Risk Factor Prevalence Survey, 1989

The Risk Factor Prevalence Study was a series of surveys administered by the National Heart Foundation of Australia, Australian Institute of Health and the Commonwealth Department of Community Services and Health, with the aims of determining the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in adult Australians living within State and Territory capitals; comparing these risk factors between geographic regions and population groups; correlating the prevalence with mortality from cardiovascular disease, and; assessing the degree to which trends in cardiovascular disease mortality are associated with changes in risk factor prevalence. The first survey was conducted in 1980 and the second in 1983. This dataset refers to the third survey in the series, conducted in 1989.

Questions asked in the survey related to participants' medical history and overall health, current use of medication, eating habits, exercise and recreation, smoking and alcohol consumption, and whether they had ever been diagnosed with diabetes.

Background variables include date of birth, gender, marital status, height, weight, household composition, income and highest level of education achieved.