The FDSV IDS is an activity under the First Action Plan of the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032. It connects FDSV-related data from a range of sources to the AIHW Linkage System (a system of data joined together for research purposes). This work will improve the evidence base for people experiencing and using FDSV by developing a larger FDSV analytical cohort than has been previously available to researchers.
The first version of the FDSV IDS includes anonymised person level data from community and health services where FDSV can be identified. This includes data from the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection, Centrelink, Admitted Patient Care (hospitalisations), the National Death Index and Australian Government funded programs delivered by community service organisations, such as Specialised Family Violence Services and Escaping Violence Payment data. Future expansions will include data from the Specialist Crisis FDV Services Collection, currently under development by AIHW. From these data, an anonymised cohort of people with disclosed experiences of FDSV can be selected. Joining the FDSV cohort with data available in the AIHW Linkage System will allow analysis of the level of interaction with broader health services such as general practice and hospital visits, and where applicable, examine causes of death (beyond deaths directly attributed to FDSV). This presentation will include information on the number of people in the FDSV cohort and high-level information about demographics and health service interaction (forthcoming). Results from this analysis will allow for better advocacy for improved funding to specific service sectors and identification of service intervention points.