The FVV

1
Welcome
2
The FVVCHRan overview

• History the DVA 1998 Health Study
• AIHW developing and managing the register

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A bit of history DVA 1998 Health Study

• DVA 1998. Morbidity of Vietnam veterans a study
  of the health of Australias Vietnam veteran
  community. Volume 2 Female Vietnam veterans
  survey and community comparison outcomes.
  Canberra DVA.

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DVA 1998 Health Study Who was included?

• All members of the Australian Defence Force
  (ADF) and the Citizen Military Forces who landed
  in Vietnam or entered Vietnamese waters including
  those who were seconded to the Army of the
  Republic of Vietnam, the United. all members of
  the Australian Army Training Teams Vietnam, all
  members, male and female, of civilian medical and
  surgical teams, all members of philanthropic
  organisations, all members of the Australian
  Forces Overseas Fund and all official
  entertainers and war correspondents . 1973.

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DVA 1998 Health Study What were the results?

• The majority of respondents reported their health
  as good or very good.
• However, compared to other women, they were less
  likely to classify their overall health as
  excellent or very good.
• Due to low participation most results were
  inconclusive.

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DVA 1998 Health Study What was the participation
rate?

• 57 of the study group had contact addresses
  obtained
• 81 response rate to mail-out
• 46 total participation rate

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DVA 1998 Health Study What were the
recommendations?

• A recommendation of Morbidity of Vietnam
  Veterans, Vol 2 (females)
• It is recommended that DVA develop a register
  of information, including mailing addresses for
  living female Vietnam veterans and causes of
  death for deceased female Vietnam veterans.

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AIHW establishing the Register

• DVA commissioned the AIHW
• DVA-AIHW Memorandum of Understanding
• The Register was established in 2002

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Managing the registerAIHW Who are we?

• National agency for health and welfare statistics
  and information
• AIHW Act 1987 ensures data is managed with strict
  confidentiality and privacy provisions

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The AIHW our role

• Ethics Committee approval
• Promotions
• Consultation
• Mail-out
• Handling responses and queries
• Ownership and reporting

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The FVVCHR What is its function?

• To maintain information on all Australian women
  who participated in the Vietnam War military and
  non-military
• Determine their vital status their contact
  details
• Use the information to facilitate future health
  studies

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The FVVCHR Who is eligible to register?

• Members of
• Australian defence forces, philanthropic
  organisations, civilian nursing, medical and
  surgical teams
• Entertainers
• Flight attendants
• Administrative personnel
• War correspondents Other, for example women
  who travelled to Vietnam to support a serving
  or ill family member.
• Minimum 24 hour period of stay in Vietnam

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The FVVCHR What information is on the register?
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The FVVCHR Privacyand data confidentiality

• Consent that personal details be added to the
  FVVCHR
• Information is administered by the AIHW according
  to confidentiality procedures.
• Consent to be contacted for verification of
  contact details and to provide consent for
  participation in future health studies.

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The FVVCHR Consultative Committee

• Mrs Maureen Patch
• Mrs Colleen Thurgar
• Mrs Marie Boyle
• Mrs Rosslyn Richards
• Colonel Jan McCarthy
• DVA David Althorp, Megan Clark
• AIHW Robert van der Hoek, Nicola Tatham, Fatima
  Ghani

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The Female Vietnam Veteran Civilian Health
Register
www.aihw.gov.au/veteran/
1800 007 673