Rates information
Crude population rates
Crude rates are calculated using the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated resident population (ERP) in either the middle of financial year (for example, rates for 2019–20 were calculated using the ERP at 31 December 2019) or the start of the financial year (for example, rates for 2019–20 were calculated using the ERP at 30 June 2019). Information about the ERP used is included in table footnotes.
For the report about People who received specialist homelessness services and alcohol and other drug treatment services who have died, crude mortality rate is expressed per 10,000 person years. A person-year is a unit used in the measurement of the time a group of people spends at risk of an event occurring. The time at risk of a group measured in person years is calculated by summing the amount of time (in years) that each person in the group spends at risk of the event during the study. For example, a rate of 30 deaths per 1,000 person-years, means there will be, on average, 30 people who die if 1,000 people are observed for one year.
Age-standardised population rates
Population rates were adjusted (standardised) for age to enhance the comparison between populations over time that have different age structures. Specifically, direct standardisation has been used where age-specific rates are applied to a standard population (the ERP as at 30 June 2001, unless otherwise specified). This effectively accounts for the influence of age structure on the calculated rate and is referred to as the age-standardised rate.