Self-reported health

Population groups

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status

  Does the proportion of people with disability who report good health vary between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) who reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with people without disability, by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status. In 2017–18, 60% of Indigenous Australians with disability reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with 69% of non-Indigenous Australians.

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

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  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 64 and under
  Indigenous	62%	(58.6%-65.2%)	90%	(88.5%-92.4%)
  Non-Indigenous	71%	(69.7%-73.3%)	95%	(94.2%-95.3%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Indigenous	44%	(37.2%-51.0%)	81%	(72.0%-90.9%)
  Non-Indigenous	64%	(61.8%-66.6%)	91%	(88.4%-92.9%)
  Aged 15 and over
  Indigenous	60%	(56.7%-62.6%)	90%	(88.3%-92.1%)
  Non-Indigenous	69%	(67.7%-70.4%)	94%	(93.7%-95.0%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 15 and over.
  2. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  3. Data sources for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are different. Data for non-Indigenous people come from NHS 2017–18 which does not cover very remote areas nor discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Data for Indigenous people come from NATSIHS 2018–19 which covers all areas and includes discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
  4. Data have been randomly adjusted to avoid identifying individual people.

  Sources:

  1. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.
  2. ABS 2019. Microdata: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Australia, 2018–19, ABS cat. no. 4715.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey (NHS) | Data source overview
  

• Sex and gender

  Does the proportion of people with disability who report good health vary by sex?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) who reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with people without disability, for males and females. In 2017–18, 70% of males with disability reported excellent, very good or good health, as did 68% of females.

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

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  Sex	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 64 and under
  Males	72%	(69.3%-74.6%)	94%	(92.9%-94.7%)
  Females	70%	(68.2%-72.7%)	96%	(95.0%-96.3%)
  All persons	71%	(69.5%-72.9%)	95%	(94.2%-95.3%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Males	64%	(61.4%-67.3%)	89%	(85.7%-92.1%)
  Females	64%	(60.3%-67.0%)	92%	(89.7%-94.8%)
  All persons	64%	(61.7%-66.2%)	91%	(88.5%-92.8%)
  Aged 15 and over
  Males	70%	(67.4%-71.7%)	93%	(92.3%-94.2%)
  Females	68%	(66.2%-70.0%)	95%	(94.6%-96.0%)
  All persons	69%	(67.5%-70.1%)	94%	(93.7%-94.9%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 15 and over.
  2. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey (NHS) | Data source overview
  

• Age group

  Does the proportion of people with disability who report good health vary by age?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) who reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with people without disability, grouped by age. In the 15–24 age group, 79% of people with disability reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with 64% in the 65 and over age group.

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  Age group	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  15–24	79%	(74.0%-84.3%)	95%	(94.0%-96.6%)
  25–44	76%	(72.8%-78.3%)	95%	(94.3%-95.9%)
  45–64	66%	(63.7%-68.6%)	94%	(92.7%-94.8%)
  65 and over	64%	(61.7%-66.2%)	91%	(88.5%-92.8%)
  All ages	69%	(67.5%-70.1%)	94%	(93.7%-94.9%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 15 and over.
  2. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey (NHS) | Data source overview
  

• Cultural and linguistic diversity status

  Does the proportion of people with disability who report good health vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) who reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with people without disability, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2017–18, 65% of people from CALD backgrounds with disability reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with 70% among the non-CALD group.

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

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  Cultural and linguistic diversity status	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 64 and under
  CALD	71%	(66.8%-75.8%)	96%	(94.4%-96.7%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	*63%	(52.3%-74.3%)	n.p.	n.p.
  CALD – high English proficiency	73%	(68.6%-77.9%)	n.p.	n.p.
  Non-CALD	71%	(69.1%-73.2%)	94%	(93.7%-95.1%)
  All persons	71%	(69.5%-72.9%)	95%	(94.2%-95.3%)
  Aged 65 and over
  CALD	55%	(49.5%-61.1%)	85%	(78.2%-91.4%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	*48%	(35.4%-60.6%)	n.p.	n.p.
  CALD – high English proficiency	58%	(52.5%-64.3%)	n.p.	n.p.
  Non-CALD	66%	(63.5%-68.9%)	92%	(90.5%-94.2%)
  All persons	64%	(61.7%-66.2%)	91%	(88.5%-92.8%)
  Aged 15 and over
  CALD	65%	(62.1%-68.8%)	95%	(93.1%-96.0%)
  CALD – low English proficiency	56%	(46.7%-65.3%)	93%	(89.7%-97.0%)
  CALD – high English proficiency	68%	(64.9%-71.6%)	95%	(93.3%-96.1%)
  Non-CALD	70%	(68.0%-71.2%)	94%	(93.5%-94.9%)
  All persons	69%	(67.5%-70.1%)	94%	(93.7%-94.9%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.
  • n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

  1. Restricted to people aged 15 and over.
  2. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  3. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) cohort includes people not born in a main English-speaking country and/or who mainly speak a language other than English at home.
  4. English proficiency is reported for people in the CALD cohort only. Low English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'not well' or 'not at all'. High English proficiency group includes people who mainly speak English at home, and those who mainly speak a language other than English at home and say they speak English 'well' or 'very well'.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey (NHS) | Data source overview
  

• Remoteness

  Does the proportion of people with disability who report good health vary by remoteness?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) who reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with people without disability, grouped by remoteness. In major cities and inner regional areas, 69% of people with disability reported excellent, very good or good health, as did 67% in outer regional and remote areas.

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

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  Remoteness	With disability	95% Confidence Interval	Without disability	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 64 and under
  Major cities	71%	(69.4%-73.4%)	95%	(94.3%-95.8%)
  Inner regional	71%	(67.0%-74.6%)	95%	(93.5%-96.3%)
  Outer regional and remote	70%	(65.0%-75.8%)	91%	(88.5%-93.4%)
  All areas	71%	(69.5%-72.9%)	95%	(94.2%-95.3%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Major cities	64%	(60.9%-66.2%)	90%	(86.7%-92.8%)
  Inner regional	67%	(61.8%-71.7%)	92%	(88.1%-95.7%)
  Outer regional and remote	61%	(54.5%-66.8%)	94%	(89.9%-97.3%)
  All areas	64%	(61.7%-66.2%)	91%	(88.5%-92.8%)
  Aged 15 and over
  Major cities	69%	(67.4%-70.4%)	95%	(93.8%-95.4%)
  Inner regional	69%	(66.2%-72.5%)	94%	(93.1%-95.8%)
  Outer regional and remote	67%	(62.7%-71.5%)	91%	(89.2%-93.6%)
  All areas	69%	(67.5%-70.1%)	94%	(93.7%-94.9%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 15 and over.
  2. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  3. Remoteness is classified according to Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia. Data source does not cover very remote areas.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey (NHS) | Data source overview
  

• Disability group

  Does the proportion of people with disability who report good health vary by disability group?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) who reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with people without disability, by disability group. Among people with sensory and speech disability, 69% reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with 35% of people with head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury.

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

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  Disability group	% of people who have good or excellent health	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 64 and under
  Sensory and speech	71%	(67.9%-73.7%)
  Intellectual	66%	(64.3%-68.4%)
  Physical restriction	58%	(50.6%-64.5%)
  Psychosocial	50%	(46.0%-54.6%)
  Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	*38%	(26.6%-48.7%)
  Other	49%	(45.2%-53.2%)
  All with disability	71%	(69.5%-72.9%)
  Without disability	95%	(94.2%-95.3%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Sensory and speech	66%	(63.3%-69.5%)
  Intellectual	56%	(53.0%-58.7%)
  Physical restriction	45%	(35.9%-54.6%)
  Psychosocial	*31%	(20.7%-41.1%)
  Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	*28%	(13.5%-42.6%)
  Other	41%	(37.2%-45.2%)
  All with disability	64%	(61.7%-66.2%)
  Without disability	91%	(88.5%-92.8%)
  Aged 15 and over
  Sensory and speech	69%	(66.6%-71.0%)
  Intellectual	63%	(61.3%-64.5%)
  Physical restriction	55%	(48.8%-60.4%)
  Psychosocial	47%	(43.3%-51.5%)
  Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	35%	(25.6%-43.7%)
  Other	46%	(43.3%-49.1%)
  All with disability	69%	(67.5%-70.1%)
  Without disability	94%	(93.7%-94.9%)

  Notes:

  • * Should be used with caution: proportion has a Margin of Error (MoE) >10 percentage points or proportion ± MoE is <0% or >100%.

  1. Restricted to people aged 15 and over.
  2. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  3. Components will not add to total as people may report impairments related to more than one disability group. In such cases, people are counted separately for each disability group but are only counted once in the aggregated total.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey (NHS) | Data source overview
  

• Severity of disability

  Does the proportion of people with disability who report good health vary by severity of disability?

  The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability (aged 15 and over) who reported excellent, very good or good health, compared with people without disability, grouped by disability severity. In 2017–18, the proportion of people with disability who reported excellent, very good or good health was 40% for people with severe or profound disability and 73% for people with other disability status.

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

  Graph Table Notes

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  Severity of disability	% of people who have good or excellent health	95% Confidence Interval
  Aged 64 and under
  Severe or profound disability	45%	(38.4%-51.4%)
  Other disability status	74%	(72.5%-75.9%)
  All with disability	71%	(69.5%-72.9%)
  Without disability	95%	(94.2%-95.3%)
  Aged 65 and over
  Severe or profound disability	34%	(27.9%-39.8%)
  Other disability status	70%	(67.4%-71.9%)
  All with disability	64%	(61.7%-66.2%)
  Without disability	91%	(88.5%-92.8%)
  Aged 15 and over
  Severe or profound disability	40%	(35.4%-44.9%)
  Other disability status	73%	(71.5%-74.1%)
  All with disability	69%	(67.5%-70.1%)
  Without disability	94%	(93.7%-94.9%)

  Notes:

  1. Restricted to people aged 15 and over.
  2. With disability includes those with disability or restrictive long-term health condition.
  3. Severe or profound disability means always or sometimes needing assistance or supervision with self-care, mobility, and/or communication.

  Source: ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2019. Microdata: National Health Survey, 2017–18, ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, AIHW analysis of detailed microdata in DataLab, accessed 22 March 2022.

  Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics – National Health Survey (NHS) | Data source overview