Approximately 217,000 Australians, or 1 in every 100 people,
access disability support services with service users most likely
to be males aged around 30 years, according to a report released
today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The Disability Support Services 2005-06 report presents
information collected from over 9,000 service outlets throughout
Australia funded under an agreement between the Commonwealth and
State and Territory governments.
The services aim to improve the quality of life of people with
disability by providing support and assistance across a range of
life activities.
Approximately 58% of all service users were male. The median age
of services users was 31 years-higher for females (35 years) than
males (29 years). Over half (56%) of service users aged 16 years
and over reported the Disability Support Pension as their main
source of income.
Around 45% of all service users accessed community support
services such as therapy, early childhood intervention and case
management, while over one-third (34%) used employment services.
Around one-quarter (26%) of service users accessed more than one
service type.
Intellectual disability was most commonly reported by service
users as their primary disability (33%), followed by psychiatric
disability (14%), and physical disability (12%).
Report co-author Tim Beard said the complex and diverse needs of
service users is shown by their multiple disabilities-over
one-third reported more than one disability group.
'Service users with autism, for example - 8% of the service user
group -also showed a strong tendency to report intellectual
disability in particular, but also speech and neurological
disabilities,' Mr Beard noted.
'This group, when compared with the general service user group,
were much younger (median age of 16 years), much more likely to be
male (80%) and in need of a greater level of support across all
life areas.'
Indigenous service users comprised about 1 in 30 users (3.3%).
These service users were also much younger than other users (median
age of 25 years), and more likely than others to report multiple
disability groups.
Close to half (45%) of all service users reported having a
carer-in the majority of these cases (59%) the carer was the
service user's mother.
26 October 2007
Further information: Mr Tim Beard, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1270, or mob 0407 915 851.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for the availability of Disability Support
Services 2005-06.