PATH Through Life Study

(A collaboration with the Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, Canberra) http://www.anu.edu.au/cmhr/path.php

Project Outlines and Aims

The PATH Through Life Project is a 20 year longitudinal study of 7,485 adult community residents randomly selected from the Electoral Rolls of Canberra and Queanbeyan. It aims to investigate the causes of three classes of common mental health problems: (1) anxiety and depression (2) alcohol and other substance abuse (3) cognitive functioning and dementia. The project investigates four broad themes that are relevant to each of these problems: ageing vs cohort effects; social, psychological, nutritional and genetic risk factors; and co-morbidity of mental health problems.

The project plans to interview participants every four years for 20 years to monitor changes in their lives, and their health and well-being. Following individuals over time allows us to not only compare participants at one point in time (cross sectional analysis) but to examine changes in individuals over time (longitudinal analysis). Longitudinal analyses will help to explain what factors influence change over time in the health areas of interest, and the interrelationships between them, at the individual level.

The project was initiated by the staff of CMHR in Canberra. The Brain and Ageing Program of UNSW participates in the neuroimaging, clinical chemistry, genetics and proteomics components of the project.

Potential Participants

The participants have all been recruited and have been interviewed in 2 waves, 4 years apart.

Staff

Karen Maxwell is the PATH Project Manager (CMHR, ANU)



Trish Jacomb is the PATH Data Manager (CMHR, ANU)

UNSW Staff

Perminder Sachdev (CI)
Wei Wen
George Smythe
Anne Poljak
Ora Lux
Xiaohua Chen


Back Row (L to R) Ms Lora Ng, A/Prof George Smythe, DonQing Liu, Perminder Sachdev, Wei Wen.
Front Row (L to R): Xiaohua Chen, Ora Lux, Angie Russell, Anne Poljak