Disability Rights

Editor: Justin Healey ISBN 978 1 920801 28 1 Year 2005 Price: $19.95		Disability Rights Volume 219, Issues in Society People with disabilities represent a significant portion of Australia’s population, however many struggle against direct and indirect discrimination in the form of access to basic assistance, services and social acceptance. This book provides an overview of major disability groups (physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory); encouraging disability awareness; rights and protection under the Disability Discrimination Act; employment of people with disabilities and benefits for business; and acceptance and diversity issues. Chapter 1 Disability Discrimination What is a disability?; Defining disability; Types of disability; Disability in Australia; Disability statistics; Some facts and figures about people with disabilities in Australia; Children with a disability; Children with disability most likely to be institutionalised; A way with words; Interacting with people with disabilities; Fair treatment for all Australians; Disability Discrimination Act; Complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act. Chapter 2 Disability Issues Living with a disability; Lost in a labyrinth of community care system; People with disabilities at work; Business benefits of employing people with disabilities; Disabled set to be put back to work; Equal access – the internet for people with disabilities; Disability and sexual issues; The status of women with disabilities in Australia – a snapshot; ‘Wrongful life’ lawsuit gives birth to a moral and legal dilemma; Court awards $9 million to boy disabled during birth; Love me or let me go; Babies by design; Courage in a brave new world: a disability perspective. Glossary; Facts and Figures; Additional Resources; Index

		FAST FACTS from this volume
The definition of disability has shifted over the past two or three decades. It used to be defined purely in medical terms as a health condition. This approach located ‘the problem of disability’ in the person with a disability and ‘the solution’ in treating the person with a disability. Now, disability is more often recognised as the interaction between a person and his or her environment, including the social, economic, legal and built environment. The greatest barriers faced by people with disabilities are a product of this interaction and often the solution to those barriers lies in changing that environment. In 2003 one in five people in Australia (3,958,300 or 20.0%) had a reported disability. This rate was much the same for males (19.8%) and females (20.1%). Of persons aged 15-64 years with a reported disability living in households, 30% had completed year 12 and 13% had completed a bachelor degree or higher. Of those with no disability the respective proportions were 49% and 20%. The labour force participation rate of persons with a disability was 53% and the unemployment rate was 8.6%. Corresponding rates for those without a disability were 81% and 5.0%. The median gross personal income per week of persons aged 15-64 years with a reported disability living in households was $255, compared to $501 for those without a disability. Median gross personal income per week decreased with increasing severity of disability. It was lowest ($200 per week) for those with a profound core-activity limitation. In 2003, there were 3.35 million people aged 60 years and over (17% of the population), which compares to 3.0 million people (16%) in 1998. In 2003, just over half had a reported disability (51%) and 19% had a profound or severe core-activity limitation. Of all people aged 60 years and over, 41% reported needing assistance, because of disability or old age, to manage health conditions or cope with everyday activities. However, people aged 85 years and over reported a much higher need for assistance than those aged 60-69 years (84% compared with 26%). In 2003, there were 2.6 million carers who provided some assistance to those who needed help because of disability or age. About one fifth of these (19%) were primary carers, that is people who provided the majority of the informal help needed by a person with a disability. Just over half (54%) of all carers were women. Women were also more likely (71%) to be primary carers. Of those providing care, 1.0 million (39%) were in the 35-54 year age range. This age group’s caring responsibilities involved children, partners and/or ageing parents. One in five people in Australia (3,958,300 or 20%) had a reported disability in 2003. A further 4,149,000 (21%) had a long-term health condition that did not restrict their everyday activities. The remaining 11,703,800 (59%) had neither a disability nor a long-term health condition. Of those with a reported disability, 86% (3,387,900) were limited in the core activities of self-care, mobility or communication, or restricted in schooling or employment. Most people with a disability (76%) were limited in one or more of these core activities. The disability rate increased with age, reaching 92% for those aged 90 years and over. The pattern of prevalence of profound or severe core-activity limitation gradually increased from 3% for age groups 0-4 years through to 10% for 65-69 years but it then increased sharply to 74% for those aged 90 years and over. This contrasted with the overall disability rate which increased steadily from 4% of 0-4 year olds to 41% of 65-69 year olds and 92% of those aged 90 years and over. In 2003, one in four people (24%) aged 15-64 years with a profound or severe core-activity limitation, who were living in households, had completed year 12. This compares to half (49%) of those without a disability. People with a profound or severe core-activity limitation were less likely to have completed a diploma or higher qualification (14%) than those without a disability (28%). Core-activity limitation had a much lower labour force participation rate (15%) than people without a disability (81%). People with a disability who were employed were more likely to work part-time (37%) than those who were employed and did not have a disability (29%). Physical conditions were the most common main health conditions of persons with a disability (84%). The remain-ing 16% had a mental or behavioural disorder as their main condition. In 2003, 61% of the 3.8 million people with a disability living in households reported needing assistance to manage their health conditions or cope with the activities of everyday life. This proportion comprised 37% who reported that their needs were fully met, 22% partly met and 3% not met at all. The remainder (39%) had a disability but did not need assistance. Of those with a core-activity limitation, the more severe the limitation the higher the proportion with an unmet need for help. Of those with a profound limitation 50% reported that their needs were only partly met or not met at all. This contrasts with 41% for those with a severe limitation, 26% for those with a moderate limitation and 16% for those with a mild limitation who reported that their needs were partly met or not met at all. Of people with a disability living in households who needed assistance, 79% received help from relatives and friends, mainly partners, parents or children. Formal providers of assistance, such as home-care workers and voluntary workers, were used by just over half of those with a disability (53%).

The definition of disability has shifted over the past two or three decades. It used to be defined purely in medical terms as a health condition. This approach located ‘the problem of disability’ in the person with a disability and ‘the solution’ in treating the person with a disability. Now, disability is more often recognised as the interaction between a person and his or her environment, including the social, economic, legal and built environment. The greatest barriers faced by people with disabilities are a product of this interaction and often the solution to those barriers lies in changing that environment.
In 2003 one in five people in Australia (3,958,300 or 20.0%) had a reported disability. This rate was much the same for males (19.8%) and females (20.1%).
Of persons aged 15-64 years with a reported disability living in households, 30% had completed year 12 and 13% had completed a bachelor degree or higher. Of those with no disability the respective proportions were 49% and 20%.
The labour force participation rate of persons with a disability was 53% and the unemployment rate was 8.6%. Corresponding rates for those without a disability were 81% and 5.0%.
The median gross personal income per week of persons aged 15-64 years with a reported disability living in households was $255, compared to $501 for those without a disability. Median gross personal income per week decreased with increasing severity of disability. It was lowest ($200 per week) for those with a profound core-activity limitation.
In 2003, there were 3.35 million people aged 60 years and over (17% of the population), which compares to 3.0 million people (16%) in 1998. In 2003, just over half had a reported disability (51%) and 19% had a profound or severe core-activity limitation.
Of all people aged 60 years and over, 41% reported needing assistance, because of disability or old age, to manage health conditions or cope with everyday activities. However, people aged 85 years and over reported a much higher need for assistance than those aged 60-69 years (84% compared with 26%).
In 2003, there were 2.6 million carers who provided some assistance to those who needed help because of disability or age. About one fifth of these (19%) were primary carers, that is people who provided the majority of the informal help needed by a person with a disability.
Just over half (54%) of all carers were women. Women were also more likely (71%) to be primary carers. Of those providing care, 1.0 million (39%) were in the 35-54 year age range. This age group’s caring responsibilities involved children, partners and/or ageing parents.
One in five people in Australia (3,958,300 or 20%) had a reported disability in 2003. A further 4,149,000 (21%) had a long-term health condition that did not restrict their everyday activities. The remaining 11,703,800 (59%) had neither a disability nor a long-term health condition.
Of those with a reported disability, 86% (3,387,900) were limited in the core activities of self-care, mobility or communication, or restricted in schooling or employment. Most people with a disability (76%) were limited in one or more of these core activities.
The disability rate increased with age, reaching 92% for those aged 90 years and over. The pattern of prevalence of profound or severe core-activity limitation gradually increased from 3% for age groups 0-4 years through to 10% for 65-69 years but it then increased sharply to 74% for those aged 90 years and over. This contrasted with the overall disability rate which increased steadily from 4% of 0-4 year olds to 41% of 65-69 year olds and 92% of those aged 90 years and over.
In 2003, one in four people (24%) aged 15-64 years with a profound or severe core-activity limitation, who were living in households, had completed year 12. This compares to half (49%) of those without a disability. People with a profound or severe core-activity limitation were less likely to have completed a diploma or higher qualification (14%) than those without a disability (28%).
Core-activity limitation had a much lower labour force participation rate (15%) than people without a disability (81%).
People with a disability who were employed were more likely to work part-time (37%) than those who were employed and did not have a disability (29%).
Physical conditions were the most common main health conditions of persons with a disability (84%). The remain-ing 16% had a mental or behavioural disorder as their main condition.
In 2003, 61% of the 3.8 million people with a disability living in households reported needing assistance to manage their health conditions or cope with the activities of everyday life. This proportion comprised 37% who reported that their needs were fully met, 22% partly met and 3% not met at all. The remainder (39%) had a disability but did not need assistance.
Of those with a core-activity limitation, the more severe the limitation the higher the proportion with an unmet need for help. Of those with a profound limitation 50% reported that their needs were only partly met or not met at all. This contrasts with 41% for those with a severe limitation, 26% for those with a moderate limitation and 16% for those with a mild limitation who reported that their needs were partly met or not met at all.
Of people with a disability living in households who needed assistance, 79% received help from relatives and friends, mainly partners, parents or children. Formal providers of assistance, such as home-care workers and voluntary workers, were used by just over half of those with a disability (53%).