Women's Healthy Ageing Project
Welcome to the Women's Healthy Ageing Project
The Women's Healthy Ageing Project (W.H.A.P.) is a study of women's health over midlife, menopause and ageing being undertaken at the National Ageing Research Institute (N.A.R.I) at Parkville. The Melbourne Women’s Midlife Health Project (1991 to 1998) was a study of women’s health during midlife and the menopause. The study was undertaken by the Office for Gender and Health, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne. The Project was set up due to the lack of adequate Australian data on this area of women's health. The next phase of the study examined healthy ageing with a focus on cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, cognitive and mood areas. The study incorporated both a cross-sectional study of 2000 randomly selected women aged 45 - 55 years and a longitudinal study of 492 pre-menopausal women through the midlife years and the menopausal transition. Major and unique aspects of this study have been the study of wellbeing, sexuality, symptoms and bone density and their relationship to a range of variables including those of hormones, age, stress, lifestyle and other health experiences.