This variable has been developed to measure the number of people with a profound or severe disability.
People with a profound or severe disability are defined as those people needing help or assistance in one or more of the three core activity areas of self-care, mobility and communication, because of a disability, long term health condition (lasting six months or more) or old age.
To determine if a person's need for assistance reported in Questions 20-22 in one or more of the three core activity areas is due to a long term health condition, Question 23 on the Census form asks, 'What are the reasons for the need for assistance or supervision...?'. Responses are coded to the category 'Does not have need for assistance with core activities', when the response to Question 23 is only one or more of the following:
No need for help or supervision
Short term health condition (lasting less than six months)
Difficulty with English language
Other cause.
In addition, if a person's only answer to Question 23 is Old or young age and the person's age is under 40 then they are also coded to 'Does not have need for assistance with core activities'. If they are aged 40 and over they are coded to 'Has need for assistance with core activities'.
People who answer 'Long-term health condition (lasting six months or more)' or 'Disability (lasting six months or more)' to Question 23 are coded to the category 'Has need for assistance with core activities'.
Applicable to: All persons
1 Has need for assistance with core activities
2 Does not have need for assistance with core activities
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