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Rural and remote populations data book

The Health of the people of New South Wales
Report of the Chief Health Officer

Download the Rural and remote populations data book

Summary

  • Across Australia, people living in rural and remote areas generally have worse health than those living in cities.

  • Reasons for this health differential include geographic isolation, socioeconomic disadvantage, shortage of health care providers, lower levels of access to health services, greater exposure to injury risks, and poorer health among Aboriginal people who comprise a significant proportion of the population in rural and remote areas.

  • The population of NSW is highly urbanised. Less than 1% of the total population live in areas classified as 'remote' or 'very remote'.

  • In 2006, around 38,000 residents in NSW lived in 'remote' or 'very remote' areas of the state and just under a quarter of these (8,670) were Aboriginal. In 'very remote' areas alone Aboriginal people comprise almost one-third of the total population.

  • Higher proportion of Aboriginal populations with lower socioeconomic status in rural and remote areas may partially explain observed worse health outcomes in 'remote' and 'very remote' areas of the state.

  • Compared with people who live in 'major cities', people who live in 'remote' or 'very remote areas':
    - can expect to live about 5 fewer years in 'remote' areas and 7 fewer years in 'very remote' areas;
    - are more likely to die prematurely, and from causes classified as 'potentially avoidable';
    - report greater difficulties in getting health care when they need it;
    - are more likely to be hospitalised for conditions for which hospitalisation can be avoided through prevention and early management;
    - are more likely to be overweight and obese, if female;
    - are more likely to die in motor vehicle crashes;
    - are more likely to commit suicide.

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File link: Rural and remote populations data book
File size: &booksize
Type: Report
Date of Publication: &bookdate
Author Branch: Centre for Epidemiology & Research

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