4914.0.55.001 - Newsletter: Age Matters, Apr 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/04/2003   
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2001 NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY

The 2001 National Health Survey (NHS) was conducted from February to November 2001. This is the third survey of its type conducted by the ABS, with previous surveys conducted in 1989-90 and 1995. The 2001 NHS also represents the first in a new series of health surveys to be conducted every three years. The NHS was designed to obtain national benchmark information on a wide range of health issues, and to enable trends in aspects of health to be monitored over time. The survey collected indicators across three broad areas of health:

(1) the health status of the Australian population,
(2) use of health services, and
(3) health related behaviours and characteristics.

A range of demographic and other characteristics were also obtained. However information varies in detail depending on the topic. Where appropriate, the survey content and methodologies used were consistent with those of past surveys, particularly the previous survey conducted in 1995, to facilitate comparisons over time.

Summary results from the NHS are published in 2001 National Health Survey; Summary of Results, Australia (ABS Catalogue no 4364.0); a series of smaller publications focussing on particular topics are also proposed. Results from the Indigenous component of the survey were published separately on 15 November 2002. Additional unpublished tables are available via AusStats and ABS@, and special tables designed to meet individual requirements can be made available on request. Access to microdata is also now available to users: please see the following article, First CURFs released on the Remote Access Data Laboratory.

A range of additional material, intended to assist people in their use and interpretation of the survey data, is also available via this Website. This includes copies of the survey questionnaires and other survey documentation and a list of data items which are available for output from the survey. A User's Guide to the survey will also be available in early 2003.

For further information about the survey, please send email to health@abs.gov.au or call on 1 800 060 050.