Mortality study continues into vital health issues in Australia

[Wazza]

The Federal Government is conducting a mortality study of Australia's Vietnam veterans, as part of the continuing research efforts into the health of the Vietnam veteran community. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs, said the study was the third to be conducted into rates and causes of death among Australians who served during the Vietnam War. The last study, released in 1997, recommended that further research be undertaken after the year 2000, to ensure that Government and policy-makers continued to closely monitor the mortality rates of Vietnam veterans.

The study was being guided by a consultative forum with representatives of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia [www.vvaa.org.au] , the Vietnam Veterans' Federation of Australia, the Returned Services League [RSL}, the Australian Veterans and Defence Services Council and the DVA.

An expert Scientific Advisory Committee, chaired by the Dean of the Faculty of Medical Health and Sciences at the University of Auckland, Professor Peter Smith, has also been appointed to oversee the study,

The Minister said the mortality study involved matching the Nominal Roll of Vietnam Veterans against the national death and cancer registries, the electoral roll and passport records to identify the number of deaths, causes of death and the incidence of cancer. This will be compared with the Australian population, as well as national servicemen who did not serve in Vietnam, to, determine any increase in mortality or cancer rates among Vietnam veterans.