Profiling health and socioeconomic disadvantage in the northern Adelaide Local Health Network population

Objective We describe aspects of social disadvantage in the northern Adelaide region, demonstrate how living with disadvantage impacts health outcomes to understand how the local health network can better serve this disadvantaged community. Design Using large scale, population-based data from the 2021 census we captured a snapshot of the disadvantage and health status of the community within the northern Adelaide region compared to the central and southern regions of Adelaide and other Australian capital cities. Results Northern Adelaide is a region of greater relative disadvantage, as shown by both the low Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage score (993) compared to the national average (1000) and scores above the national average for the central and southern Adelaide regions. Social determinants that contribute to this relative disadvantage include the proportion of people with no or limited education (26%) and those living on constrained income sources (e.g. unemployment benefits / aged pension, 10% and 72%, respectively). The northern Adelaide region has higher burdens of long-term health conditions including but not limited to diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and lung diseases. The comparatively high prevalence of obesity (37%) for people in the north of Adelaide were associated with low numbers of people with adequate fruit intake (48%) and the higher proportion of people who currently smoke (16%) and who undertake low or no levels of exercise (73%). Conclusions Social disadvantage in the northern Adelaide region is associated with poorer health outcomes and higher levels of health risk behaviour compared to the less disadvantaged central and southern regions of Adelaide. Adapting health care to recognise this association may help improve the health of people living with disadvantage. Summary box ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study did not receive any funding ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: We analysed data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), using the Social Health Atlas of Australia: 2021 Census and data by population health areas (PHA), updated throughout 2023. This data is available via the PHIDU website. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes We analysed data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), using the Social Health Atlas of Australia: 2021 Census and data by population health areas (PHA), updated throughout 2023. This data is publicly available via * ASR : Age-standardised rate CALHN : Central Adelaide local health network LGA : local government area LHN : local health network NALHN : Northern Adelaide local health network PHA : Public Health Area SALHN : Southern Adelaide local health network