This landmark longitudinal study, officially known as the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study (VAHCS), has been tracking the lives of young Victorians for over 30 years. In 2006, the intergenerational component of the project was created: the Victorian Intergenerational Health Cohort Study (VIHCS).

A Look Back

The journey began in 1992 with 2000 Year 9 students (aged 14-15) from 44 schools across Victoria. These young participants have grown, and many have started families of their own. This gave rise to a unique opportunity to explore intergenerational connections in health and wellbeing. Between 2006 and 2013, 1030 children from 665 of the original participants joined the Victorian Intergenerational Health Cohort Study (VIHCS). There have been 11 completed waves of VAHCS, and 4 completed waves of VIHCS.

Where We Are Now

In February 2023, we launched Wave 5 of VIHCS. This phase focuses on families as their children turn 15, with parents and teens sharing their experiences over the past year through online interviews. We aim to understand aspects such as family dynamics, stress, friendships, school life, and community connections. We’re also exploring trends in adolescent mental health, substance use, social media, and screen time. As of November 2025, we are more than half way through the wave and have had 479 families take part, with a further 385 still to become eligible over the next three years.

Looking Ahead

Capturing such rich data is a marathon, not a sprint. The positive relationships we maintain with our participants are key to our ongoing success. We are excited to continue this journey over the next three years as we complete VIHCS wave 5. In addition, we hope to obtain further funding to continue research with the VAHCS participants as they enter mid-life and the VIHCS participants in their first adulthood phase.

Stay tuned for more updates and insights from the 2000 Stories Study!