Help shape a healthier future for generations to come
18 and up study
Your experiences matter. By taking part in 18 and Up, you can help researchers better understand what shapes health and wellbeing in Australia and drive change that improves the lives of all Australians.
We need your help
Health and wellbeing are shaped by many different factors throughout our lives, including our families, communities, relationships, work, finances and life experiences. Yet there is still much we don’t understand about why some people thrive while others face challenges, or how these experiences influence future generations.
18 and Up is a new national study designed to change that.
By sharing your experiences over time, you can help build knowledge that improves health outcomes, informs decision-making and supports future generations of Australians.
Led by the Sax Institute and supported by funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), 18 and Up builds on the success of the 45 and Up Study, which has been helping shape research, policy and services for 20 years.
Recruitment begins in 2026.
Why take part?
What is the 18 and Up study?
18 and Up is a long-term research study following adults aged 18 and over across time, helping researchers understand how health and wellbeing changed throughout adulthood.
The study will invite 45 and Up Study participants and their close family members aged 18 and older – including their adult children and grandchildren – to join 18 and Up, and share information about their lives, health and wellbeing over time through surveys and linked health data.
By taking part, participants will contribute to research that could help improve health policy, services and support for future generations of Australians.
A distinctive feature of 18 and Up is its intergenerational design. Because many participants will be connected through family relationships, researchers will be able to explore how health and wellbeing are shaped not only by individual experiences, but by family history, community context and broader social conditions – and how these influences carry across generations.
Why does 18 and Up matter?
Australia is facing a growing mental health challenge – and we still lack the long-term evidence needed to address it effectively.
Rates of psychological distress, anxiety and depression have risen steadily over the past two decades. Yet most existing research captures only a snapshot in time, making it difficult to understand what causes mental health to deteriorate, what protects against it, and where prevention and early support efforts may have the greatest impact.
The picture is especially concerning for younger Australians. Rates of anxiety, depression and psychological distress among adults aged 18-35 have increased significantly in recent years, yet this age group remains among the least well-studied or understood in long-term health research.
Our health and wellbeing are shaped not only by individual experiences, but also by family circumstances, social environments and experiences that can influence generations over time.
18 and Up is designed to fill that gap.
By following the same people over many years – across life stages and across generations – the study will help researchers and policymakers answer questions that existing research has struggled to answer:
- How do factors such as housing, work, financial pressure and social connection influence mental health across the Australian population over time?
- How does mental health affect physical health and risk for chronic health conditions?
- What factors help support good health and wellbeing across different life stages?
- How do experiences and environments shape health and wellbeing across generations?
- What types of support, services and policy responses have the greatest long-term impact?
- How can Australia build more effective and equitable health systems for the future?
The findings will inform smarter policy, better-designed services and more targeted prevention – for current and future generations of Australians.
18 and Up stands on well-established foundations.
Building on the legacy of the 45 and Up Study
Since launching in 2005, the 45 and Up Study has recruited more than 267,000 participants. Their long-term commitment has enabled research that has resulted in hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and helped shape policy, healthcare planning and services across Australia.
The difference participants have made
600+
6,000+
$263 million
32,000+
Building on this strong foundation, 18 and Up extends the research into younger and mid-life adulthood, creating a nationally significant resource that spans the full adult lifespan.
Together, the two studies will form a powerful, complementary national research platform – one capable of tracking how health unfolds across an entire lifetime and shaping the evidence base for Australian health policy for decades to come.
The 18 and Up team
18 and Up is led by a multidisciplinary team bringing together expertise in public health, epidemiology, psychology, psychiatry, health economics, longitudinal research and lived experience advocacy.
The study is led by Dr Martin McNamara, CEO of the Sax Institute and Chief Investigator of both the 45 and Up Study and 18 and Up, alongside nationally recognised researchers and collaborators from leading universities, research institutes and mental health organisations across Australia:
- Dr Martin McNamara, Sax Institute
- Dr Kerrin Bleicher, Deakin University
- Professor Jane Pirkis, University of Melbourne
- Professor Sharon Lawn, Lived Experience Australia
- Dr Xenia Dolja-Gore, University of Newcastle
- Professor Tim Slade, University of Sydney
- Professor Craig Olsson, Deakin University
- Professor Matthew Spittal, University of Melbourne
- Professor Cathy Mihalopoulos, Monash University
- Professor Samuel Harvey, Black Dog Institute
The study is being developed in partnership with communities, researchers and people with lived experience to help ensure it reflects the experiences, priorities and diversity of Australians across generations.
Meet the leadership team
Dr Martin McNamara
Chief Investigator – 18 and Up, CEO of the Sax Institute
Professor Justine Gatt
Scientific Director – 18 and Up
Matthew Gorringe
Head, Data and Research Services
Dr Ashleigh Guillaumier
Operations Director – 18 and Up
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Frequently asked questions
Recruitment is expected to begin in late 2026. Sign up for updates to be notified when participation opens.
The study will invite adults aged 18 and over – with a focus on adult children, grandchildren and close family members of 45 and Up Study participants. Eligibility details will be confirmed closer to recruitment.
Mental health and wellbeing are a primary focus of 18 and Up, but the study will also collect information on a range of related factors – including physical health, work, housing, social connection and family circumstances – that are known to influence health and wellbeing over time.
All information collected by the study will be managed in accordance with Australian privacy legislation and strict ethical and data governance standards. Participant data will be de-identified and only used for approved research projects. It will not be shared for purposes unrelated to research, including with insurers, employers, or government agencies.
18 and Up is designed as a long-term longitudinal study, with the intention to follow participants over many years. The initial phase of data collection begins in 2026.
The study is funded by a $4.5 million grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC grant number 2042686) and is led by the Sax Institute.
“The 18 and Up Study will help us understand the life story of younger people and the differences in mental health across generations. I’m humbled to be part of this work, and I hope that the study will help shape the way support is provided for future generations.”
Dr Martin McNamara
Chief Investigator and CEO of the Sax Institute
