Advancing Health and Wellbeing Across the Life Course Through System-Wide Development of Data Research Infrastructure: The Case of Australia

Population health and wellbeing are shaped by much more than medical care. Family circumstances and upbringing, education, employment, income, housing, access to services and community resources, all influence how people fare over their lives. However, the information to support research, policy and practice to enhance health and wellbeing is often collected and maintained in separate systems. Bringing relevant population data together carefully and securely could give researchers, policymakers and practitioners a clearer picture of how life circumstances affect health wellbeing over the life course and how to respond to advance health and wellbeing.

Australia has distinctive policy settings, institutional arrangements and partnerships linking universities, governments, data custodians and other organisations. These enabling conditions are an opportunity to develop research infrastructure that responds to current needs while also adapting to future questions. A national data resource could support both longitudinal studies, which follow changes over time, and broader snapshots of the population at particular points in time. It could also help assess whether programs and services work, for whom and under what circumstances. More detailed analysis could improve the evidence available for communities that are often poorly represented in general population research, including groups that may benefit from targeted or more intensive support.

A more coordinated national data system built on Australia’s strong foundations, including partnerships between researchers, policymakers and communities, could support improved policymaking, implantation and service delivery, enhancing population health and wellbeing in Australia.