Disability, Ageing and Carers
CONTACT
Assistant Director
Disability, Ageing and Carers Survey
Family and Community Statistics Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Telephone (02) 6252 7430
Facsimile (02) 6252 8007
DESCRIPTION
This survey provides information on people with disabilities, older people and people who provide assistance to others because of their disabilities. There is information on the difficulty people with disabilities have with everyday activities, the assistance they need, their sources of assistance and their unmet need. For people aged 60 and over (whether they have a disability or not) similar information is provided for some activities. The survey includes information on schooling and employment restriction for people with a disability, and on participation in social and community activities by people with a disability and older people.
Families with a member (such as parent or child) with a disability are identified, together with families in which a member is a primary carer. Extensive information is available for children aged under 15 with a disability such as whether they have a disability, type of disability and the underlying health condition, and whether they need assistance (or more assistance than usual for their age) with some activities.
SCOPE
All persons except certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia and overseas residents visiting Australia. The sample includes private dwellings and selected non-private dwellings (such as hotels, motels, hospitals, nursing homes and other establishments providing cared accommodation but excluding corrective institutions). The survey is conducted in both urban and rural areas in all States and Territories, but since 1997 excludes persons living in some remote and sparsely settled parts of Australia.
DISSEMINATION
Publications
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings 1998 (cat. no. 4430.0)
Disability, Ageing and Carers, User Guide, Australia, 1998 (cat. no. 4431.0)
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Disability and Disabling Conditions, 1993 (cat. no. 4433.0)
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Visual Impairments, 1993 (cat. no. 4434.0)
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Hearing Impairment, 1993 (cat. no. 4435.0)
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Brain Injury and Stroke, 1993 (cat. no. 4437.0).
The following supplementary publications are planned for release in 2000:
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Disability and Disabling Conditions, Australia, 1998 (cat. no. 4433.0)
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Caring in the Community, Australia, 1998 (cat. no. 4436.0).
Data Service
Customised unpublished data are available in a variety of formats.
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Summary Tables, States and Territories (cat. no. 4430.1.40.001)
Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia, Confidentialised Unit Record File on CD-ROM 1993 and 1998 (cat. no. 4430.0.30.001).
Data Details
Data are primarily available at person level. Extensive data are also available at family and household levels.
Demographic and Family Information
Age (including children aged 0-14)
Sex (including children aged 0-14)
Relationship in household
Social marital status
Birthplace
Year of arrival in Australia
Family type
Age of youngest dependent child in family
Number of children in family
Number of older people in family
Relationship between families
Disability and Ageing
Long term health conditions
Disability status
Number of people with disability in household
Impairments and restrictions
Aids and equipment
Assistance - need for assistance, in the following activities
- Self-care
- Mobility
- Communication
- Health care
- Housework
- Light property maintenance
- Meal preparation
- Paperwork
- Transport
- Guidance, which includes thinking things through and making decisions, coping with emotions, making and maintaining relationships, managing behaviour (children)
Assistance - receipt of assistance (in activities as above, except guidance)
Community participation
Ability to use, use and availability of public transport
Core activity restriction
- Self-care
- Mobility
- Communication
Schooling restriction (persons aged 5 - 20)
Employment restriction (persons aged 15 - 64)
Primary Carers
Carer status
Relationship to recipient(s) of care
Assistance provided by carer
Effect of caring role-personal
Effect of caring role-work
Support access
Whether usually speaks to main recipient in English
Whether primary carer lives with main recipient
Selected characteristics of main recipient of care and of primary carer
Health conditions, impairments and restrictions
Place of residence
Assistance needed
Assistance received
Other Selected Topics
Employment
Occupation
Industry
Income
Education
Housing
Social participation
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
Australia, States, Territories, capital city/balance of State
FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION
Five-yearly. Latest survey 1998.
METHOD OF COLLECTION
Special Social Survey. This survey was conducted using two collection instruments:
- Interviewer-based computer-assisted collection for all usual members of selected households.
- Mailback forms completed by a staff member for residents of cared accommodation facilities.
HISTORICAL DATA
The four disability surveys conducted in 1981, 1988, 1993 and 1998 have much of their collected material in common. There are differences, however, as later surveys have attempted a better coverage of disability and of specific tasks and activities previously considered too sensitive for a population survey.
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