The Department of Veterans' Affairs commissioned the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to identify and synthesise existing research on older veterans, and their families’ experiences and needs in aged care. The project was commissioned to inform any future improvements to the way aged care is delivered to veterans and to identify gaps in understanding of the needs of older veterans and their families in aged care settings.
The Australian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study was the first comprehensive health study of a group of Australian War veterans involved in a single theatre of war.
It was conducted by a collaborative medical research team from the Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine at Monash University, Health Services Australia Ltd, the University of Western Australia, and The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health at the University of Melbourne.
As part of the Australian Gulf War Veterans' Health Study (published in 2003), serum samples were collected from consenting participants, for long-term storage and future potential research. In 2005, a Serum Management Committee (the Committee) was established to provide oversight of the stored samples.
The Department of Veterans' Affairs commissioned the University of Sydney to identify the client and service factors associated with the Community Nursing program achieving its primary aim of enabling veterans to stay at home as long as possible, avoiding early admission to hospital or residential care. The research purpose was to use the findings to strengthen the program by informing potential program improvements.
Self-managing physical activity can be challenging and programs that help DVA clients to manage their own physical activity regimes are needed. This project developed and trialled a new physical activity support program for DVA clients called Active Choices
Findings from the REA identify strategies to support and sustain healthy behaviours as part of active ageing in Australian veterans. The research suggests that interventions that promote an active physical and cognitive lifestyle not only help prevent and combat mental and physical health decline, they also increase quality of life and well-being in later life for all veterans.
This study investigated the effects on the health and wellbeing of the families of Australian Defence Force members who were deployed to Timor-Leste, and a control group of those who were eligible to deploy to Timor-Leste but did not.
Monash University Firefighters’ Health Study (2015)
18 March 2026
Overview
The Department of Defence, with the support of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Council, commissioned Monash University to undertake a statistical study into the health of current and former Australian Defence Force firefighters who served from 1980 to 2013.
The Defence Firefighters' Health Study report is part of the Australian Firefighters' Health Study (available on the Monash University website, under heading "Study Results").
This report overviews and contextualises the Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study methodology, describes the study populations and presents the key findings from the first two technical reports of the Study, Mental Health Prevalence and Pathways to Care. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study is one of three studies that comprise the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme.
This literature review examines the evidence for the prevalence of risk-taking behavior by children of former or current military personnel. Risk-taking behavior is examined by focusing on the evidence for high-risk drinking, illicit drug use and pharmaceutical misuse, dangerous driving, unsafe sex, crime, delinquency and school absenteeism.
The aim of this rapid evidence assessment (REA) was to assess the evidence related to hallucinogenic drug interventions for PTSD, anxiety, and depression in adults.
