Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia Plus (ARIA+)

The Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia Plus (ARIA plus) is a remoteness index value (or score) based on road distance to major service centres (GISCA). In 2001, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) applied ARIA cut-off scores to define the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Remoteness Areas (ABS).

The service centre categories are based on population size, with the smallest centres in ARIA having populations of 1,000-4,999. Localities with populations greater than 1,000 persons are considered to contain at least some basic level of services (e.g. health, education, or retail) (GISCA). Service centres with larger populations are assumed to contain a greater level of service provision. ARIA scores are based over 20,000 such localities throughout Australia.

In HealthStats NSW, remoteness areas are classified as Major cities; Inner regional or Outer regional areas (these two are referred to as 'regional' when taken together); Remote and Very remote areas ('remote' when the last two are taken together). The term 'rural and remote' is used when referring generally to areas outside Major Cities.

Amalgamating ARIA categories to reduce variability associated with small numbers

Increasing the size of areas considered is used for estimates in analysis by remoteness from service centres. Very remote areas are often amalgamated with Remote areas and occasionally Very remote, Remote and Outer regional areas are amalgamated. Extending the period of time in which cases are counted is also used in some indicators presenting health data by ARIA.

Analysis of NSW Population Health Survey data by remoteness from service centres in HealthStats NSW

Postal areas are grouped according to the Australian Statistical Geographical Standard (ASGS) remoteness categories on the basis of Accessibility/Remoteness Index for Australia (ARIA+ version) score. For reporting purposes, outer regional, remote and very remote areas are aggregated in order to report reliable estimates of a range of health behaviours for non-metropolitan areas.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 1270.0.55.005 - Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS): Volume 5 - Remoteness Structure. Available at http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/1270.0.55.005July%202011?OpenDocument