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AustraliaCommunity profile

South Australia

Need for assistance

In 2021, 118,634 people (or 6.7% of the population) in South Australia reported needing help in their day-to-day lives due to disability. This was a percentage increase from 2006.

South Australia's disability statistics relate directly to need for assistance due to a severe or profound disability. The information may be used in the planning of local facilities, services such as day-care and occasional care and in the provision of information and support to carers. South Australia's disability statistics help in understanding the prevalence of people who need support in the community, and along with information on Unpaid Care to a person with a disability, how that support is provided.

Please note: A person's reported need for assistance is based on a subjective assessment and should therefore be treated with caution. See the specific data notes for further detail.

Q:

Derived from the Census questions:

'Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, self care activities?', 'Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, body movement activities?', 'Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, communication activities?', and 'What are the reasons for the need for assistance or supervision shown in questions 20, 21 and 22?' (as per above).

Need for assistance with core activities by age
South Australia - Persons (Usual residence)20212006Change
Assistance needed by age group (years)Number% of total age groupRegional QLD %Number% of total age groupRegional QLD %2006 to 2021
0 to 41,7391.81.59611.10.8+778
5 to 95,8325.64.92,3592.52.0+3,473
10 to 1910,0034.94.63,9132.01.8+6,090
20 to 5929,1263.23.121,2962.62.4+7,830
60 to 647,4176.66.74,4265.76.2+2,991
65 to 698,1588.08.33,7686.06.2+4,390
70 to 749,89010.511.24,7909.18.5+5,100
75 to 7910,51115.716.57,36715.014.4+3,144
80 to 8412,01926.326.59,79425.725.9+2,225
85 and over23,46250.247.514,62547.946.7+8,837
Total persons needing assistance118,6346.76.373,2994.84.1+45,335
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Need for assistance with core activities summary
South Australia - Total persons (Usual residence)20212006Change
Assistance needed by age group (years)Number%Regional QLD %Number%Regional QLD %2006 to 2021
Total persons needing assistance118,6346.76.373,2994.84.1+45,335
Total persons not needing assistance1,578,81888.686.11,361,06290.088.8+217,756
Not stated84,0594.77.677,3545.17.1+6,705
Total Population1,781,511100.0100.01,511,715100.0100.0+269,796
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2006 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the need for assistance of people in Australia compared to Regional QLD shows that there was a similar proportion of people who reported needing assistance with core activities.

Overall, 6.7% of the population reported needing assistance with core activities, compared with 6.3% for Regional QLD.

The major difference in the age groups reporting a need for assistance in South Australia and Regional QLD is:

  • A larger percentage of persons aged 85 and over (50.2% compared to 47.5%)

Emerging groups

The major differences in the age groups reporting a need for assistance between 2006 and 2021 in South Australia were in the age groups:

  • 85 and over (+8,837 persons)
  • 20 to 59 (+7,830 persons)
  • 10 to 19 (+6,090 persons)
  • 70 to 74 (+5,100 persons)

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