Table 1 Participant characteristics – definitions and data sources
Domain | Characteristic | Data source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Socio-Demographic | Age group | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported age at baseline |
Gender | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported sex | |
Language other than English | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Whether a participant speaks a language other than English at home (yes or no) | |
Country of birth | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported country of birth categorised as Australia or overseas | |
Highest qualification | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported highest level of educational qualification – categorised as less than year 12; year 12; trade/diploma; university or higher | |
Household income | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported household income category | |
Work status | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Working status at baseline: not working; working part-time; working full-time | |
Housing type | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Current housing type grouped as: house; flat/unit; nursing home/ residential aged care; other (including mobile home) | |
Private health insurance | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Private health status at baseline, grouped as: none (no private health, DVA or health care card; private health with extras; private health without extras; DVA only; health care card only | |
Health Risk Factor | Smoking status | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Smoking status at baseline: non-smoker; ex-smoker; current smoker |
Adequate physical activity | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on the amount of moderate and vigorous exercise reported: yes (adequate) – see AIHW definition; no (not adequate) | |
Adequate fruit and vegetable consumption | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption; yes (adequate) – at least 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit; no (not adequate) | |
Weekly alcohol intake | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on self-reported number of standard drinks each week, categorised as zero; low (<=14 drinks per week); high (> 14 drinks per week) | |
Body Mass Index (BMI) category | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on self-reported height and weight. Categorised as underweight (< 20); normal weight (20–25); overweight (25–30); obese (> 30) | |
Treatment for high blood pressure | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported as currently taking treatment for high blood pressure (yes or no) | |
Treatment for high cholesterol | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported as currently taking treatment for high cholesterol (yes or no) | |
Health Status | Physical functioning | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on the Short Form 36 (SF36) standard categories |
Psychological distress | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on the Kessler 10 (K10) standard categories | |
Self-rated good/very good health | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on the SF1 – classified as yes if responded as good, very good or excellent | |
Self-rated good/very good quality of life | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on self-rated quality of life question – classified as yes if responded as good; very good or excellent | |
Number of chronic conditions | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Based on self-reported diagnoses for up to six chronic diseases. These conditions were classified as: diabetes; cardiovascular disease; depression/anxiety; musculoskeletal (arthritis and osteoarthritis); asthma; and cancer. | |
Needs help for a disability | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Do you regularly need help with daily tasks because of long-term illness or disability? (yes or no) | |
Reported a fall in the last 12 months | 45 and Up Study Baseline | Self-reported (yes or no) | |
Health care utilisation | Average number of GP visits per annum | MBS | Calculated across a 2-year period +/−1 year from date of recruitment. Only standard GP consultations included. |
Continuity of care with - provider | MBS | Calculated across a 2-year period +/−1 year from date of recruitment. Only standard GP consultations included. Based on the Usual Provider Index (UPI) using scrambled provider number – a participant was classified as having continuity of care if 75% or more of their visits were with the same provider. Those with less than 4 visits within this period were classified as “infrequent GP visits”. | |
Hospitalised at baseline | APDC | Calculated across a 2-year period +/−1 year from date of recruitment. Classified as “yes” if any hospitalisation in this period. | |
Saw a specialist at baseline | MBS | Calculated across a 2-year period +/−1 year from date of recruitment. Classified as “yes” if any specialist item in this period. |