Dr Paul Jelfs, Assistant Statistician, Health Information and Social Analysis Branch, ABS

Australian Social Trendson the ABS website

• Editions of AST from 1994

• Social indicators: national, state & territory time series data cubes

• Hyperlinked cumulative topic index

• 2008 seminar series slideshows for each state and territory

Population Ageing• Future population growth and ageing

• Retirement and retirement intentions

• Trends in superannuation coverage

“CLOCK'S TICKING ON SUPER CONTRIBUTIONS” - AFR“POPULATION WILL PASS 30

MILLION BY 2056” - The Age

Proportion of population aged 65 years and over

• Series A : high fertility (2.0 per woman) + high level of net migration from overseas (220,000 per year) + high life expectancy (96 years for newborn girls and 94 for newborn boys)

• Series B : current fertility (1.8) + medium net migration (180K) + medium life expectancy (girls 88, boys 85)• Series C : low fertility (1.6) + low net migration (140K) + medium life expectancy (girls 88, boys 85)

1971 1991 2011 2031 2051 2071 2091As at 30 June

%

5

10

15

20

25

30ActualProjected (Series A)Projected (Series B)Projected (Series C)

Older households (65+ years) with income support as their main income

less than 5 5–9 10–14 15–19 20+number of years of retirement

%

0

25

50

75

100

superannuation income streamother private sourcewelfarenil or negative

Retirees’ main source of personal income — 2007

Average superannuation balances — 2007

(Overall median = $24,000 and overall mean = $71,000)

Employment rate vs retirement intentions

45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–69 70+

0

20

40

60

80

100% employed% of employed who do not intend to retire

Mental HealthMental Disorder -

'the existence of a clinically recognisable set of symptoms or behaviour associated in most cases with distress and with interference with personal functions'

(ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders).

People with a mental illness — 2007

Prevalence of selected mental illness (12 months) — 2007

• Anxiety disorders such as panic disorders, involving tension, stress and nerves.• Mood disorders such as depression and bi-polar.• Substance use disorders such as alcohol and drug abuse.

Prevalence of mental illness (12 months), by age - 2007

Severity of mental disorders — 2007

Mild Moderate Severe

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

Social Isolation — 2007Contact with family and friends

Had contact with friendsat least once a month

Had family couldrely on and confide in

with a serious problem

50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100%

With a mental illnessWithout a mental illness

Health Literacy

Health literacy - ability to use & understand health information such as the directions printed on medications

“Health knowledge

declines with age” –

ninemsn

Health literacy skill level

Levels 3, 4 and 5 represent adequate or better health literacy

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4/5Health literacy skill level

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

People with adequate or better health literacy - age and sex

15–1920–24

25–2930–34

35–3940–44

45–4950–54

55–5960–64

65–74

Age group (years)

%

10

20

30

40

50

60 Males

Females

Highest level of education and household income

Low income Middle income High income

%

0

25

50

75

100 Bachelor degree or aboveAdvanced Diploma/DiplomaYear 12Year 10 or below

Young people moving out of the parental home (and back again)

“Young adults remain in nest longer” - West Australian

Selected living arrangements

15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39Age (years)

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

Living with parents 1986Living with parents 2006Partner 1986Partner 2006Group house 1986Group house 2006

Probability of first leaving home by a certain age, people aged 18-34 years

15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33Age when first left home (years)

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

People aged 18-34 who had left home and returned, length of first time away, 2006-07

<11>2

2>33>4

4>55>6

6>77>8

8>99>10

10>1111>12

Time away from home (years)

%

0

10

20

30

40

Main reason first left home (18-34 years)

Under 18 18–20 21+Age when first left home (years)

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

Family conflictBe independentStudyEmployment/careerLive with partner/get marriedOther(a)

Reasons for not leaving home/returning home

Reason never left Reason returned

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

Financial reasonsConvenienceTo care, or be cared forEnd of relationship/temporary stay Other reason

Couples in Australia

“MORE COUPLES JUST `LIVE TOGETHER” - The Advertiser

Marital status of adults

1986 1991 1996 2001 2006

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

SingleDe facto Married

1986

2006

Marital status of adults – age group

Number of live-in relationships 2006–07

Males18–34 years

Females18–34 years

Males35+ years

Females35+ years

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

Three or moreTwoOneNone

Never partnered people aged 35–64 years — 2006–07

De facto as a step to marriage:

proportion of married couples who lived together before marriage, by decade of marriage

Births to unmarried mothers

1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007

%

10

15

20

25

30

35

Trends in household work

“MEN PICK UP PACE BUT HOUSE IS

STILL WOMEN'S WORK” - The Australian

Paid work vs Household work — 2006

Time spent on household work, by sex and age group - 2006

Time spent on selected household tasks

2006– Food preparation and clean up

Males:3 hours and 25 minutes– Females:8 hours

– Laundry and clothes care – Males:35 minutes – Females:3 hours and 25 minutes

– Home maintenance – Males:1 hour and 40 minutes – Females:20 minutes

– Child care – Males:2 hours and 35 minutes– Females:6 hours and 55 minutes

– Purchasing goods and services – Males:4 hours and 25 minutes– Females:6 hours and 45 minutes

Time spent on household work, by sex and status in employment - 2006

Not in thelabour force

Unemployed Employedpart-time

Employedfull-time

Hrs/week

0

10

20

30

40

50 Males

Females

Student achievement in maths and science

“Teen boys buck trend to outdo

girls in maths, science” – The West

Australian, 30 June 2009

1995 2003 2007TIMSS years

490

500

510

520

530

International averageYear 4 mathsYear 4 scienceYear 8 mathsYear 8 science

Maths and science scores, 1995-2007

Average scores by sex, 2007

(a) Difference between boys and girls are not significant

Year 4 maths(a)

Year 4 science(a)

Year 8 maths

Year 8 science

450 475 500 525 550TIMSS average scores

Boys

Girls

Selected countries achievement, year 8 maths and science, 2007

September issue of AST

• Expanding links with Asia• Childhood overweight and obesity• Carers • Multiple job holders• Work/family balance

Release date 24 September, 2009

Coming up…

Further information

www.abs.gov.au Australian Social Trends ABS catalogue number 4102.0

Linda Fardell linda.fardell@abs.gov.au Phone: (02) 6252 7187

Dr Paul Jelfs paul.jelfs@abs.gov.au Phone: (02) 6252 6690