Note: this is a past research project that is now complete.

Aim

To examine a range of adolescent health domains including alcohol use, smoking and aspects of the social environment.

Project Description

The Health In Transition Survey, conducted through the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, offers a five-wave data set using an adolescent population. The survey examines a range of adolescent health domains including alcohol use, smoking and aspects of the social environment. The survey was administered across five waves commencing in May 1993 when the participants were in Year 12. The last survey was conducted in February 1997 and includes information on over 3000 participants. Surveys were self-administered pen and paper questionnaires. The main areas covered involved tobacco and alcohol use and related attitudes. Stability of smoking in a subset of the cohort showed that there was a group of heavy smokers whose behaviour was stable.

Publications

Olsson, C., Anney, R., Forrest, S., Patton, G., Coffey, C., Cameron, T., Hassett, A., & Williamson, R. (2004). Association between dependent smoking and a polymorphism in the tyrosine hydroxylase gene in a prospective population-based study of adolescent health. Behavior genetics, 34(1), 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BEGE.0000009478.70863.25

Anney, R. J., Lotfi-Miri, M., Olsson, C. A., Reid, S. C., Hemphill, S. A., & Patton, G. C. (2007). Variation in the gene coding for the M5 muscarinic receptor (CHRM5) influences cigarette dose but is not associated with dependence to drugs of addiction: evidence from a prospective population based cohort study of young adults. BMC genetics, 8, 46. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2156-8-46

Contact

John Toumbourou
john.toumbourou@deakin.edu.au