Does remoteness affect socioeconomic status?

It is well known that health outcomes deteriorate with remoteness (or rurality). It is also understood that health outcomes are strongly influenced by a range of social determinants, and therefore by the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA).

But what is the relationship between rurality and SEIFA? The Alliance is working with other bodies to explore this. In its latest reports, the COAG Health Reform Council published some preliminary data on rates of smoking and drinking at dangerous levels by rurality and by SEIFA quintiles. Read more here.