Conducting a repeated cross-sectional survey of demographic, social, and health trends in a disadvantaged Australian community over 24 years: the Miller Household Survey (1999–2023)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine demographic, social, and health trends over 24 years in a disadvantaged Sydney community through sustained household surveillance, demonstrating the feasibility of longitudinal community-level health monitoring for informing policy and service delivery while building local capacity. This study addresses a gap in Australian community-level health surveillance data, particularly for disadvantaged areas where health needs often differ from broader population patterns. METHODS: This repeated cross-sectional study conducted household surveys at six time points (1999, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2022-2023) using quantitative measures including the 12-Item Short-Form (SF-12) Physical and Mental Health Component Summary scores, demographic data, and structured questions assessing community perceptions. Randomly selected households completed face-to-face interviews, telephone surveys (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing), written questionnaires, online surveys, or drop-off/pick-up questionnaires lasting 20-45 minutes. Multilingual delivery accommodated Miller's diverse population. Local residents trained as interviewers in 2010 and 2022-2023 enhanced community engagement and trust. RESULTS: Adult participation ranged from 180 to 335 participants, with response rates from 17.1% (2007) to 51.6% (2022-2023). Notable demographic changes occurred: population ageing (31.7% aged over 65 years by 2022-2023), growing proportion ofoverseas-born residents (50.1% by 2022-2023), and rising educational achievement (55.7% with secondary qualifications or above by 2022-2023). SF-12 Physical Component scores fell from 47.1 (2002) to 41.5 (2022-2023). SF-12 Mental Component scores dropped substantially from 48.8 (2002) to 37.5 (2022-2023), 12.5 points below Australian population norms. Social cohesion indicators varied across survey waves, with lower values in 2010 and mixed patterns by 2022-2023. Health service enhancements between 2006 and 2010 yielded limited benefits, suggesting structural obstacles persist. CONCLUSIONS: Community surveys were used to create health baselines, monitor changes during urban renewal, and inform policy and service planning. Sustained community-engaged surveillance through varied approaches to data collection is feasible in disadvantaged Australian contexts, uncovering localised health issues while supporting targeted public health interventions. Results reveal serious mental health deterioration warranting immediate attention alongside ongoing monitoring to tackle enduring inequalities and strengthen community capacity.
DOI: 10.1071/pu25030
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4417183529