Medical facility accessibility

What is being tracked?

Measure: Proportion of people with disability with difficulty accessing medical facilities (GP, dentist, hospital)

This measure is part of the Prevention and early intervention priority of the Strategy. This priority is about improving access to health care for people with disability.

The desired outcome is that fewer people with disability have trouble accessing health services and buildings.

This measure will be replaced during the life of the Strategy once available data allow the following to be tracked – proportion of people with disability who accessed prevention and early intervention services in the last 12 months without difficulty, compared with people without disability.

Last updated: 30 Nov 2022

Outcome area: Health and wellbeing Priority: Prevention and early intervention

Baseline value

14%in 2018
Latest value

14%in 2018

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

View the data source

Trends

Has the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities changed over time?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months. Data from 2015 and 2018 are used. In 2018, 14% of people with disability had difficulty accessing medical facilities, compared with 11% in 2015.

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

Year	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
2015	9.5%	(8.1%–11.0%)
2018	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
Aged 65 and over
2015	14%	(12.2%–16.3%)
2018	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
Aged 5 and over
2015	11%	(10.1%–12.7%)
2018	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

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 who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary between states and territories?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, grouped by Australian states and territories. In 2018, 17% of people with disability in New South Wales had difficulty accessing medical facilities, compared with 11% in both Victoria and Western Australia.

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

State/Territory	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
National	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
New South Wales	14%	(9.6%–17.8%)
Victoria	8.7%	(5.5%–11.8%)
Queensland	14%	(10.2%–17.9%)
Western Australia	10%	(6.2%–14.8%)
South Australia	n.p.	n.p.
Tasmania	13%	(3.4%–22.8%)
Australian Capital Territory	n.p.	n.p.
Northern Territory	n.p.	n.p.
Aged 65 and over
National	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
New South Wales	21%	(16.5%–25.2%)
Victoria	14%	(9.4%–18.9%)
Queensland	15%	(9.9%–20.1%)
Western Australia	14%	(9.4%–18.4%)
South Australia	12%	(3.3%–20.9%)
Tasmania	n.p.	n.p.
Australian Capital Territory	n.p.	n.p.
Northern Territory	n.p.	n.p.
Aged 5 and over
National	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)
New South Wales	17%	(14.0%–19.9%)
Victoria	11%	(8.8%–13.2%)
Queensland	15%	(11.7%–17.5%)
Western Australia	11%	(8.2%–13.8%)
South Australia	12%	(6.4%–18.4%)
Tasmania	14%	(5.3%–23.5%)
Australian Capital Territory	*9.1%	(0.0%–19.3%)
Northern Territory	n.p.	n.p.

* 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.

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

Population groups

Indigenous status

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary for First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, by Indigenous status. In 2018, 9.9% of First Nations people with disability had difficulty accessing medical facilities and 14% of non-Indigenous people.

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

Indigenous status	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
First Nations	7.1%	(1.3%–13.0%)
Non-Indigenous	12%	(10.1%–13.7%)
All persons	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
Aged 65 and over
First Nations	n.p.	n.p.
Non-Indigenous	17%	(14.9%–18.7%)
All persons	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
Aged 5 and over
First Nations	9.9%	(5.6%–14.2%)
Non-Indigenous	14%	(12.6%–15.3%)
All persons	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

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

Sex and gender

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by sex?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, for males and females. In 2018, 12% of males and 15% of females with disability had difficulty accessing medical facilities.

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

Sex	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
Males	10%	(8.5%–12.4%)
Females	13%	(10.3%–15.6%)
All persons	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
Aged 65 and over
Males	15%	(11.9%–18.3%)
Females	18%	(15.1%–20.1%)
All persons	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
Aged 5 and over
Males	12%	(10.5%–13.9%)
Females	15%	(13.3%–17.0%)
All persons	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

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

Age group

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by age?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, grouped by age. In 2018, 17% of people with disability aged 65 and over had difficulty accessing medical facilities, compared with 6.5% of those aged 5–14.

Age group	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
5–14	6.5%	(3.8%–9.1%)
15–24	10%	(5.7%–14.3%)
25–44	11%	(7.7%–14.5%)
45–64	14%	(11.9%–17.0%)
65 and over	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
All ages	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

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

Cultural and linguistic diversity status

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) status. In 2018, 16% of people from CALD backgrounds with disability had difficulty accessing medical facilities, as did 13% among the non-CALD group.

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

Cultural and linguistic diversity status	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
CALD	12%	(7.2%–16.3%)
CALD – low English proficiency	n.p.	n.p.
CALD – high English proficiency	7.9%	(1.8%–14.1%)
Non-CALD	12%	(9.8%–13.5%)
All persons	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
Aged 65 and over
CALD	19%	(14.8%–22.9%)
CALD – low English proficiency	24%	(14.9%–32.1%)
CALD – high English proficiency	14%	(7.9%–20.6%)
Non-CALD	16%	(13.7%–17.9%)
All persons	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
Aged 5 and over
CALD	16%	(12.9%–19.2%)
CALD – low English proficiency	24%	(16.6%–30.8%)
CALD – high English proficiency	13%	(9.1%–16.3%)
Non-CALD	13%	(11.8%–14.8%)
All persons	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

n.p. (not published) Category has been suppressed to avoid identifying individual people.

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

Remoteness

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by remoteness?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (GP, dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, grouped by remoteness. In 2018, 14% of people in major cities and outer regional and remote areas had difficulty accessing medical facilities, as did 12% in inner regional areas.

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

Remoteness	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
Major cities	11%	(9.4%–13.5%)
Inner regional	11%	(8.1%–14.4%)
Outer regional and remote	14%	(8.6%–20.1%)
All areas	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
Aged 65 and over
Major cities	18%	(16.0%–20.1%)
Inner regional	14%	(9.5%–18.1%)
Outer regional and remote	13%	(8.0%–18.6%)
All areas	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
Aged 5 and over
Major cities	14%	(12.7%–16.0%)
Inner regional	12%	(10.1%–14.6%)
Outer regional and remote	14%	(10.0%–17.7%)
All areas	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

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

Disability group

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by disability group?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, by disability group. Among people with sensory and speech disability, 17% had difficulty accessing medical facilities, compared with 11% of people with intellectual disability.

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

Disability group	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
Sensory and speech	16%	(12.3%–18.8%)
Intellectual	9.7%	(7.3%–12.1%)
Physical restriction	15%	(12.4%–17.1%)
Psychosocial	13%	(10.9%–15.7%)
Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	12%	(5.9%–17.2%)
Other	15%	(12.6%–17.5%)
All with disability	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
Aged 65 and over
Sensory and speech	18%	(15.0%–21.1%)
Intellectual	18%	(11.5%–24.0%)
Physical restriction	17%	(15.3%–18.9%)
Psychosocial	20%	(16.5%–24.1%)
Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	14%	(9.2%–19.6%)
Other	19%	(17.0%–21.6%)
All with disability	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
Aged 5 and over
Sensory and speech	17%	(14.7%–19.1%)
Intellectual	11%	(8.9%–13.8%)
Physical restriction	16%	(14.4%–17.5%)
Psychosocial	15%	(13.2%–17.4%)
Head injury, stroke or acquired brain injury	13%	(8.9%–16.8%)
Other	17%	(15.2%–18.8%)
All with disability	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

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

Severity of disability

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by severity of disability?

The data in the graph and the table below show the proportion of people with disability and communication or mobility limitations (aged 5 and over) who had difficulty accessing medical facilities (general practitioner (GP), dentist, hospital) in the past 12 months, grouped by disability severity. In 2018, the proportion of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities was 16% for people with severe or profound disability and 8.8% for people with other disability status.

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

Severity of disability	% of people with disability who had difficulty accessing medical facilities	95% Confidence Interval
Aged 5–64
Severe or profound disability	13%	(10.7%–14.7%)
Other disability status	8.8%	(6.0%–11.6%)
All with disability	12%	(10.0%–13.4%)
Aged 65 and over
Severe or profound disability	19%	(17.3%–21.2%)
Other disability status	8.7%	(6.0%–11.4%)
All with disability	17%	(14.9%–18.2%)
Aged 5 and over
Severe or profound disability	16%	(14.0%–17.1%)
Other disability status	8.8%	(6.9%–10.6%)
All with disability	14%	(12.5%–15.1%)

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

Where did these data come from?

Data on medical facility accessibility come from survey data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Learn more about these data

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Medical facility accessibility

What is being tracked?

Baseline value

Latest value

Trends

Has the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities changed over time?

State and territory

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary between states and territories?

Population groups

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary for First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians?

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by sex?

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by age?

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by cultural and linguistic diversity background?

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by remoteness?

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by disability group?

Does the proportion of people with disability who have difficulty accessing medical facilities vary by severity of disability?

Where did these data come from?

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