4431.0.55.002 - ABS Sources of Disability Information, 2012 - 2016  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 12/09/2018   
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SHORT DISABILITY MODULE

The Short Disability Module is a standard set of questions used in a survey to quickly identify whether a person has a disability and determine the severity of their disability. The module typically takes less than two minutes for an interviewer to administer. The responses to the questions can then be used to classify the person to one of the categories of 'Severity of Disability'.

Questions 1-4 determine the presence or absence of various health conditions, impairments, limitations or restrictions. The next four questions determine whether the person has a core-activity (the activities of self-care, mobility and communication) limitation and the severity of that limitation. Questions 6-8 are on the person's need for assistance and Question 9 is about the person's possible use of aids. The final two questions (Questions 11-12) determine whether the person has an education or employment restriction and are only asked of people aged less than 65 years. Note that Q5 and Q10 are not true questions but sequence guides, that is, tests that determine which sequence of questions a person should receive.

As the questions on the presence of individual health conditions allow for multiple responses to be provided, the Short Disability Module does not allow the separate identification of the individual conditions for which the severity is ascertained.

Short Disability Module questions

Q1. I would now like to ask about any conditions you may have that have lasted, or are likely to last, for six months or more.

Interviewer: Show Prompt card 1

Prompt card 1:
1. Shortness of breath
2. Chronic or recurring pain
3. A nervous or emotional condition
4. Memory problems or periods of confusion
5. Social or behavioural difficulties
6. Long term effects as a result of a head injury, stroke or other brain damage
7. Any other long term condition that requires treatment or medication
8. Any other long term condition such as arthritis, asthma, heart disease, etc.

Yes
No Go to Q6

Q2 Which ones?
(Refer to Prompt card 1. More than one response is allowed)

Q3 Are you restricted in everyday activities because of this/these] condition?

Yes
No go to Q6

Q4

1. IF Q2 > 1 response go to Q5
2. Otherwise go to Q6

Q5 Which ones?

More than one response is allowed.

1. Shortness of breath
2. Chronic or recurring pain
3. A nervous or emotional condition
4. Memory problems or periods of confusion
5. Social or behavioural difficulties
6. Long term effects as a result of a head injury, stroke or other brain damage
7. Any other long term condition that requires treatment or medication
8. Any other long term condition such as arthritis, asthma, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, dementia etc.]

Q6 Still thinking of conditions that have lasted 6 months or more, are you restricted in everyday activities by any of these?
Interviewer: Show Prompt card 2

Prompt card 2:
1 - Shortness of breath
2 - Chronic or recurring pain
3 - A nervous or emotional condition
4 - Long term effects as a result of a head injury, stroke or other brain damage
5 - Any other long term condition that requires treatment or medication
6 - Any other long term condition such as arthritis, asthma, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, dementia etc

Yes
No Go to Q8


Q7 Which ones?
(Refer to Prompt card 2. More than one response is allowed)

Q8
The person is considered to have a disability if the answer to Q1 or Q3 is 'Yes' and is sequenced to Q9.
If the answer to Q1 and Q3 is 'No' then no more questions are asked and the person is sequenced to the end of the module.

Q9 Because of the condition/conditions you have told me about, do you ever need help or supervision with any of these tasks?
Interviewer: Show Prompt card 3

Prompt card 3:

Self care
For example:
- Bathing / showering
- Dressing / undressing
- Eating / feeding
- Going to toilet
- Bladder / bowel control

Mobility
For example:
- Moving around away from home
- Moving around at home
- Getting in or out of a bed or chair

Communication
For example:
- Understanding / being understood by strangers, friends or family, including using sign language / lip reading

Yes
No Go to Q11

Q10 Do you always need help with any of these tasks? (Refer to Prompt card 3)

Yes Go to Q13
No Go to Q13


Q11 Because of the condition/conditions you have told me about, do you ever have difficulty with any of these tasks?

Yes Go to Q13
No


Q12 Even though you can do these self care, mobility and communication tasks without difficulty, do you use any aids to assist with these tasks?

Yes
No

Q13 Sequence guide:
If the person is aged 5 years or more, go to Q14.
Otherwise (aged 4 years or less), go to end.


Q14 Because of the condition/conditions you have told me about, do you have any difficulties with education such as these?
Interviewer: Show Prompt card 4

Prompt card 4:

Examples of difficulties with education
- not attending school/further study due to condition
- need time off school/study
- attend special classes/school
- other related difficulties

Yes
No

Q15 Sequence guide:
If the person is aged less than 15 years, go to end.
Otherwise (aged 15 years or more), go to Q16.

Q16 Because of the condition/conditions you have told me about, do you have any difficulties with employment such as these?

Interviewer: Show Prompt card 5

Prompt card 5:

Examples of difficulties with employment
- type of job could do
- number of hours that can be worked
- finding suitable work
- needing time off work
- permanently unable to work

Yes
No

Classification to Severity of Disability

  • 'Disability or long-term health condition' if Q1='Yes' or Q3='Yes'
  • 'No disability or long-term health condition' if Q1='No' and Q3='No'
  • 'Profound core-activity limitation' if Q7='Yes'
  • 'Severe core-activity limitation' if Q7= 'No'
  • 'Moderate core-activity limitation' if Q8='Yes'
  • 'Mild core-activity limitation' if Q9='Yes'
  • 'Education/employment restriction only' if Q9='No and Q10='Yes' and the person is aged 5-20 years, OR Q11='Yes'
  • 'No specific limitation or restriction' if Q9='No' and the person is aged 65 years or more, OR Q10='No' and Q11='No', OR Q10='Yes' and the person is aged 21-64 years