Welcome

The Joondalup Family Health Study (JFHS) will essentially be a contemporary, metropolitan version of the highly successful Busselton Health Study, which has provided 30 years of population-based health data and has led to improved health outcomes in a number of chronic diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular disease. The planned study will also have a strong focus on families and the health of both children and adults.

Participation in the JFHS will be entirely voluntary. Volunteers will be asked to undergo a comprehensive health check approximately every 3 years. The appointment will include questions about lifestyle and diet, in addition to height, weight and other tests such as heart, lung, vision and hearing tests.

We are continuing to engage the community through an extensive and ongoing consultation program. So far, the Joondalup community has shown a very high level of support [0.5MB, PDF] for the study. The study team is now collaborating with key stakeholders to seek the necessary funding and plan the structure of the study in detail.

Phase 1

JFHS Phase-1 will collect limited data on 2,000 subjects in ~500 nuclear families living in the City of Joondalup. It is intended to provide data on under-researched but important conditions in the Australian community. While it will be a stand-alone study that will produce validated research methods, data and analysis, it is also intended to test pro for JFHS Phase-2.

Areas that will be researched include body composition and exercise physiology, spinal pain, eye and vision disorders, ears and hearing disorders, cardiovascular disease, nutrition, stroke, diabetes, cognitive psychology, general practice, child health and development, and social determinants of health

Latest News

WAIMR's Bio 2007 Coup

March 27th, 2007 - Media Statement

Professor Lyle Palmer, the head of the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research's Laboratory for Genetic Epidemiology, will become the first West Australian to Chair a panel at the world's premier annual biotechnology event when he heads to Bio 2007. Read more...

A Change of Pace for Medical Researchers

August 28th, 2006 - Media Statement

A team of WA medical researchers based in the western suburbs, hung up their lab coats and tied up their running shoes for a change of pace last Sunday as they took part in the annual City to Surf. Read more...

Gene Geniuses – 2006 GenEthics Competition

August 17th, 2006 - Event at Scitech

WA high school students had their say in the debate on ethics and genetics at the 2006 genEthics competition, which wrapped up recently, with the finals held at Scitech as part of National Science Week. Read more...

WA Governor Joins Joondalup Family Health Study

July 24th, 2006 - Media Statement

His Excellency Dr Ken Michael AC Governor of Western Australia has been announced as the overall patron of the Joondalup Family Health Study. Read more...

Burns Expert a Patron of Joondalup Family Health Study

May 25th, 2006 - Media Statement

WA burns expert and 2005 Australian of the Year Dr Fiona Wood is lending her support to the Joondalup Family Health Study, stepping in as medical patron for the initiative. Read more...

New U.S. Partnership Paves the Way for Better Heart Health

April 24th, 2006 - Media Statement

WA and US researchers are planning to team up to link two of the longest-running health studies in the world - in a move tipped to create new breakthroughs in tackling heart disease. Read more...

Joondalup Study Prompts New School Science Program

March 24th, 2006 - Media Statement

WA researchers involved in planning the Joondalup Family Health Study have today launched a program aimed at helping revolutionise the teaching of genetics and biotechnology in WA schools. Read more...

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