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, 75-84 year olds was the most common age group among residents who needed assistance with core activities in Charters Towers (R), accounting for 22.3% (177 people). This share was higher than Regional Qld (20.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 55-64 year olds, which decreased by 30 people and 1.9 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

Charters Towers (R) - Persons (Usual residence)

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

Need for assistance with core activities by age snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Charters Towers (R), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.

Charters Towers (R)

Bars reflect 2021 counts; benchmark rates remain in the metrics.

0-4

2021 count

0

2021 rate

0.0%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

5-14

2021 count

36

2021 rate

2.0%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

15-19

2021 count

22

2021 rate

2.5%

Change from 2016

+0.3pp

20-24

2021 count

17

2021 rate

3.2%

Change from 2016

+1.4pp

25-34

2021 count

25

2021 rate

2.1%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

35-44

2021 count

28

2021 rate

2.1%

Change from 2016

-1.4pp

45-54

2021 count

50

2021 rate

3.3%

Change from 2016

-1.1pp

55-64

2021 count

104

2021 rate

6.7%

Change from 2016

-1.9pp

65-74

2021 count

161

2021 rate

10.9%

Change from 2016

-0.8pp

75-84

2021 count

177

2021 rate

22.3%

Change from 2016

-1.3pp

85+

2021 count

122

2021 rate

47.3%

Change from 2016

+0.9pp

Data table

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

Need for assistance for Charters Towers (R). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Need for assistance for Charters Towers (R). 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%30.5%1.2%-3-0.5pp
5-14362.0%5.0%442.3%3.5%-8-0.3pp
15-19222.5%4.0%202.2%2.9%+2+0.3pp
20-24173.2%2.8%101.8%2.2%+7+1.4pp
25-34252.1%2.1%282.4%1.9%-3-0.3pp
35-44282.1%2.5%503.5%2.5%-22-1.4pp
45-54503.3%3.8%674.4%3.8%-17-1.1pp
55-641046.7%6.0%1348.6%6.0%-30-1.9pp
65-7416110.9%9.6%15411.7%9.1%+7-0.8pp
75-8417722.3%20.4%15923.6%19.3%+18-1.3pp
85+12247.3%47.7%9846.4%46.7%+24+0.9pp
Total7496.4%6.3%7636.4%5.5%-140.0pp