Note: this is a past research project that is now complete.
Aim
The principal aim of this study is to measure community, family, school and peer based risk and protective factors for health and wellbeing of young adolescents throughout Victoria.
Project description
This is a cross-sectional study of about 10,000 students at 194 secondary schools across Victoria. The target population comprises students in Years 7, 9 and 11 in government, independent and Catholic schools in Victoria. The sample design is a stratified
two-stage cluster sample with approximately 5 schools per metropolitan local government area (LGA) and approximately 12 schools per country DHS region.
The survey uses a modified version of the 'Communities that Care Youth Survey' developed at the University of Washington, USA. The pilot phase of the project was conducted in school term 4 of 1998. Phase 2 of the project is currently underway and is expected to be
completed by the end of December 1999.
The results of the study will provide the Department of Human Services with a framework for the more effective delivery of services with an emphasis on early and preventive interventions. Specifically, risk and protective factors, encompassing individual,
peer, family , school and community factors, will be used to generate community risk profiles that will form the basis of recommendations to the Department of Human Services. Major outcomes include drug and alcohol use, depression, and self-harm. By collecting epidemiological data on risk and protective factors at
the community and state level, elevated risk or depressed protective factors in a given area may be identified and prioritised. Interventions that have been found to be effective in reducing prioritised risk factors or enhancing protective factors may then be selected and implemented at a community level.
See also: Victorian Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey
HOWRU
Publications
- Bond, L., Thomas, L., Toumbourou, J., Patton, G.C. Adolescent Health and Well-being Survey Phase 1 Report. Report prepared for the Division of Youth and Family Services, Department of Human Services, 1998.
- Bond, L., Thomas, L., Toumbourou, J., Patton, G., Catalano, R. Improving the Lives of Young Victorians in Our Community: a survey of risk and protective factors. Melbourne: Centre for Adolescent Health, 2000.
- Gregg, E., Toumbourou, J., Bond, L., Thomas, L., Patton, G. Improving the Lives of Young Victorians in Our Community: A Menu of Services. Melbourne: Centre for Adolescent Health, 2000.
- Publications available to view are: