This value domain is intended exclusively for use when collecting data relating to admitted patient care.

CODE 0   Major cities of Australia

'Major cities of Australia' includes Statistical Area Level 1s (SA1s) with an average Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA+) index value of 0 to 0.2.

CODE 1   Inner regional Australia

'Inner regional Australia' includes SA1s with an average ARIA+ index value greater than 0.2 and less than or equal to 2.4.

CODE 2   Outer regional Australia

'Outer regional Australia' includes SA1s with an average ARIA+ index value greater than 2.4 and less than or equal to 5.92.

CODE 3   Remote Australia

'Remote Australia' includes SA1s with an average ARIA+ index value greater than 5.92 and less than or equal to 10.53.

CODE 4   Very remote Australia

'Very remote Australia' includes SA1s with an average ARIA+ index value greater than 10.53.

CODE 5   Migratory

'Migratory' is composed of off-shore, shipping and migratory SA1s.

This value domain allows for the allocation of remoteness codes in accordance with those used by the ABS remoteness structure. It is intended exclusively for use in the collection of admitted patient care data, where historically data has been remoteness coded to the value range 0-5. The similarly structured value domain, using the value range 1-6 for remoteness, should be used wherever possible (see the 'Related metadata references' section below).

In this value domain, physical distance is defined in terms of ARIA+ codes, rather than a simple linear distance between points.

The list of permissible values for this value domain, i.e. codes 0 to 5, is the same as that used by the ABS to describe remoteness areas, i.e. codes 0 to 5, and is directly mappable to the range of codes used (codes 1-6) in the related value domain linked below (see the 'Related metadata references' section).

In its initial form, as developed by GISCA and the then Department of Health and Aged Care in 1999, ARIA scores ranged from 0 to 12 and were based on proximity to 4 points of reference.

A new version, ARIA+, was introduced in 2003, with ARIA+ scores now based on proximity to 5 points of reference. Also, changes were made to allow for more accurate estimation of the cost of travelling from Tasmania to the mainland, and to increase accuracy for locations at the urban fringe.

Prior to 2011, ARIA+ scores were calculated for individual Census Collection Districts (CCDs). Following the phasing out of the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) and the introduction of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) by the ABS in 2011, ARIA+ scores are now calculated for individual Statistical Area Level 1s (SA1s).

Information relating to remoteness and other aspects of statistical geography is available from the Statistical Geography portal on the ABS website:

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016. ABS Geography. Viewed 15 August 2018, http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/
home/Geography

Information relating to the development of the ARIA and ARIA+ scores by the Australian Population and Migration Research Centre (APMRC) within the National Centre for Social Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GISCA) at the University of Adelaide is available from the APMRC website:

Australian Population and Migration Research Centre 2013. ARIA - Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia. Viewed 15 August 2018, https://www.adelaide.edu.au/hugo-centre/spatial_data/aria/