| |
WHAT'S NEW
People with a Need for Assistance- A Snapshot 2006
People with a Need for Assitance - A Snapshot 2006 (cat. no. 4445.0) provides a 'snapshot' of disability as captured by the 2006 Census. The article examines the variable 'need for assistance' which identifies people who, because of a disability, long term health condition or the effect of old age, report a need for assistance in their daily lives with at least one of the core activities of self care, mobility or communication. It was designed to be conceptually comparable to the 'profound of severe core activity limitation' variable from the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC). The variable defines a population with the greatest levels of disability and, correspondingly, the greatest need for community support. The Census allows for the examination of this population by demographic, geographic and economic characteristics, and in particular allows comparison of small geographic regions.
National Health Survey 2007/2008:
The 2007-2008 National Health Survey (NHS) was conducted from July 2007 to June 2008 (cat. no. 4364.0). The survey collected information on the health status of the population; health related aspects of lifestyle and other health risk factors; and the use of health services and other actions people had recently taken for their health.
Disability data comparable to that collected in the General Social Survey (GSS) were collected for the first time. Disability specific data items include: disability status, disability type, main disability group and whether a person has either an education and/or employment restriction.
Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007:
The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (SMHWB) was conducted from August to December 2007 and results were released in October of 2008 (cat. no. 4326.0). The survey collected information on lifetime prevalence estimates for three major groups of mental disorders: Anxiety disorders; Affective disorders; and Substance Use disorders. The survey also collected information on the level of disability associated with these disorders and the use of health services and medication for mental health problems, physical conditions, functioning and disability, social networks and care giving, and a range of demographic and socio-economic characteristics.
WORK IN PROGRESS
SDAC 2009:
What is it?
The Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) is the premiere ABS source of national statistics on disability. The survey seeks information on three key population groups: people aged 60 and over, people with disabilities and people who are carers. The 2009 SDAC will collect information on the assistance requirements of these groups, the extent to which these requirements are met, and the characteristics of those with unmet need. It will also provide information on the social inclusion of these groups.
The SDAC is the major source of national statistics on carers and primary carers and collects data on the numbers and characteristics of carers, care relationships and activities for which informal care is provided. In the case of primary carers, it also seeks information on support that is required and available and the effects of the caring role on their lives. The SDAC provides disability prevalence rates for Australia, its states and territories, and forms the major collection of disability data which is used to assist government departments and community groups in planning for the future and in the development of relevant policies in meeting the needs of Australians.
The first comprehensive survey on disability (The Survey of Handicapped Persons) was conducted in 1981. Over the years it has been refined and renamed to reflect changing public awareness and preferences, and has been conducted five times in all. The last SDAC was conducted in 2003 and the Australian Bureau of Statistics is conducting the next SDAC this year (2009). Enumeration will take place from April to December and will cover urban and rural areas in all states and territories throughout Australia. In the 2009 SDAC, approximately 31 500 dwellings are being approached in the household component of the survey to deliver a fully responding sample of approximately 24 000 dwellings. About 1 200 cared accommodation establishments (hospitals, aged care accommodation, care components of retirement villages and other homes with a care component) are being approached to achieve a fully responding sample size of approximately 1000.
Are there any differences from the previous SDAC?
The 2009 SDAC aims for a significantly higher sample than the 2003 SDAC, with more special dwellings, private dwellings and Health Establishments being included.
There are several significant additions to the survey for 2009 which have been included to address rising needs for specific data. The new content includes questions on unmet demand for disability services and services for the elderly; additional questions relating to carers; social inclusion; and labour force participation.
Key areas of new content relate to:
Unmet demand for disability services and services for the elderly:
- Frequency of assistance received;
- Age at which assistance first needed with core activities (i.e. mobility, self care and communication);
- Whether has received, or expects to receive, assistance for 6 months or more;
- Whether contacted any organised services for assistance in the last 12 months
Additional social inclusion information:
- Social participation of carers;
- Contact with family and friends;
- Ability to get support in times of crisis
Additional labour force information:
- Main activity when not in the labour force;
- Whether wanted to work;
- Difficulties in finding work
Improved carer data:
- Whether main recipient of care lives in cared accommodation;
- Total time spent caring for any/all recipients
When is the 2009 SDAC being conducted? When can results be expected?
The 2009 SDAC will be conducted from April to December 2009, and the results are expected to be released in late 2010.
Disability information paper "ABS Sources of Disability Information" 2003 -2007
ABS Sources of Disability Information 2003 - 2007 information paper examines the different disability data sources collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and outlines the suitability of various collections in meeting information needs. It evaluates the measures available from recent ABS social surveys and determines which items accord best with the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC). The SDAC provides the largest and most comprehensive disability data collection and is regarded as the ABS benchmark. The paper also contains comparisons with the disability measure used in the Census.
Release date: June 2009
|
This page last updated 19 February 2010 |
