Overview
Project status: In progress
The aims of the Healthy Aging of Women Study (previously known as the Australian and Japanese Midlife Women's Health Study, see below) include the development of knowledge of the way that lifestyles affect the diseases of aging in women, the development of population health strategies to promote health and prevent disease among women, and an appreciation of the diversity of productive aging across Australian and Japanese midlife and older women.
- Grantor
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- Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science
- Postdoctoral Fellowship
- New Professor Grant QUT
- Research leader
- External collaborators
Professor Toyoko Yoshisawa, Professor of Nursing, Tohuku University, Japan
- Organisational unit
- Lead unit Faculty of Health Other units
- Research area
- Chronic Disease, Supportive and Palliative Care
Professor Debra AndersonDetails
The Australian sample was identified in 2000 from 10,923 women on the electoral roll who met the criteria of being aged 45-60 years and living in six selected rural and metropolitan postcodes within Queensland, Australia. From that target population, 1500 women were randomly selected for Stage 1 of the study in 2001. Of these, 869 women (59% response) participated.
The second survey, five years later in 2006, was mailed to 866 participants, since two had indicated that they no longer wished to participate, and notification was received that another was deceased. Completed surveys were received from 564 women aged 51-66 years. A third time wave is due to be conducted in 2011.
The Australian Japanese Midlife Women's Health Study
Women in Japan may be the healthiest in the world and they outlive Western women by five or more years. Japanese women also manage to delay or avoid osteoporosis, breast cancer, and heart disease, which are the three most common diseases for postmenopausal Australian women. This research project asked: why is there less disease in Japanese women than in Western women? The aim was to identify the relative contributions of behavioural determinants of ageing on health related quality of life in Australian and Japanese women.
What we found: Compared with Australian women, Japanese women were more active, ate more dietry phytoestrogens, had a lower body mass index and lower rates of cigarette smoking and alchohol use. All of these are modifyable lifestyle factors that Australian women sould incorporate into their own lifestyles.
