title: Indigenous Australians are under-represented in longitudinal ageing studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evidence-based policy depends on the availability of high-quality research that is relevant to the population. This study aimed to identify the available data on the health of older Indigenous Australians in population-based longitudinal studies of ageing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of the Dynamic Analyses to Optimise Ageing Project (DYNOPTA) dataset that has pooled nine Australian longitudinal ageing studies, six of which were analysed here.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proportions of the DYNOPTA sample identified as Indigenous.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Indigenous participants made up 0.7% of males and 0.5% of females in the weighted sample, compared with 0.8% of both sexes in the Australian population. Indigenous under-representation is greater at ages 45-54 than at older ages, despite overall greater participation in this age range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the existing Australian longitudinal ageing studies, Indigenous Australians are under-represented. This means there is a significant gap in the evidence base relating to the health of older Indigenous Australians. Research approaches specifically designed to address the health and wellbeing of older Indigenous Australians are urgently required.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. kaarin.anstey@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Kaarin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstey
authors.forename: Kim M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kiely
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.forename: Carole L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Birrell
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butterworth
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Byles
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Luszcz
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012106:Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012107:Research Design