1384.6 - Statistics - Tasmania, 2007  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/04/2004   
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Contents >> Community Services >> Potential need for community services

Tasmania faces a number of challenges in ensuring the wellbeing of all members of the community. The changing demographic structure and changing workforce have increased social and economic pressures within the community, and Tasmania's small and decentralised population poses further challenges to the provision of effective welfare services.

Many members of the community require assistance with different aspects of life. The following table provides an overview of the numbers of people who may utilise community services, including older persons, families with children and persons with a disability.


SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL NEED FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSISTANCE - Tasmania
Period
Tasmania

Population
People aged 65 and over
30 June 2003p
67,531
Children aged 0-11
30 June 2003p
76,635
Total population
30 June 2003p
477,094

Families in Tasmania
Couple family with children
7 August 2001
54,235
Couple family without children
7 August 2001
47,674
One parent family
7 August 2001
20,476
Other family
7 August 2001
1,693
Total families
7 August 2001
124,078

Persons with a disability
Core activity(a) restriction
1998
81,500
Schooling or employment restriction
1998
49,200
All with specific restrictions(b)
1998
90,600
Without specific restrictions(c)
1998
14,500
All with disability
1998
105,100

Mental health
Persons with long term mental and behavioural problems(d)
2001
47,100
Persons aged 18 years and over: Level of psychological distress(e)
High (22-29)
2001
35,200
Very High (30-50)
2001
12,900

(a) Core activites comprise communication, mobility and self care.
(b) Total may be less than the sum of the components as persons may have both a core activity restriction and a schooling or employment restriction.
(c) Includes persons who need assistance with health care, paperwork, transport, housework, property maintenance or meal preparation.
(d) Conditions which have lasted or are expected to last for 6 months or more.
(e) As measured by the Kessler 10 scale, from which a score of 10 to 50 is produced. This is a scale of non-specific psychological distress based on 10 questions about negative emotional states in the 4 weeks prior to interview. Higher scores indicate a higher level of distress, while low scores indicate a low level of distress.

Source: Population by Age and Sex, Australian States and Territories, June 2003 (cat. no. 3201.0); 2001 Census Basic Community Profile and Snapshot, Tasmania;; Disability, Ageing and Carers: Summary Tables, Tasmania, (cat. no. 4430.6.40.001); National Health Survey: Summary of Results (cat. no. 4364.0).



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