Health and wellbeing

Outcome: People with disability attain the highest possible health and wellbeing outcomes throughout their lives.

Why is this outcome area important?

Good health and wellbeing are critical determinants of a person’s quality of life. The Strategy focuses on physical aspects of health and wellbeing as well as improving mental health outcomes for people with disability. Addressing the social, cultural and economic determinants of health and wellbeing is an important part of this (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031).

What are the policy priorities?

  1. Health and wellbeing: All health service providers have the capabilities to meet the needs of people with disability.
  2. Prevention and early intervention: Health services are timely, comprehensive, appropriate and effective to support better overall health and wellbeing.
  3. Mental health: Supports and services are appropriate, effective and accessible for people with disability.
  4. Emergency responses: Disaster preparedness, risk management plans and public emergency responses are inclusive of people with disability, and support their physical and mental health, and wellbeing.

Launch measures

Data for 3 policy priorities under this outcome area are available for 2 system measures, and 4 population measures (Table 7.1). For future measures requiring development, see Future measures.

Table 7.1: Health and wellbeing reference guide
Policy priority Launch measure Baseline time point Baseline value Latest time point Latest value Change since baseline Progress status

Health and wellbeing

Proportion of people with disability who reported unmet need for hospital admission in the last 12 months(a) (system measure)

2018

10.4%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Health and wellbeing

Proportion of people with disability who reported excellent, very good or good health compared with people without disability (population measure)

2017–18

68.8% with disability

94.3% without disability

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Prevention and early intervention

Number of people with disability with GP-type emergency department presentations (system measure)

2018

119,478

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Prevention and early intervention

Proportion of people with disability with difficulty accessing medical facilities (GP, dentist, hospital)(b) (population measure)

2018

13.8%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Mental health

Proportion of adults with disability with high or very high levels of psychological distress (population measure)

2018

30.7%

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Mental health

Proportions of NDIS participants who report feeling satisfied about their life in general now and in the future (population measure)

2020–21

45.7%

2021–22

47.3%

1.6 pp

Progress‡‡

‡‡ Confidence status: Care should be taken when looking at the reported progress status for this measure as there is some uncertainty in the data.

GP – general practitioner; n.a. – not available; pp – percentage points.

  1. This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Number of potentially avoidable deaths in hospital for people with disability compared with people without disability’.
  2. This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Proportion of people with disability who accessed prevention and early intervention services in the last 12 months without difficulty, compared with people without disability’.

References

Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 (2021), Department of Social Services, Australian Government, accessed 15 August 2022.

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