Needs Assessment of Students at Wollongong University

Master in Public Health 1
Master in Public Health
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Master in Public Health 2
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................................3
2.0 Community Characteristics..................................................................................................3
2.1 Demographic Characteristics............................................................................................3
2.2 Geographic and Physical Characteristics.........................................................................3
2.3 Social Characteristics.......................................................................................................4
2.4 Health Status Characteristics of Wollongong City...........................................................4
3.0 Sources of Data....................................................................................................................5
3.1 Primary Data source.........................................................................................................5
3.2 Secondary Data Source.....................................................................................................5
4.0 Relevant Journal articles......................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................9

Master in Public Health 3
1.0 Introduction
The objective of this report is to conduct a needs assessment of students at the Wollongong
University. As a result, significant information and data necessary for the study are discussed
in detail, these includes different characteristics of the Wollongong community, potential
sources of primary and secondary data and relevant journal articles on needs assessment.
2.0 Community Characteristics
2.1 Demographic Characteristics
The Wollongong City has a population of approximately 18,442 with 3.13 persons per
hectare population density as at the year 2016 (ABS, 2016). 49.3% (9,100) of the population
comprises of females whereas males represent 50.7% (9,342). The Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander population in Wollongong city represents 1.3% (249) of the total population.
According to the 2016 population estimates of Wollongong City, the Australian citizens
represent 17.1% (4,153) of the population with those aged 65 years and above representing
18.5% of the population, children of 0-14 years made up 9.0% of the population with the
median age of the Wollongong people being 34 years. 9.1% (808) of Wollongong City people
were unemployed, 54.1% (4,796) worked full time, and 32.2% (2,855) worked part-time.
There were 89.4% (7,734) occupied private dwellings and 10.6% (919) unoccupied
dwellings.
2.2 Geographic and Physical Characteristics
Wollongong is a seaside city found in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia.
The city is located 82 kilometres south of Sydney on the narrow coastal strip between
Illawarra escarpment and the Pacific Ocean. Wollongong is the third largest city in New
South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle. The term “Wollongong” means “seas of the south”
in the local Aboriginal dialect (Kass, 2010). The city is known for its surfing beaches and
rock pools that distinguish its coastline. Mt Keira in the Illawara mountain range is mostly