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 Doonside, accounting for 18.6% (230 people). This share was higher than Blacktown (C) (14.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 65-74 year olds, which increased by 51 people and 1.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Need for assistance with core activities by age
Doonside - Persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises need for assistance for Doonside in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Blacktown (C) and change since 2016.
Need for assistance with core activities by age snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Doonside, with comparison markers for Blacktown (C).
Bars reflect 2021 counts; benchmark rates remain in the metrics.
0-4
2021 count
17
2021 rate
2.1%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
17
2.1%
+1.5pp
5-14
2021 count
103
2021 rate
5.7%
Change from 2016
+0.5pp
103
5.7%
+0.5pp
15-19
2021 count
36
2021 rate
4.2%
Change from 2016
+1.1pp
36
4.2%
+1.1pp
20-24
2021 count
33
2021 rate
3.5%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
33
3.5%
0.0pp
25-34
2021 count
69
2021 rate
3.4%
Change from 2016
+0.4pp
69
3.4%
+0.4pp
35-44
2021 count
74
2021 rate
3.9%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
74
3.9%
+0.2pp
45-54
2021 count
93
2021 rate
5.3%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
93
5.3%
-0.5pp
55-64
2021 count
159
2021 rate
9.9%
Change from 2016
-2.0pp
159
9.9%
-2.0pp
65-74
2021 count
230
2021 rate
18.6%
Change from 2016
+1.5pp
230
18.6%
+1.5pp
75-84
2021 count
175
2021 rate
33.0%
Change from 2016
+0.9pp
175
33.0%
+0.9pp
85+
2021 count
110
2021 rate
67.1%
Change from 2016
+14.6pp
110
67.1%
+14.6pp
Chart view
Need for assistance with core activities by age change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
0-4
+12
+1.5pp
5-14
+5
+0.5pp
15-19
+5
+1.1pp
20-24
-2
0.0pp
25-34
+10
+0.4pp
35-44
+9
+0.2pp
45-54
-8
-0.5pp
55-64
-43
-2.0pp
65-74
+51
+1.5pp
75-84
+48
+0.9pp
85+
+37
+14.6pp
Data table
Need for assistance for Doonside. Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Blacktown (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Blacktown (C)% | Count | % | Blacktown (C)% | Count | pp | |
| 0-4 | 17 | 2.1% | 1.5% | 5 | 0.6% | 1.4% | +12 | +1.5pp |
| 5-14 | 103 | 5.7% | 3.8% | 98 | 5.2% | 3.4% | +5 | +0.5pp |
| 15-19 | 36 | 4.2% | 3.2% | 31 | 3.1% | 2.7% | +5 | +1.1pp |
| 20-24 | 33 | 3.5% | 2.2% | 35 | 3.5% | 2.1% | -2 | 0.0pp |
| 25-34 | 69 | 3.4% | 1.6% | 59 | 3.0% | 1.5% | +10 | +0.4pp |
| 35-44 | 74 | 3.9% | 1.7% | 65 | 3.7% | 2.0% | +9 | +0.2pp |
| 45-54 | 93 | 5.3% | 3.7% | 101 | 5.8% | 4.3% | -8 | -0.5pp |
| 55-64 | 159 | 9.9% | 7.2% | 202 | 11.9% | 7.5% | -43 | -2.0pp |
| 65-74 | 230 | 18.6% | 14.6% | 179 | 17.1% | 14.0% | +51 | +1.5pp |
| 75-84 | 175 | 33.0% | 30.9% | 127 | 32.1% | 29.0% | +48 | +0.9pp |
| 85+ | 110 | 67.1% | 59.5% | 73 | 52.5% | 59.7% | +37 | +14.6pp |
| Total | 1,075 | 7.9% | 5.3% | 974 | 7.2% | 5.1% | +101 | +0.7pp |