Cohort profile: Women’s Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP) - a longitudinal prospective study of Australian women since 1990

Abstract

Background: The cohort was commenced to examine women's health from midlife (45-55 years) before the menopausal transition and into ageing. Methods: Randomised selection and assessment of 2,001 women living in the Melbourne metropolitan area was conducted by the Roy Morgan Centre in 1990/91. Of the 779 women who met the entry criteria for the longitudinal follow-up (aged 45-55 years, menstruating, having a uterus and at least one ovary and not taking hormone therapy) 438 agreed to be seen annually across the menopausal transition from 1992 to 1999. Longitudinal prospective follow-up since 2000 has continued intermittently (2002/03, 2004/05, 2012/13, 2014/15). Data collection has included fasting biomarkers in each year since 1992, clinical assessment, lifestyle and quality of life data, physical measures and validated questionnaire data. Participants have consented to data linkage and, to date, mammogram and BioGrid data have been accessed. Biobank storage including serum, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) storage and PAXgene tubes are maintained. Discussion: The WHAP has contributed to over 200 published research findings, several books, and book chapters in a variety of areas, including: health and wellbeing; mental and cognitive health; bone health; lifestyle, vascular risk and prevention; women's health and hormonal transition; and cross-cultural research. With all participants now aged over 70 years, the cohort is ideally placed to answer key questions of healthy ageing in women. With more than 25 years of longitudinal prospective follow-up this Australian dataset is unique in its duration, breadth and detail of measures including clinical review and specialized disease-specific testing and biomarkers. Ongoing follow-up into older ages for this long-running cohort will enable the association between mid to late-life factors and healthy ageing to be determined. This is particularly valuable for the examination of chronic diseases which have a 20-30 year prodrome and to provide knowledge on multiple morbidities. The dataset has a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of temporal relationships and the interactions between risk factors and comorbidities.

Dietary patterns and β‐amyloid deposition in aging Australian women

“…The clinical assessments included a battery of validated measures of physical health, sociodemographics, lifestyle, cognitive function, psychological health, and biomarkers. A complete methodology has been published elsewhere [11] .…”

“…Area-weighted means were calculated for each participant by averaging the frontal, superior parietal, lateral temporal, lateral occipital, and anterior and posterior cingulate regions. This protocol has been described elsewhere [11] .…”

Mid-life predictors of late-life depressive symptoms; determining risk factors spanning two decades in the Women’s Heathy Ageing Project

“…As the study continued, additional variables were introduced to explore research questions relevant to the ageing cohort. The women were Australian born Melbourne residents, aged between 45 and 55 years when they were originally contacted by random digit dialling [14]. Sample size at baseline (1992) was 438, with retention remaining high at year 8 of follow-up (88%).…”

“…A more detailed summary of the cohort and procedures, including the 2002 and 2012 assessment points, has been described in Szoeke et al, 2016 [14]. At the 20year follow-up, 53% of the cohort assessed in 1992 returned for assessment [14,15]. At each point of contact the study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Melbourne.…”

Vitamin D status is associated with executive function a decade later: Data from the Women’s Healthy Ageing Project

“…Participants were recruited from the Women's Healthy Ageing Project, which is an ongoing longitudinal cohort of 438 Australian women, aged 45-55 years at baseline. Details of the cohort and protocol have been previously described [15]. The present study has received approval from the University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC: 931149X, 010528, 010411, 1034765 and 1647448) and was carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.…”