Add your voice to Australia’s national LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing survey

Australia’s longest-running national survey of LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing, Private Lives 4, is back, and is calling for you to add your voice.

Led by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University, Private Lives has been documenting the lives, experiences, strengths and health needs of LGBTIQA+ people for more than 20 years.

LGBTIQA+ adults across Australia are invited to take part in Private Lives 4, the latest iteration of Australia’s longest-running national survey of LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing.

Who can do the survey?

You can take part in Private Lives 4 if you are:

Aged 18+
Currently living in Australia
Are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, queer, asexual, or use other words to describe diverse sexuality or gender identities; and/or were born with an innate variation of sex characteristics (some people call this intersex).

What will I be asked in the survey?

The survey asks about a wide range of topics, including:

health and wellbeing
community connection
safety
discrimination
healthcare access
relationships
employment
substance use
ageing
and experiences across different parts of Australia.

‘The more people who take part, the stronger the evidence will be’

Private Lives 4 is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and will provide vital evidence to support implementation of the National Action Plan for the Health and Wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ People 2025–2035, as well as future policy, service planning, advocacy and community-led initiatives.

Project lead Dr Ruby Grant said the study is a crucial opportunity for LGBTIQA+ people to be seen, counted and heard.

“The more people who take part, the stronger the evidence will be,” they said.

“Every response helps build a clearer picture of LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing in Australia, and supports better policy, better services, and stronger communities.”

The findings from Private Lives 4 will be used to produce national reports, community resources, policy briefings, academic publications and tailored evidence for governments, health and community services, and LGBTIQA+ organisations.

This evidence is vital because many LGBTIQA+ people remain invisible in mainstream data collection, making it harder to identify inequities, respond to emerging needs, and advocate for meaningful change.

You have until July 1 to fill out the survey

Private Lives 4 is an anonymous, online survey that is optional to complete. Your data will be kept secure, and no one will know if you have done the survey.

To capture the diversity of our communities, the survey also has special sets of questions designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, trans and gender diverse people, people with innate variations of sex characteristics, and people with disabilities.

Members of these communities have designed these questions.

Please take a moment to complete the survey to add your voice to the data.

And don’t be afraid to share it with friends, family, peers and community networks.

Click here to take part in Private Lives 4 today.

If you would like to seek support for any reason, contact the following services:

QLife: LGBTIQ mental health support, information and referrals through phone counselling or webchat – Ph: 1800 184 527
Lifeline: Crisis Support – Ph: 13 11 14
Headspace: Online and phone support. Information and resources on mental health and LGBTIQ+SB people
BeyondBlue: Mental Wellbeing – Ph: 1300 224 636
Kids Helpline: Online and phone support and information for young people, 5-25 years – Ph: 1800 55 1800
13YARN: Information and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in all states and territories – Ph: 13 92 76
Yarning Safe’n’Strong: Counselling services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – Ph: 1800 959 563
Brother to Brother: Phone support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men – PH: 1800 435 799