Population data
Population data are used in calculating the crude rates presented in this data set.
Estimated resident population (ERP)
Population estimates held by the AIHW are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). For Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4) areas, ERPs for SA4 areas based on the 2016 Australian Statistical Geographic Standard (ASGS) were available for 30 June for years from 2001 to 2021 (ABS 2017, ABS 2022). June 2022 SA4 populations were available in the ASGS 2021 schema.
Methodology
The 30 June 2022 SA4 populations which were available in the ASGS 2021 schema were mapped to ASGS 2016 using a mapping file.
Linear interpolation between the yearly 30 June ERPs was then undertaken by AIHW to estimate weekly ERP for each (ASGS 2016) SA4. Note that a limitation of this method is that it does not necessarily reflect the actual trajectory of the population changes.
For the state and territory level data, the aggregate of the constituent SA4-level population data (for SA4s in scope) was used as the population denominator in calculating crude rates.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2017) Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2016, ABS. cat. No. 3235.0 ((data available via ABS.Stat) Downloaded by AIHW on 28/09/2018).
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022) Regional population by age and sex. Reference period 2021 (downloaded from .Stat Data Explorer on 07/09/2022).