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RDA Darling Downs and South West RegionCommunity profile

Western Downs Regional Council area

Need for assistance

In 2021, 2,182 people (or 6.4% of the population) in Western Downs Regional Council area reported needing help in their day-to-day lives due to disability. This was a percentage increase from 2016.

Western Downs Regional Council area'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. Western Downs Regional Council area'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
Western Downs Regional Council area - Persons (Usual residence)20212016Change
Assistance needed by age group (years)Number% of total age groupRDA Darling Downs and South West Region %Number% of total age groupRDA Darling Downs and South West Region %2016 to 2021
0 to 4341.51.3261.11.1+8
5 to 91285.24.7762.93.5+52
10 to 192405.24.81493.33.4+91
20 to 596363.83.75533.33.3+83
60 to 641768.87.41568.56.9+20
65 to 6918710.38.71136.58.2+74
70 to 7416310.611.41219.310.0+42
75 to 7916915.315.912313.014.3+46
80 to 8416723.025.912720.123.5+40
85 and over27444.546.927245.945.8+2
Total persons needing assistance2,1826.46.81,7235.25.8+459
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Need for assistance with core activities summary
Western Downs Regional Council area - Total persons (Usual residence)20212016Change
Assistance needed by age group (years)Number%RDA Darling Downs and South West Region %Number%RDA Darling Downs and South West Region %2016 to 2021
Total persons needing assistance2,1826.46.81,7235.25.8+459
Total persons not needing assistance28,21083.386.227,74883.086.1+462
Not stated3,45610.27.03,97311.98.2-517
Total Population33,848100.0100.033,444100.0100.0+404
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 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 the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region compared to the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region shows that there was a similar proportion of people who reported needing assistance with core activities.

Overall, 6.4% of the population reported needing assistance with core activities, compared with 6.8% for the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region.

The major differences in the age groups reporting a need for assistance in Western Downs Regional Council area and the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region were:

  • A larger percentage of persons aged 65 to 69 (10.3% compared to 8.7%)
  • A larger percentage of persons aged 60 to 64 (8.8% compared to 7.4%)
  • A smaller percentage of persons aged 80 to 84 (23.0% compared to 25.9%)
  • A smaller percentage of persons aged 85 and over (44.5% compared to 46.9%)

Emerging groups

The major differences in the age groups reporting a need for assistance between 2016 and 2021 in Western Downs Regional Council area were in the age groups:

  • 10 to 19 (+91 persons)
  • 20 to 59 (+83 persons)
  • 65 to 69 (+74 persons)
  • 5 to 9 (+52 persons)

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