Table 2

Comparison of the weighted pandemic influenza survey sample to the Australian population for key demographics

Weighted pandemic influenza survey sample %
 2006 Australian Population‡ %
 P values+
Gender
Based on = > 16 years
Male
 50.8
 48.8
 p = 0.069
Female
 49.2
 51.2
Age
Based on = > 16 years
16–24
 15.1
 15.5
 p = 0.01
25–34
 17.1
 17.1
35–44
 19.7
 18.8
45–54
 18.8
 17.7
55–64
 14.3
 14.0
65–74
 9.5
 8.8
75+
 5.4
 8.1
Highest formal qualification
Based on = > 15 years
None
 6.1
 7.9
 p < 0.0001
School certificate
 22.1
 17.3
High school certificate
 17.2
 22.3
TAFE certificate/diploma
 22.6
 31.7
University degree/equivalent
 32.0
 20.8
Born in Australia **
Based on = > 15 years
 p = 0.065
Yes
 73.5
 71.7
No
 26.5
 28.3
Speak language other than English#
Based on all years
Yes
 16.8
 16.8
 p = 0.982
No
 83.2
 83.2
Employed ^^
Based on = > 15
Yes
 64.1
 61.2
 p = 0.007
No
 35.9
 38.8
Children in household *** ##
Based on occupied dwellings
Yes
 41.5
 43.3
 p = 0.101
No
 58.5
 56.7
Living alone
Based on = > 15 years
Yes
 11.1
 12.5
 p = 0.054
No
 88.9
 87.5
Location ^^^
Based on all years
Urban
 70.1
 68.4
 p = 0.093
Rural
 29.9
 31.6

Notes:‡ ABS figures obtained from the ABS website at http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au. Symbols refer to ABS data: * Excludes Australian External Territories; ** Excludes country of birth not stated; # language spoken at home. Excludes language spoken at home not stated;

## Count of persons in occupied private dwellings; *** children defined as being < 15 yrs old; ^based on 52 weeks in the year.

^^ Employed is defined as any paid work full-time or part time ^^^ urban/rural is defined by area health service for NSW population survey and is equal to the major cities category for the Australian census. +chi squared

Source: New South Wales Health Survey Program. Sydney: New South Wales Department of Health, 2008.

Barr et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2008 8:117   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-117