Follow-up 1
The first wave of follow-up (Follow-up 1) started in 2019 and all invitations to participate have now been sent. As part of this, 33,938 of you have completed the questionnaire, and we have received 8,380 poo samples and 3,792 blood samples. Thank you to all of you who have completed the Follow-up 1 questionnaire and to those of you who also provided a poo sample and/or a blood sample.
Some of you may receive a phone call from our team to remind you about completing the study or if we haven’t been able to contact you via email.
If you still need to complete the questionnaires or provide a poo or blood sample, please do so as soon as possible by logging in to the ABC Study website.
(Note our laboratory will be closed from the 14th December 2021 to the 10th January 2022 – please do not send samples during this time).
COVID-19 and the ABC Study
COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria slowed us down in that we weren’t able to get to the office to send out kits and letters. It also meant that participants in some states were unable to go and provide their blood sample. We are excited that restrictions have been lifted and we are able to resume at full capacity. On a brighter note, everyone staying home has made it easier to contact some participants over the phone...
Follow-up 2
While Follow-up 1 is wrapping up, we’re already gearing up to start Follow-up 2 to commence in early 2022.
Initially, we’ll be contacting participants who we contacted for Follow-up 1 in 2019, so that each participant is followed up approximately 3 years after enrolling in the study.
Our Follow-up 2 questionnaire will feature some new topics, including sleep health and Covid-19.
In addition, we’ll be asking your permission to access some of your health data from the Medicare Benefits Scheme and Pharmaceuticals Benefits Scheme. This will allow researchers to create a much fuller picture of your health.
The security of your information is a high priority. We undertake a number of measures to ensure this, including using a secure server employing encryption protocols on our online system. Participant data is only accessible by authorised staff, and cannot be accessed by a third party.
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