JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

In 2016/17, the Mothers and their Children’s Health (MatCH) study produced a detailed snapshot of the health and development of 5,842 children aged 0-12 years, from 3,039 women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Data on up to three children were collected from each woman. To further advance understanding of child and adolescent health and development within an intergenerational and family focussed framework, and inform more effective family-centred health strategies, a follow-up study is underway.

Objective:

The specific aims of the MatCH 2 study are to follow up participants in the first wave, tracking outcomes over an eight to nine-year period, as well as collecting data on children not in the initial wave. MatCH 2 will focus on the transition into adolescence and identify the maternal, health, social, behavioural, economic, family, and environmental factors associated with child and adolescent health and adverse outcomes.

Methods:

Participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health who were born in 1973-78 and have children will complete surveys about their children aged up to 12 years while adolescents aged 13-19 years will complete their own surveys. The age specific data being collected on children includes health conditions and symptoms, diet, anthropometric measures, childcare, screen time, physical activity, sleep, temperament, behaviour, language development, motor development, health service utilisation, as well as household and environmental factors. Additional topics being collected in the adolescent surveys include body image and body development (including pubertal status), menstruation and menstrual issues, contraceptive use, sexual and reproductive health, medication use, substance use, participation in sport, violence and abuse (including bullying), disruptive events and resilience. Following consent, data will be linked to national and State/Territory administrative databases on health, health service use and educational outcomes.

Results:

Data collection for MatCH 2 began in January 2025 and will continue throughout 2025. To October 2025, surveys have been completed for 753 children aged 0-12 years, and 720 adolescents.

Conclusions:

The MatCH 2 study will combine the detailed history of almost three decades of maternal and family data with detailed data on children and adolescents together with extensive record linkage for health service use and educational outcomes. The new data will allow the in-depth examination of associations between child/adolescent health and a range of biological, psychological, social and lifestyle factors.