More than 4 million people in Australia have disability, or around 18% of the population (2018). This is also known as the prevalence of disability.
People with disability are diverse – having different types and levels of disability, coming from all demographic and socioeconomic groups, and having varying needs for assistance. For example, of people with disability:
- 1 in 2 (51%) are female
- 1 in 4 (23%) have a mental or behavioural disorder as their main condition, including:
- 6.5% with intellectual and developmental disorders (including autism)
- 3.8% with mood affective disorders, such as depression
- 2.6% with dementia or Alzheimer disease
- 1 in 3 (32%) have severe or profound disability
- 1 in 3 (30%) need help with health care
- 1 in 4 (27%) need help with property maintenance
- 1 in 4 (23%) need help with household chores
- 1 in 2 (48%) aged 5 and over have a schooling or employment restriction (2018).
The prevalence of disability increases with age. Around 1 in 8 (12%) people aged under 65 have some level of disability, rising to 1 in 2 (50%) for those aged 65 and over. This means that the longer we live, the more likely we are to experience some form of disability.
The disability-free life expectancy of people in Australia (that is, the estimated number of years people can expect to live without disability) is increasing over time.
Table 1: Expected years of life at birth, with and without disability, by sex
|
Sex
|
Overall life expectancy of people born in 2018
|
Expected years of life without disability
|
Expected years of life with disability
|
|
Males
|
81 years
|
64 years
|
17 years
|
|
Females
|
85 years
|
66 years
|
19 years
|