News

Change of guard in the ALSWH Data Team

19/08/2024

Introducing the new(ish) faces behind the generic email addresses.

Review linked data approvals in the ALSWH data portal

31/07/2024

Linked data users can now monitor their linked data approvals at an individual level using the ALSWH Portal.

1 in 14 Australian women diagnosed with uterine fibroids

30/07/2024

The first Australian estimate of uterine fibroids shows that 7.3% of women were diagnosed with the condition by age 45-49.

To boost quality of life while aging, stay active or get active by 55

03/05/2024

A new study has shown a link between regular exercise during mid-age and physical health later on, even when the exercise routine was not started until the mid-50s.

Women with PCOS can stress less about fertility

13/12/2023

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) respond well to fertility treatments and have the same birth rate as women without the condition.

Women wait for endometriosis diagnosis with multiple symptoms

24/11/2023

Symptoms associated with endometriosis include severe period pain, depression, back pain, bowel and urinary conditions, severe tiredness, difficulty sleeping, allergies, heart palpitations and headache.

Genetic links between endometriosis and IBS

28/10/2023

Endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) share genetic risk factors, explaining why patients with one condition may also have the other.

Preventative health checks reaching women who need it most

25/09/2023

Preventative health checks for women in mid-life are being provided to those who are most in need, contrasting with trends where those who are more disadvantaged tend to receive less primary health care.

1 in 7 Australian women aged 44–49 have endometriosis

20/09/2023

ALSWH data, featured in the latest report from the Australian Insitute of Health and Welfare reveals that around 14% of women aged 44–49 are estimated to have endometriosis.

Young women can ‘bank’ exercise for better heart health

15/09/2023

Research from the M-PreM substudy shows women can retain the benefits of exercise during their 20s, going on to have better heart health later in life.

Data share: Mothers and their Children's Health study

29/06/2023

Intergenerational data from the Mothers’ and their Children’s Health (MatCH) substudy is now available free of charge to approved researchers.

Prolonged Intimate Partner Violence puts children at risk

25/05/2023

Repeated exposure to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) puts children at higher risk of behavioural problems

Women with satisfying relationships tend to have fewer chronic illnesses

22/02/2023

Women who have quality relationships in their 40s and 50s are less likely to develop multiple chronic conditions in older age.

Women’s health experts appointed to tackle ‘medical misogyny’

31/01/2023

ALSWH Directors appointed as members of the new National Women’s Health Advisory Council which will bring together diverse expertise to examine the unique challenges that women and girls experience in the health system.

National plan to end violence against women and girls

21/10/2022

ALSWH's research expertise and over 25 years of data on the prevalence and impact of violence against women have informed the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. ALSWH was the first study to show the significant long-term physical and mental health impacts of domestic violence using longitudinal data, and we have advocated…

Women who experienced childhood sexual violence twice as likely to have experienced violence as an adult

31/08/2022

New research reveals that the prevalence of sexual violence against women in Australia is much higher than previously considered. Findings from a new ANROWS project led by researchers from the University of Newcastle, A life course approach to determining the prevalence and impact of sexual violence in Australia: Findings from the Australian Longitudinal Study on…

The psychological toll of fertility issues lasts for years, even if women conceive

22/07/2022

Fertility problems affect 1 in 6 Australian couples. Half of women with fertility issues experienced psychological distress.

Recurrent pregnancy loss linked to increased stroke risk later in life

23/06/2022

Women with a history of miscarriage and stillbirth have a higher risk of stroke in later life, according to University of Queensland research.

Migrant voices needed for Australia’s largest study on women’s health

03/05/2022

Women who volunteered their information could help make a difference to the healthcare guidelines, policies and services that supported their communities.

Endometriosis can end women’s careers and stall their education. That’s everyone’s business

29/03/2022

There’s a high chance that women surgically diagnosed with endometriosis will leave the workforce.

Screen time realities: harder for families with multiple children

14/02/2022

Australian parents with multiple children often struggle to ensure their kids meet screen time guidelines, research has revealed

Calls for screening for heart attack risk, diabetes as scientists probe period link

08/12/2021

Experts are calling for women aged over 40 who have ­irregular menstrual cycles to be screened for heart health after a study found inconsistent periods were linked to a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease and ­diabetes.

The importance of social support during pregnancy

04/11/2021

Around one in four pregnant women in Australia suffer symptoms of depression, one in five report symptoms of anxiety, and those with low social support are at higher risk, new research shows.

Greenspace and air pollution datasets available for data sharing

12/10/2021

ALSWH is pleased to announce the availability of new environmental datasets that will allow researchers to assess the associations between environmental exposures and health outcomes in ALSWH cohorts.

Study finds moderate carbohydrate intake a cardiovascular benefit for women

11/10/2021

In middle-aged Australian women, increasing the percentage of carbohydrate intake was significantly associated with reduced odds of CVD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity.

Preconception cannabis use linked to an increased risk of postpartum depression

07/10/2021

Research from ALSWH provides some initial evidence that preconception cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression.

Undiagnosed endometriosis compromises fertility treatment

06/10/2021

UQ School of Public Health researcher, Dr Katrina Moss, said women whose endometriosis went undiagnosed until after they began fertility treatment ended up doing more cycles, used treatments that aren’t recommended, and were less likely to have a baby.

International Women's Day 2021

08/03/2021

To recognise International Women's Day 2021 we present a series of videos reflecting on the ways women's lived experiences impact their health and wellbeing - from the roles we play, to education, domestic violence, the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the timing of our first periods.

Call for aged care focus on domestic violence

01/03/2021

Australian researchers have called for additional services for survivors of intimate partner violence – warning those who have these experiences are more vulnerable to elder abuse.

PHRN Linkage Luminaries Webinar

18/02/2021

Wed 10th March, 12 noon EST. This presentation will describe data linkage and data sharing in ALSWH, and highlight some recent findings.

It's been a bit of a rollercoaster: Australian women share their coping strategies

23/10/2020

Women talked about difficulties relating to health issues, including pregnancy and birth experiences, relationship problems, financial problems, and work or study problems. They used four types of coping strategies, including using their money or other resources to get help, getting help and support from others, using lifestyle strategies like exercise or hobbies, and using cognitive…

$8.5 million to continue long-term women's health study

18/10/2020

Joint media release by Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, with the Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne, announcing the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health would continue for another three years.

Researching women’s doctor visits could boost health budgets

08/09/2020

Knowing more about why some people visited their doctors more often than others with similar health conditions could save us all money.

Recognising the hazardous effects of ‘pre-loading’ with alcohol

14/08/2020

Currently, the national guidelines cover the risks associated with binge drinking but don’t specify pre-loading as an additional risk behaviour.

Vegies are best for baby's first solids

03/07/2020

Children aged 2-12 years who were given fruit or vegetables instead of cereal as their first semi-solid food in infancy ate fruit and vegetables more frequently in childhood, and ate a wider variety of vegetables.

Hot flushes and night sweats linked to 70% increase in cardiovascular disease

02/07/2020

Women who have hot flushes and night sweats after menopause are 70 per cent more likely to have heart attacks, angina and strokes. Women who experience hot flushes and night sweats, also known as vasomotor symptoms or VMS, are more likely to experience non-fatal cardiovascular events.

Maternal depression: seeking help sooner is better for mums and kids

15/06/2020

Mothers may worry that if they’ve been depressed during pregnancy then it’s too late to do anything about it, but reducing depressive symptoms at any stage is better for them and their children.

High-risk mothers missing out on mental health checks

11/06/2020

Analysing data from more than 7,500 women in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, researchers mapped mental health screening rates between 2000 and 2017, and compared these figures to policy initiatives and clinical practice guidelines.

‘Breast is best’ push out of touch

04/06/2020

Using data from the Mothers and their Children's Health (MatCH) substudy, researchers have discovered why only 34 per cent of mothers exclusively breastfeed to six months, despite the global push to increase rates to 50 per cent.

Traditional vegetable diet lowers the risk of premature birth

14/04/2020

High consumption of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage, green beans and potatoes before conception helped women reach full term pregnancy.

Premature menopause increases risk of chronic health issues

20/01/2020

Women who experience premature menopause are significantly more likely to develop multiple chronic conditions, according to a new study.

What is perimenopause and how does it affect women’s health in midlife?

18/10/2019

All women know to expect the time in life when their periods finish and they reach menopause. What many women don’t know, however, is they will also experience symptoms in the time leading up to menopause. This is known as perimenopause.

Play equipment that gets kids moving

17/09/2019

Parents will be pleased to know that more is not always better when it comes to play equipment for their children.It's not about having the most play equipment; it's about having the right equipment.

Caring for grandchildren: a joy or a burden?

15/10/2018

Grandmothers deserve more recognition for their role as caregivers and some are at risk of being overburdened, according to a report from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health.

Bullying takes toll on young women’s health

15/06/2017

Almost one in five 18-23 year old women was bullied recently and more than half had been bullied in the past, resulting in serious physical and mental health issues.

Domestic violence impact lasts a lifetime

13/06/2017

Women who experience intimate partner violence have significant, long-term physical and mental health problems according to researchers from the University of Newcastle who tracked three generations of women for 16 years.

Abused caregivers have double chance of poor health

23/05/2017

Women who become caregivers after experiencing intimate partner violence have twice the normal odds of experiencing depressive symptoms and stress and they also had worse physical health than other women.

Having babies doesn’t make you fat

21/05/2017

“There is a long-held perception that having babies contributes to women’s weight gain leading to overweight and obesity." Researchers at the University of Canberra have found that pregnancy is not a trigger for significant weight gain in Australian women.

Healthy habits during pregnancy not enough

17/04/2017

Changing diet and lifestyle during pregnancy is too little and too late to reduce the risk of major complications, according to a University of Queensland researcher. “The evidence overwhelmingly showed healthier pregnancies when women were able to make positive lifestyle changes before conception, such as eating well, being more active or quitting smoking,”.

Even ‘healthy’ weight gain raises pregnancy diabetes risk

05/04/2017

Mothers who gain weight in the years leading up to pregnancy have an increased risk of gestational diabetes, even if their weight remains within the healthy body mass index (BMI) range.

Older women taking statins face higher risk of diabetes

15/03/2017

Older Australian women taking cholesterol-lowering statins face a significantly increased risk of developing diabetes. UQ School of Public Health researcher Dr Mark Jones said women over 75 faced a 33 per cent higher chance of developing diabetes if they were taking statins.

Early periods associated with risk of gestational diabetes

06/03/2017

The age at which girls start menstruating could flag a later risk of diabetes during pregnancy. Research into this topic is of particular public health importance due to global trends of girls starting their menstrual cycles at a younger age.