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    • Figure: remoteness
    • Figure: socio-economic status
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Parents or carers reporting participation of children aged 4-12 years in sport, other physical activities and/or non-physical activities, NSW, 2001 (number and per cent of parent or carers)

		Participated		Not participated		Total
		%	n	%	n	n
Overall	Overall	74.2	4,510	25.8	1,565	6,075
Age	4-7yrs	63.6	1,557	36.4	892	2,449
	8-12yrs	81.4	2,953	18.6	673	3,626
Sex	Male	73.8	2,246	26.2	798	3,044
	Female	74.7	2,264	25.3	767	3,031
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status	Yes	60.4	174	39.6	114	288
	No	74.9	4,336	25.1	1,451	5,787
Remoteness	Highly accessible	77.0	2,759	23.0	826	3,585
	Accessible	72.5	1,216	27.5	461	1,677
	Moderately accessible	70.2	285	29.8	121	406
	Remote	64.6	228	35.4	125	353
	Very remote	40.7	22	59.3	32	54
Socio-economic status	1st quintile	85.5	556	14.5	94	650
	2nd quintile	79.3	877	20.7	229	1,106
	3rd quintile	73.9	1,087	26.1	383	1,470
	4th quintile	70.9	975	29.1	400	1,375
	5th quintile	68.9	1,015	31.1	459	1,474

Notes: Table based on 6,075 respondents. For this indicator 426 (6.6%) responses were 'not stated' (Don't know or Refused) and excluded from analysis. Remoteness based on Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia classification. Socio-economic status based on Socio-Economic Index For Areas classification. The following questions were asked of parents or carers: "In the past 12 months, outside of school hours, how often has [child] taken part in sports with a coach or instructor (except dance or gymnastics)?"; "In the past 12 months, outside of school hours, how often has [child] taken lessons or instruction in other organised physical activities with a coach or instructor, such as dance, gymnastics or martial arts?"; and "In the past 12 months, outside of school hours, how often has [child] taken lessons or instruction in music, art or other non-sport activities?".

Source: NSW Child Health Survey 2001. Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health (unpublished data).

Comment

Approximately 75% of children participated in some form of organised activity outside school hours in the past 12 months. The proportion participating is lower for children who are:

• 4 to 7 year olds
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• living in remote or very remote areas
• living in areas of low socio-economic status