Who lives in my catchment area? What are the health needs of specific communities?
This section directs you to quantitative and qualitative data and research that can help you understand communities, refine your programs and tailor your services to specific community needs.
Qualitative Data Sources
| Type | Includes | How To Find | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic publications (non-peer reviewed) | Reports and applied research projects produced by universities or affiliated research centres. These include community-focused qualitative research projects, program evaluations or pilot studies focused on CALD populations. | Search university and research centre websites directly as many publish research outputs outside traditional journals. For example - Swinburne University Centre for Global Health and Equity and University of Melbourne Global and Cultural Mental Health Unit. | Towards Active Engagement: Understanding how Organisations are using Technology to Connect with CALD Communities. |
| Community and sector publications | Reports and resources produced by community organisations, NGOs, local health services and peak bodies. These capture service delivery experiences, case studies and perspectives on CALD communities, often using qualitative methods such as client surveys and community consultations. | Check websites of key organisations – many community, advocacy and peak bodies publish reports under sections like “resources”, “publications” and “research.” | Barriers and Exclusions: The Support Needs of Newly Arrived Refugees with a Disability - Federation of Ethnic Community Councils Australia |
| Factsheets and tools | Cultural, linguistic and religious profiles and guidance for effective communication and engagement with diverse communities. | Search government, NGO, and community organisation websites for factsheets, toolkits or guides on working with CALD communities. | Cultural Atlas - SBS |
| Government and agency reports | Reports from government departments and statutory bodies that provide insights into CALD communities, often drawing on qualitative methods such as community consultations. These publications inform policy, program planning and culturally responsive service delivery. | Search federal government departments and state and territory statutory agencies. | Victorian Multicultural Commission Submission on Australia's 2022-2023 Humanitarian Program |
| International health agency reports | Evidence-based insights, case studies on migrant and refugee health and culturally inclusive practice. | Search World Health Organisation, the United Nations and other international health agency websites for reports and case studies. Use keywords like “migrant health,” “refugee health,” and “health equity”. | World Report on the Health of Refugees and Migrants - World Health Organisation. |
| National and state frameworks and plans | Policies, strategies, charters and plans providing guidance for culturally inclusive service delivery. | Check federal and state government websites for policies, frameworks or action plans on multicultural health and community engagement, using keywords like “multicultural,” “CALD,” or “cultural inclusion.” | Multicultural Health Action Plan 2023-27 - Victorian Department of Health |
| Peer-reviewed research articles | Articles published in academic journals that provide reliable, evidence-based information on the experiences, needs and issues affecting CALD communities. | Use a combination of specialised databases, search engines and specific search strategies. Focus on databases such as PubMed, Scopus and CINAHL, combined with relevant key words. Check outputs from universities and dedicated research centres, as many publish peer-reviewed studies and reports on CALD, migration and multicultural issues. | Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre |
| Professional position statements | Evidence-informed statements from medical colleges or peak bodies outlining key issues, principles and recommended actions for refugee and asylum seeker health. | Search the policy or publications sections of professional health organisations using relevant population and health keywords. | Refugee and Asylum Seeker Health Position Statement - The Royal Australasian College of Physicians |
| Program evaluations | Reports on culturally tailored health programs and community-led initiatives: what worked, what didn’t and why. | Search government, NGO, and community websites for “Publications” or “Evaluation Reports” and check academic databases and report references. | Evaluation of the CALD COVID 19 Health Engagement Project - Queensland Health |
Factsheets
Source Description Access Level Good For Bright Futures: Spotlight on the Wellbeing of Young People from Refugee and Migrant Backgrounds - Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network/VicHealth National level report providing quantitative and mixed method data on CALD young people, covering indicators related to education, employment, digital participation, social inclusion, mental health and wellbeing. Public (online report and summary tables). Understanding settlement, wellbeing and social inclusion trends among refugee and migrant youth. Stats and Facts about Human Rights (Cultural and Racial Diversity; and Refugees and People Seeking Asylum) - Australian Human Rights Commission Statistics on cultural and racial diversity, migration, ancestry, and public attitudes. Public. Understanding national trends in cultural diversity. Victorian PHN Resource Collection - Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Fact sheets on indicators such as age, gender and English-language proficiency for each PHN catchment. Public. Quick reference on demographic characteristics with limited CALD indicators (e.g., English-language proficiency). World Happiness Report - Sustainable Development Solutions Network Report ranking countries by happiness and well-being, based on survey data and key social, economic and health indicators. Public. Insights into cultural and social backgrounds of CALD communities.
Research Data
Source Description Access Level Good For Data.gov.au Portal to government datasets, some contain CALD variables. Public access for general datasets; some data accessible by request. Identifying CALD population patterns, health and social indicators and supporting research and planning. Find Data for Health Research - Health Data Australia Catalogue of health datasets with tools to search, bookmark and request access. Restricted to researchers; some datasets require approval. Research and insights into health, including CALD-relevant data. Social Atlas (atlas.id) Data discovery and mapping tool offering local-area demographic and social data, including cultural diversity, language, housing, age, and socio-economic indicators. Public in many council areas; subscription or partnership may be required for full access. Local service planning, community needs mapping, identifying CALD or vulnerable communities, and small-area demographic analysis. Social Health Atlases - Torrens University (PHIDU) LGA-level spatial and statistical data on health, demographics and social indicators aggregated from national survey and administrative datasets. Access via PIHDU portal. Mapping health and social indicators; monitoring population trends; research and planning for CALD communities.
Community & Local Data
| Source | Description | Access Level | Good For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Know Your Council - Department of Government Services | Community profiles and performance data for all Victorian councils, including a region-level summary with CALD indicators such as overseas-born population, overseas migration, languages spoken at home, and religious affiliation along with Victoria-wide metrics. | Public | Understanding CALD-related community characteristics within the broader context of council performance, comparing LGAs across Victoria and identifying local service needs or equity gaps. |
| Local Government Areas Report on Population Diversity - Department of Premier and Cabinet | Cultural and linguistic diversity profiles for each Victorian Local Government Area, along with a statewide overview. Includes indicators such as ancestry, languages spoken at home, English proficiency and country of birth. | Public | Understanding CALD population patterns across Victoria, comparing LGAs and identifying areas of emerging diversity. |
| Multicultural Community Profiles - Department of Families, Fairness and Housing | Demographic snapshots of Victoria’s CALD communities (ancestry, language, religion, migration history). | Public | Understanding CALD population characteristics, settlement patterns, and community composition. |
| Victorian Women’s Health Atlas - Women’s Health Victoria | Statewide and LGA-level data on women’s health and wellbeing, including limited CALD indicators such as English proficiency. | Public | Examining women’s health and wellbeing trends, including limited CALD indicators. |
Health System Data
| Source | Description | Access Level | Good For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre for Victorian Data Linkage (CVDL) | State-level data linkage service combining health, hospital, service-use and demographic datasets into a de-identified linked data resource. | By application to CVDL; requires project proposal, ethics approval and data custodian clearance. | System wide insights, including investigation of CALD population health and service use. |
| National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Data | Aggregated counts of participants identified as CALD, including breakdowns by disability type. Also includes indicators such as age, gender, funding type and support needs. | Public | Understanding broad trends in CALD participation in the NDIS and identifying participation patterns across disability categories. |
| Outcome Health (Victoria) | De-identified GP/population-health data (POLAR). | Data access via PHN/research application. | Service planning and population-health insights, including CALD communities where data access is approved. |
| PHN Commissioned Service Data | PHN data covering demographics, CALD indicators, health conditions and service-use patterns. | Restricted access. Contact local PHN to request access. | CALD population health conditions, risk factors and service use pattens. |
| Services Australia Statistical Information and Data | Aggregated statistics from Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support. | Public for summary statistics; more detailed CALD-specific data needs to be requested through formal approval processes. | Insights into CALD client population service trends, utilisation and equity of access. |
| Victorian Department of Health Population Health Survey | State-wide survey collecting health, wellbeing and service use data. Includes CALD communities through language-inclusive interviewing. | CALD-specific data requires approval. | Understanding health and social patterns, service access and CALD populations in Victoria. |
National Datasets
| Source | Description | Access Level | Good For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) | National census of children’s development. Captures language spoken at home, ESL status and country of birth. | CALD data access by request. | Understanding early development in CALD communities. |
| ABS Table Builder | Online tool to create customised tables from Census and survey data (e.g recent arrivals by language and health conditions) | Registration required; some microdata. | Deeper analysis of CALD population demographics and health indictors. |
| AIHW - GEN Aged Care Data | National aged care data that includes CALD service users. | Public (summary reports, datasets and dashboards); detailed datasets on application. | Understanding aged care use and outcomes for CALD populations. |
| Australian Census and Migrants Integrated Dataset (ACMID) | ABS linked dataset combining Census data with settlement records for permanent migrants (2000 onward). Includes country of birth, language, visa stream and migration characteristics. | Public summary data; detailed microdata available via request. | Understanding settlement patterns, socioeconomic outcomes, employment, education and wellbeing trends among CALD communities. |
| Building a New Life in Australia (AIFS) | Longitudinal study of humanitarian migrants. | Public (summary reports, datasets and dashboards); detailed datasets on application. | Tracking CALD population health, education, employment and settlement outcomes. |
| Health of Refugees and Humanitarian Entrants in Australia (2023) | Linked-data report on health service use, long-term conditions, medication dispensing and mortality for refugees; disaggregated by country of birth and time since arrival. | Public (online report and summary tables); detailed datasets available on application. | Exploring health outcomes, service use and wellbeing trends among refugee and humanitarian-entrant populations. |
| National Census | National demographic data collected every 5 years – with key CALD indicators (birthplace, language, English proficiency, ancestry, religion and year of arrival). Includes QuickStats and Community Profiles for easy local-level insights. | Public summary tables and profiles; detailed data by application. | Mapping diversity in population and, analysing demographic trends. |
| National Health Survey (NHS) | National survey on health, chronic conditions and risk factors; includes birthplace and language spoken at home. | Public reports, datasets, dashboards; detailed microdata on request. | Analysing health, risk factors and service use among CALD populations. |
| National Health Survey: Health Literacy (NHSHL) | Survey measuring use of health information; includes birthplace and language. | Public reports; detailed microdata by request. | Identifying disparities in health literacy and service navigation among CALD populations. |
| Reporting on the Health of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations in Australia (2022) | Review of available CALD variables in national health datasets, including guidance on interpreting CALD group statistics; helps identify gaps and limitations in data collection. | Public. | Identifying which CALD indicators are available across datasets and understanding gaps in CALD health data collection. |
| Settlement Reports Department of Home Affairs | Data on humanitarian, family and skilled migrants, including arrivals by region. | Public. | Mapping CALD population arrivals and settlement trends. |
| Settlement Statistics Refugee Council of Australia | National-level statistics on refugee arrivals, country of origin, settlement locations, and demographics. | Public. | Understanding settlement patterns and demographics of refugees; research and planning for CALD populations. |
| Use of Hospitals and Homelessness Services by Refugees and Humanitarian Entrants (2024) | Analysis of hospitalizations, emergency-department visits and homelessness service engagement among refugee/humanitarian entrants, with comparisons to other migrants and the general population. | Public (report and tables online); detailed linked data on request. | Understanding service access, acute health needs and social support utilisation for CALD refugee populations. |
Have feedback? Email us at enquiries@ceh.org.au
