Information for Participants

The information below may also be downloaded as a PDF.

What does participating in the BHAS involve?

Participating in the study will involve completing a questionnaire about your health and lifestyle.  This questionnaire may be completed at your own home, or you may complete it at the test centre with the assistance of BHAS staff.  In addition, you may also complete all or part of the following measurements at the test centre:

• Ear examination and hearing test
• Eye examination
• Bone density measurement
• Blood pressure measurement
• Cardiovascular health measurement
• Memory and thinking skills test
• Strength and balance test
• Respiratory and allergy test
• Sleep apnoea test
• A fasting blood sample

Should you be asked to participate in the BHAS, you may withdraw from all or any of the tests at any stage.

How will participating benefit me?

Participation in the BHAS will give you information about your health and assess your risk of developing health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, sleep apnoea, respiratory disease, eye disease, depression, and hearing problems. On the day of your visit, you will be given the results of some of these health measures.  There is no cost to you for any of the tests that are conducted.

Importantly, your participation will help researchers understand the causes of many common diseases that affect thousands of Australian adults.

How can I participate in the BHAS?

Participants will be randomly selected from individuals living in the Busselton Shire who were born between 1946 and 1964.  Because participants are randomly selected, we are unable to include volunteers who wish to participate in the study.  Participants will be contacted by telephone or mail from 2010 through to 2012, so you may be asked to participate during this time.

On the day of your appointment:

• Please wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes that you would normally walk in.
• Please bring reading glasses and hearing aids if you normally wear them.
• If you are asthmatic please notify the BHAS team prior to your visit, as some asthma medications may interfere with some tests.
• If you have any concerns, are pregnant or fitted with a pacemaker, please notify the BHAS team as this may affect your ability to have certain measurements taken.
• If your appointment is in the morning and you wish to give a blood sample, please do not eat or drink anything other than water for at least 8 hours before coming into the centre.  We will provide breakfast for you after your blood sample has been taken.
• If your appointment is in the afternoon please eat breakfast and lunch as normal.  We will arrange for you to provide a fasting blood sample within one week of your tests on a morning that is convenient for you.

If at any time you need to change your appointment, please call our staff on 9754 0548 or after hours on 9727 1148.