Population

Need for assistance

About this topic

Need for assistance measures people who report needing help with self-care, body movement, or communication because of a disability, a long-term health condition, or older age. It is a high-needs indicator rather than a general measure of disability.

This topic is useful for planning accessible facilities, care services, respite, and support for carers. The measure is based on self-report in the Census, so it should be interpreted with care and read alongside unpaid care and other disability-related indicators.

Interpretation notes

  • The measure is self-reported and records need for help with core activities, so it is not a complete measure of disability prevalence.
  • It applies to all persons and is strongest as an indicator of higher support need when read with unpaid care and ageing data.

Key insight

In 2021, 65-74 year olds was the most common age group among residents who needed assistance with core activities in Balonne (S), accounting for 8.7% (38 people). This share was lower than Regional Qld (9.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 85+ year olds, which decreased by 14 people and 26.3 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

Balonne (S) - Persons (Usual residence)

This table summarises need for assistance for Balonne (S) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Qld and change since 2016.

Need for assistance with core activities by age change

Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.

2016
2021

0-4

0

0.0pp

5-14

+13

+2.6pp

15-19

-2

-0.6pp

20-24

+4

+1.2pp

25-34

+8

+1.5pp

35-44

+1

+0.4pp

45-54

+6

+1.1pp

55-64

-3

-0.6pp

65-74

+1

-0.2pp

75-84

-12

-7.0pp

85+

-14

-26.3pp

Data table

Need for assistance for Balonne (S). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.

Need for assistance for Balonne (S). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Need for assistance for Balonne (S). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional Qld%Count%Regional Qld%Countpp
0-400.0%1.5%00.0%1.2%00.0pp
5-14264.6%5.0%132.0%3.5%+13+2.6pp
15-1972.8%4.0%93.4%2.9%-2-0.6pp
20-2472.7%2.8%31.5%2.2%+4+1.2pp
25-3481.5%2.1%00.0%1.9%+8+1.5pp
35-4471.5%2.5%61.1%2.5%+1+0.4pp
45-54203.3%3.8%142.2%3.8%+6+1.1pp
55-64213.5%6.0%244.1%6.0%-3-0.6pp
65-74388.7%9.6%378.9%9.1%+1-0.2pp
75-843616.8%20.4%4823.8%19.3%-12-7.0pp
85+2128.4%47.7%3554.7%46.7%-14-26.3pp
Total1884.4%6.3%1944.4%5.5%-60.0pp