongoing?
Yes
Data types collected
- Activity log (e.g. food, sleep, exercise)
- Interview – face-to-face
- Physical or biological assessment (e.g. blood, saliva, gait, grip strength, anthropometry)
- Secondary data
- Wearable devices
- None
- None
- Education data
- Healthcare data
- Medical birth registry
- Mortality data
Engagement
Keywords
