Vietnam Veterans’ Family Study
Bulletin No 9 – September 2009
From the Chair of the Consultative Forum
Greetings to all Consultative Forum members. This Bulletin provides you with an update on the Vietnam Veterans’ Family Study as at September 2009.
Also included is the the new DVA Website link:
DVA Website for Vietnam Veterans' Family Study
Article for Newsletters
An article for use in your newsletters, journals and any publicity on the study is provided at Attachment 1.
Registration numbers
The numbers in the children of control group participants passed 1800 in mid August and is about to move through 2000 (albeit very slowly).
A letter sent to arrive on, or the day after, Vietnam Veterans’ Day, saw a number of withdrawals and, unfortunately, a number of advices that participants had passed away. In particular, this has seen a decline in the number of control group members but the number of these participants still remains healthy and above the number of Vietnam veterans registered.
Current registration numbers are attached at the back of this bulletin
Research Components Update
SAC members have had a number of progress meetings with TNS Social Research in respect to The Children of Vietnam Veterans’ Mortality Study. The first stage report is due in November 2009 on this Study.
The Official Work Orders have been signed for the next three qualitative research components as detailed below. Work is now commencing on the requisite requirements to progress these research tiers.
|
Tier Component |
Organisation/Institution |
|
Tier 1 (a) Semi-Structured Telephone Interviews |
Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health (CMVH, UniQuest) |
|
Tier 1 (d) History of Health (Case Study) |
Open Mind Research Group |
|
Tier 1 (e) Ethnographic Study |
TNS Social Research |
Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)
As mentioned above, SAC meeting was due on 7 September and an update on this meeting will be provided at the CF phone hook-up on 29 September.
In last month’s bulletin feedback was sought on the issue of what the veteran community and the study's participant groups are expecting from the VVFS. You were asked to seek feedback on the views of your constituent groups on this matter. If you have not already done so, I again encourage you to provide any feedback you have received so that we can consider and plan how the study will best meet stakeholder expectations.
You might also have other opportunities to seek new feedback prior to the upcoming CF meeting.
Family Study Team
As the volume of work has decreased, a number of the Family Study Team have moved on to other roles within DVA. The current Team and their contact numbers are:
Director Mark Travers (02) 6289 4828
Assistant Directors Bill Bowe (02) 6289 1127
Jeff Fairweather (02) 6225 4499
Project and Comms Officers Louise Prowse (02) 6225 4507
Jean Pincott (02) 6225 4512
You can also contact any of the Team members by calling 1800 502 302 (Free call) or e-mailing us at: healthstudy@dva.gov.au
Peta Stevenson retains responsibility for the team as part of her role as National Manager Research, Development and Support. She can be contacted on (02) 6289 4772 if necessary.
Next meeting
The next meeting of the Consultative Forum is to be via teleconference at 2.00pm on Tuesday 29 September 2009. Details of how to phone in to the teleconference will be sent out shortly.
Best wishes,
Brigadier W Rolfe AO (Rtd)
Repatriation Commissioner
Chairman Vietnam Veterans’ Family Study Consultative Forum
Attachment 1
Article September 2009
Registration for the Vietnam Veterans’ Family Study, an intergenerational study, is still open. This family study is comparing the health and wellbeing of the children of Vietnam veterans with the health and well being of children of Army personnel who served during 1962-1975 but did not deploy to Vietnam. The participation of family members is essential for the success of the study.
You can register by calling 1800 502 302 or online at www.dva.gov.au/vvfs. Registrations are encouraged from:
Randomly selected Vietnam veterans plus their:
· Children/step children;
· Wives/partners;
· Ex-wives/partners;
· Siblings, especially brothers; and
· Nieces and nephews.
Randomly selected Army personnel who served during the period 1962 – 1975 plus their:
· Children/step children;
· Wives/partners; and
· Ex-wives and partners.
The members of the study’s Consultative Forum are continuing to encourage registrations from randomly selected participants.
The study’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) has been established. The SAC is chaired by the study’s Independent Scientific Advisor, Professor Bryan Rodgers. The SAC provides advice on scientific matters related to the conduct of the study including methodology and monitoring progress from a scientific point of view. The SAC will also review the research for accuracy and validity and will be asked to approve the final draft report before it is presented to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs via the Repatriation Commission.
Five of the study’s research components are underway with the:
- Children of Vietnam Veterans’ Mortality Study is being undertaken by TNS Social Research.
- Re-analysis of the Vietnam Veterans’ Sons and Daughters Project is being undertaken by Enhance Management.
- Semi-Structured Telephone Interviews is being undertaken by the Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health.
- History of Health Case Studies is being undertaken by Open Mind Research Group.
- In-depth Case Study (Ethnographic Study) being undertaken by TNS Social Research.
The latter three research components will provide information to assist with the development of the main survey questionnaire. It is expected results from all of this research, with the exception of the Mortality Study, will be finalised in late 2009.
For more information on the study call toll free 1800 502 302 or visit the website: www.dva.gov.au/vvfs.
|
Vietnam Veterans' Family Study Participants & Registrations (by Type) |
|||
|
|
31/08/2009 |
7/09/2009 |
Increase/decrease |
|
TOTAL Unique Participants |
24549 |
24588 |
39 |
|
TOTAL Registrations* |
24549 |
24799 |
250 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Random Select Vietnam Veteran Group |
|||
|
Vietnam Veteran |
4047 |
4050 |
3 |
|
Relationship to Random Select Vietnam Veteran: |
|
|
|
|
Partner |
2407 |
2410 |
3 |
|
Child |
3439 |
3452 |
13 |
|
Brother |
72 |
73 |
1 |
|
Sister |
114 |
113 |
-1 |
|
Brother-In-Law |
19 |
19 |
0 |
|
Sister-In-Law |
21 |
21 |
0 |
|
Nephew/niece |
34 |
40 |
6 |
|
Total |
10153 |
10178 |
25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vietnam-Era member |
4081 |
4097 |
16 |
|
Relationship to Random Select Control Group (Vietnam-Era): |
|
|
|
|
Partner |
1721 |
1728 |
7 |
|
Child |
1978 |
2016 |
38 |
|
Total |
7780 |
7841 |
61 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Self Select Group |
|||
|
Vietnam Veteran |
2328 |
2333 |
5 |
|
Relationship to Self Select Vietnam Veteran: |
|
|
|
|
Partner |
1187 |
1212 |
25 |
|
Child |
2260 |
2283 |
23 |
|
Brother |
60 |
72 |
12 |
|
Sister |
44 |
55 |
11 |
|
Brother-In-Law |
16 |
17 |
1 |
|
Sister-In-Law |
13 |
18 |
5 |
|
Nephew/niece |
10 |
43 |
33 |
|
Total |
5918 |
6033 |
115 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vietnam-Era member |
430 |
473 |
43 |
|
Relationship to Self Select Control Group (Vietnam-Era): |
|
|
|
|
Partner |
130 |
132 |
2 |
|
Child |
138 |
142 |
4 |
|
Total |
698 |
747 |
49 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL Self Select Participants |
6616 |
6780 |
164 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
* This figure is the total number of registrations, not participants - an individual may be listed |
|||
|
under more than one registration type IE: may be the partner of an RSVV as well as the sister |
|||
|
of a RSCG and is counted as two different registration types. |
|||
Also included is the the new DVA Website link:
David Matheson,
President, COVVHS
Mobile Number 0408 506 835
Website updated 14th September 2009
