Victorian Population Health Survey 2024
The Victorian Population Health Survey 2024 statewide survey is currently underway with 7,500 participants to be interviewed over the coming months. The survey will close in November 2024.
Data from the 34,000 participants who undertook the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey is currently being analysed with the dashboard to be published in early 2025.
If you would like more information on the survey, you can call our hotline number on 1800 658 830.
The Victorian Population Health Survey is conducted annually by the Department of Health. The survey is the primary source of insight about the health and wellbeing of Victorian adults aged 18 and over, and what affects their health and wellbeing.
Each year, approximately 7,500 Victorians undertake the survey to share information on their health, wellbeing and lifestyle. This information helps track changes over time and inform the development of plans and programs.
Every three years, the survey expands to include approximately 34,000 people. This larger sample size allows us to report estimates for First Peoples in Victoria, LGBTIQA+ Victorians, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Victorians, and at the local government area (LGA) level.
Information that is collected
Information is collected on:
- Health and Wellbeing outcomes, such as self-reported health status and life satisfaction.
- Lifestyle risk factors, such as tobacco smoking and vaping, alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and sun-protective behaviours, etc.
- Biomedical risk factors, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, and body weight status.
- Other health risk factors, including psychological distress, food insecurity, discrimination and racism, loneliness, and family violence).
- The prevalence of common chronic diseases, such as asthma, anxiety or depression, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis etc.
- Use of health services.
- The social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status, civic and social trust, social exclusion, work, unemployment, and social support.
How the information is collected
Information is collected via computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI).
Adults who reside in private dwellings across Victoria are randomly selected and invited to participate. Participation is entirely voluntary, and the confidentiality and identity of all survey participants is protected by law under the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Victoria). Additionally, the Department of Health's Human Research Ethics Committee has approved the methodology and questionnaire for the survey.
The data are weighted to the Victorian population to reflect the population distribution by age, gender, educational attainment, and geographic location.
Besides English, interviews can also be conducted in foreign languages commonly spoken in Victoria, to ensure individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are represented.
How we use the information
The Victorian Population Health Survey (VPHS) is conducted every year in accordance with the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Act (2008):
- To provide members of the public with access to ‘reliable information’ in appropriate forms to facilitate a good understanding of public health issues' (Part 2, Section 8[2.a]).
- To inform the development of Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing plans (Part 3, Section 26) and the biennial Chief Health Officer's report (Part 3, Section 21c)
- To report on the health and determinants of health of Victoria’s First Peoples, Victorians who identify as LGBTIQA+, culturally and linguistically diverse Victorians, and vulnerable Victorians.
- To provide data on key indicators of the DH Outcomes framework and the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Outcomes framework to inform policymaking and planning.
- To monitor changes over time and identify any new and emerging health concerns.
If you would like more information on the survey, you can call the Department's hotline number on 1800 658 830.
Victorian Population Health Survey
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The Victorian Agency of Health Information website contains information and documents about the 2022 population .
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Information and documents relating to the 2020 population .
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Information and documents relating to the 2019 population .
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Information and documents relating to the 2018 population .
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The Victorian Population Health Survey has been conducted each year since 2001 and is based on a random sample of adults aged 18 years and over.
The Survey is administered using computer-assisted telephone interviews. In 2017, the sample was expanded to approximately 34,000 respondents to allow for the reporting of analysed data at the local government area level.
The findings from the Victorian Population Health Survey 2017 are presented as dashboards for each of the 79 councils in Victoria, their corresponding Health Area and Division, as well as for the state of Victoria.
Indicators
The indicators presented as dashboards are:
- Smoking prevalence
- Fruit and vegetable consumption
- Intake of sugar sweetened beverages
- Consumption of take-away or snack food
- Obesity
- Physical activity
- Alcohol consumption
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Life satisfaction
- Self-reported health status
- Health checks
- Bowel and breast cancer screening
- Selected chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes
- Dental health
Download dashboards
Family violence in Victoria: findings from the Victorian Population Health Survey
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Information and documents relating to the 2016 population survey.
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Information and documents relating to the 2015 population survey.
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Previous reports of the Victorian Population Health Survey, presented high-quality information on the health of Victorians. Information in each report is presented on health and lifestyle, including physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, intake of fruit and vegetables, selected health screening, adult obesity, asthma and diabetes prevalence, psychological distress and social networks.
2001
2002
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2005
2006
2007
2008
Regions
2009
Regions
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Challenges to healthy eating: food insecurity in
2015
Reviewed 01 November 2024