La Trobe University has been awarded $2 million in Federal Government funding to conduct Australia’s largest surveys into the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people to inform policies, programs and services.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler MP and Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney MP announced La Trobe’s Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) would conduct two surveys as part of the Commonwealth’s National Action Plan for the Health and Wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ People.
The funding will allow ARCSHS to survey LGBTIQA+ adults and young people as part of their flagship surveys: Private Lives, and Writing Themselves In.
These two studies are the largest national surveys of the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people to date.
ARCSHS Director Professor Adam Bourne said this new investment would allow ARCSHS to lead essential research into the health needs and experiences of LGBTIQA+ people across Australia.
“The information we gather from the study will help to inform better policies, programs and services for the LGBTIQA+ community,” Professor Bourne said.
“It will provide a concrete and timely snapshot of the lives of LGBTIQA+ people in Australia, exploring topics including demographics, general health and wellbeing, mental health, housing and homelessness, discrimination, harassment, acceptance, alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, family violence, and disability just to name a few topics.”
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell welcomed the government funding and said it was vital research to help make the changes necessary to improve the lives of the LGBTIQA+ community.
“I am proud of the work ARCSHS and Professor Bourne are doing to support members of the LGBTIQA+ community thrive and ensure their voices are heard when decisions are made around policies, programs and services,” Professor Farrell said.
“I’d also like to thank the Commonwealth Government for their support of this important work.”
