Technical notes

Data presented in this report are sourced from a range of data collections from several organisations, including:

  • Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
  • Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
  • Dementia Australia
  • Dementia Support Australia.

The latest data have been used wherever possible. Data are subject to change due to the nature and timing of the data collection, a regular program of updates and maintenance and identification of errors or anomalies. Revisions and changes in coverage should be considered when interpreting changes over time.

A summary of the main data sources used in this report are included in Table 1 below. For more detailed information, see Data sources.

For information on the methodologies used to derive estimates (for example, dementia prevalence or health and aged care expenditure) and other statistics presented in this report, see Methods. It is important to note that differences between data collections and methodological approaches may influence the comparability of estimates across data sources within this report, as well as with other published information not estimated by AIHW. Where relevant, these considerations have been noted within the report.

In this report, numbers are generally rounded to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000 in text. Percentages and rates are generally rounded to whole numbers, except for numbers less than 10 which are rounded to 1 decimal place. For unrounded numbers, refer to the Supplementary data tables.

For definitions of technical concepts used throughout this report, see Glossary.

Table 1: Summary of the main data sources used in Dementia in Australia
SourceData sourceMain source yearFrequency of updatesDescriptionSection/s where data was used
Australian Institute of Health and WelfareAustralian Burden of Disease Study

2024 (national estimates)

2018 (small area and First Nations people estimates)

Ad hocData on the fatal, non-fatal and total burden of disease in Australia.
Australian Institute of Health and WelfareDisease Expenditure Database2022–23AnnualContains estimates of spending by, area of expenditure, age group and sex across 17 Australian Burden of Disease Study (ABDS) groups and 220 individual conditions.
Australian Institute of Health and WelfareNational Aged Care Data ClearinghouseVariousVariousA central repository of national aged care data from various sources, mostly related to government-subsidised aged care programs operating under the Aged Care Act 1997. In this report data on the National Screening and Assessment Form, Home Care Packages Program, dementia and cognition supplement for home care and the Aged Care Funding Instrument are presented.
Australian Institute of Health and WelfareNational Hospital Morbidity Database2023–24AnnualEpisode-level records from admitted patient morbidity data collection systems in Australian hospitals (public and private). The data set for the reference period 2023–24 includes records for admitted patient separations between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.
Australian Institute of Health and WelfareNational Health Data Hub (NHDH)2020–21Various

The NHDH (accessed 5 September 2025), is a person-focused, de-identified analytical asset that allows for a range of research and analysis on many aspects of population health through access to standardised, integrated health administrative datasets.

This report used linked data between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2022 on:

  • admitted patient care services (in all public and, where available, private hospitals), emergency department services and outpatient services in public hospitals for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory
  • Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme national data
  • Residential aged care data from National Aged Care Clearinghouse (person level assessments, episodes in care, and leave from care and information on homes) national data

Linked data between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 on:

  • Medicare Benefits Schedule national data

Linked data between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2022 on:

  • National Mortality Database data.
Australian Institute of Health and WelfareNational Mortality Database2023AnnualData on records for deaths in Australia from 1964.
Australian Institute of Health and WelfarePharmaceutical Benefits Scheme/ Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme2023–24DailyData on medications prescribed and prescriptions dispensed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Australian Bureau of StatisticsEstimated Resident Population2024YearlyABS estimates of the usual resident population of Australia.
Australian Bureau of Statistics2021 Census2021Every five yearsCensus data tells us about the economic, social and cultural make-up of the country.
Australian Bureau of StatisticsSurvey of Disability Ageing and Carers2022Every 3–4 yearsDetailed information on a sample of people who either have a disability that restricts every-day activities, are aged 65 or over or are people who care for individuals with a disability, long-term health condition(s) (including dementia) or older people.
Dementia Australia
  • National Dementia Helpline administrative data
  • Unpublished Dementia Australia respondent survey data
2023–24Ad hocData on contacts to the National Dementia Helpline. Further information on these data is not available.
Dementia Support AustraliaDementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service and Severe Behaviour Response Teams administrative data2023–24Ad hocData on cases supported by the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service and Severe Behaviour Response Teams.
National Disability Insurance AgencyNational Disability Insurance Scheme data2024QuarterlyData on funding and support for people under the age of 65 with a permanent and significant disability.
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