High psychological distress

What is being tracked?

Measure: Proportion of adults with disability with high or very high levels of psychological distress

This measure is part of the Mental health priority of the Strategy. This priority is about supporting the mental health of people with disability and improving their experience of mental health care.

The desired outcome is that fewer adults with disability have high levels of psychological distress.

Last updated:

Outcome area: Health and wellbeing Priority: Mental health

  • Baseline value

    31%in 2018

  • Latest value

    31%in 2018

Status not known yet more data from after the Strategy started are needed

View the data source

Has the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress changed over time?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress. Data from 2015 and 2018 are used. In 2018, 31% of adults with disability had high or very high levels of psychological distress, as did 30% in 2015.

More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

State and territory

Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary between states and territories?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, grouped by Australian states and territories. In South Australia, 35% of adults with disability had high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with 27% in Western Australia.

More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

Population groups

How this measure varies by…

  • Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary for First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, by Indigenous status. In 2018, 45% of First Nations people with disability had high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with 30% of non-Indigenous people.

    More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary by sex?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, for men and women. In 2018, 28% of men with disability had high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with 33% of women.

    More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary by age?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, grouped by age. In the 18–24 age group, 49% of adults with disability had high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with 19% of those aged 65 and over.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2018, 35% of adults from CALD backgrounds with disability had high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with 30% among the non-CALD group.

    More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary by remoteness?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, grouped by remoteness. In outer regional and remote areas, 33% of adults with disability had high or very high levels of psychological distress, as did 30% in major cities.

    More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary by disability group?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, by disability group. Among adults with psychosocial disability, 72% had high or very high levels of psychological distress, compared with 22% among adults with sensory and speech disability.

    More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

  • Does the proportion of people with disability with high levels of psychological distress vary by severity of disability?

    The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of adults with disability (aged 18 and over) with high or very high levels of psychological distress, grouped by disability severity. In 2018, the proportion of adults with disability who had high or very high levels of psychological distress was 50% for adults with severe or profound disability and 25% for adults with other disability status.

    More detailed data by age group are shown in the table.

    Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) | Data source overview

Where did these data come from?

Data on high psychological distress come from survey data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Learn more about these data
  1. Previous page Medical facility accessibility
  2. Next page NDIS participants life satisfaction