Over 4000 participants from the north west area of Adelaide agreed to help us by taking part in the North West Adelaide Health Study, primarily during 2000 and 2002-03. The cohort was randomly selected from the South Australian population and therefore we are unable to substitute people for you or add new adults to the original cohort.
In 2004, we once again invited you to take part in this very important study during Stage 2, which involved a second health assessment at either The Queen Elizabeth Hospital or the Lyell McEwin Hospital. Some participants were invited to take part in health-related sub-studies relating to asthma, heart disease and osteoporosis.
In 2002 and 2007, the cohort was invited to participate in a telephone follow-up study, which may have also included answering one or more questionnaires about people’s neighbourhoods, attitudes to fast food and/or about the Baby Boomer generation, which helped NOBLE (Nutrition, Obesity, Lifestyle and Environment) Study researchers with their investigations regarding obesity – for more information about these researchers, click here.
Stage 3 was conducted between June 2008 and August 2010. During this most recent phase of the study, as with other major stages of the study, we invited all participants (via an approach letter) to return to one of the clinics for another free health assessment. A trained health interviewer then telephoned cohort participants with some health related questions. During the interview, if possible, an appointment will be made for a clinic visit. Once an appointment was made, an information pack was sent out. It contained the following material:
This confirmed the appointment time and date, and gave contact details for study staff (including mobile numbers and email addresses) which are available here.
Participants were asked to fast for 8 hours before theclinic appointment so that theblood and urine tests are as accurate as possible. This means not eating breakfast or drinking anything other than water (ie not orange juice, soft drink, tea or coffee) on the morning of the visit to the clinic. We do encourage participants to drink water prior to the appointment, as this helps with taking the blood sample.
This questionnaire is similar to the ones that may have filled out previously, which seeks information on a range of general and health-related topics. For Stage 3, there is also a food frequency questionnaire that we invite participants to complete, which will help us look at the nutrition levels of people.
Information about participants' general practitioner (GP) is required if they would like a copy of their results from the health assessment to be sent to their local general practitioner, as well as the copy that they will receive. We recommend that each participant speak to their doctor about their results.
We value the ongoing involvement of all our participants and would like to be informed of any change of address, telephone number or circumstances. We ask that participants provide secondary contact details in case we lose contact with them in the coming years.
Participants were asked to provide a urine sample of the first (morning) urination of the day in the yellow container provided in the information pack, and to please bring it along in a plastic bag to their appointment.
There are signs located around the hospitals to give particpants directions to the North West Adelaide Health Study clinics. If a participant has difficulty locating the clinic, they should ask one of the staff at the hospital for directions to the clinic. Click here on the appropriate name to find a street map and clinic location map for both The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
Wherever possible, to help with the tests, we ask that participants withhold taking any medication at least on the morning or their appointment, or if possible 24 hours before visiting the clinic. Participants are welcome to bring their medication with them to take with the refreshments provided, after the blood sample has been taken.
If participants would like to ask us a question or any information about the study, they should contact us either by using the email contact form or via one of the telephone numbers available here.
Website last updated: September 2010
