HMRI researchers explain how Census answers help improve medical research

Newy 87.8 FM – The Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) says information Australians provide in the Census plays an important role in medical research, ahead of the 2026 Census.

HMRI's Head of Biostatistics, Dr Daniel Barker, says accurate population data allows disease rates to be measured properly and enables comparisons between communities.

"If we know that 100 people in one town have a particular condition, that number doesn't necessarily mean much on its own. But if the town has 1,000 residents, then that tells a very different story than if the town had a population of 100,000," Dr Barker said.

Census data also captures information about age, sex and income, helping researchers understand which areas may be at higher risk of certain conditions and where health needs are changing over time.

HMRI Senior Statistician Dr Madeleine Hinwood, who is leading a project investigating sex and gender-related factors that may increase the risk of dementia after stroke, says Census data provides area-level measures such as socioeconomic status that help explain why health outcomes differ between groups.

Dr Patrick Skippen, Head of Data Management and Health Informatics at HMRI, says researchers use publicly available, grouped data released by the ABS rather than individual Census forms, protecting people's privacy.

HMRI's Head of Health Economics, Dr Victoria McCreanor, says Census information also helps governments understand where demand for healthcare is increasing so resources can be directed where they will have the greatest impact.

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