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 McKinlay (S), accounting for 10% (6 people). This share was higher than Regional Qld (9.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in 75-84 year olds, which increased by 6 people and 23.1 percentage points.

Section overview

Need for assistance with core activities by age

McKinlay (S) - Persons (Usual residence)

This table summarises need for assistance for McKinlay (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

+5

+6.4pp

15-19

0

0.0pp

20-24

0

0.0pp

25-34

0

0.0pp

35-44

+4

+3.2pp

45-54

0

0.0pp

55-64

-2

-1.7pp

65-74

+2

+4.4pp

75-84

+6

+23.1pp

85+

+2

+66.7pp

Data table

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

Need for assistance for McKinlay (S). Need for assistance with core activities by age. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
Need for assistance for McKinlay (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
5-1456.4%5.0%00.0%3.5%+5+6.4pp
15-1900.0%4.0%00.0%2.9%00.0pp
20-2400.0%2.8%00.0%2.2%00.0pp
25-3400.0%2.1%00.0%1.9%00.0pp
35-4443.2%2.5%00.0%2.5%+4+3.2pp
45-5400.0%3.8%00.0%3.8%00.0pp
55-6454.0%6.0%75.7%6.0%-2-1.7pp
65-74610.0%9.6%45.6%9.1%+2+4.4pp
75-84623.1%20.4%00.0%19.3%+6+23.1pp
85+5100.0%47.7%333.3%46.7%+2+66.7pp
Total232.8%6.3%222.8%5.5%+10.0pp