D. Ray
2024-08-25 17:50:33 UTC
More than one in five Australians – 21.4% of the population – now have a
disability, according to new government statistics which also showed a
41.8% increase in autism over just four years.
In 2022 5.5 million Australians were disabled, up from 4.4 million (17.7%
of the population) in 2018, according to data released earlier this month
by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 7.9% had either a profound or
severe disability.
In the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, a person is considered to
have disability if they have any limitation, restriction or impairment
which restricts everyday activities and has lasted, or is likely to last,
for six months or more.
According to the ABS, several factors may have contributed to the increase,
including a growing awareness of disability, a general increase in
prevalence of some long-term health conditions, an online self-complete
questionnaire being used in 2022, and an aging population.
Linda Fardell, ABS head of health statistics, said: “The increase was seen
across most age groups in the most recent Survey of Disability, Ageing and
Carers. As seen in previous surveys, people aged 65 years and older were
more likely to have disability, with over half of this age group having
disability in 2022.
“Of the people who are 15 years or older with disability and living in
households, 45% have completed year 12 or an equal level of education.
That’s 2.2 million people in 2022 – up from 1.3 million people, or 33 per
cent, in 2018.”
A physical condition was the main long-term health condition for 75.3% of
the disabled, down from 77.4% in 2018, the most common being diseases of
the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue such as arthritis and back
problems.
The remaining 24.7% suffered from a mental or behavioural disorder.
“The most common mental and behavioural disorders were psychological
development, behavioural, cognitive and emotional conditions (9.4%), such
as Autism spectrum disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), an increase from 6.9% in 2018,” the ABS said.
Next were “anxiety disorders (7.4%), such as generalised anxiety, phobias,
panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorders, and post-traumatic stress
disorder, an increase from 6.1% in 2018”.
In 2022 there were 290,000 Australians with autism (1.1%), a 41.8% increase
from the 205,200 (0.8%) with the condition in 2018. 91.4% of people with
autism were disabled, up from 88% in 2018, and 73% reported a profound or
severe disability.
The figures come as the National Disability Insurance Scheme continues to
grow beyond government forecasts, and is set to cost taxpayers more than
the aged pension within three years if current trends continue and Middle
Eastern criminals are not stopped from committing large-scale fraud.
If the current NDIS growth trajectory of 20% per year is maintained the
scheme will cost $100 billion by 2027, making it the largest area of
government spending.
The NDIS already costs $42 billion a year, more than the aged care system
on $36 billion, Medicare on $32 billion, and hospital federal funding on
$30 billion.
About 2.6 million Australians are on the aged pension, and the NDIS has
650,000 participants.
The rapid growth in the NDIS has been attributed to a surge in child
enrolments for autism and “developmental delay”, as well as widespread
fraud, with 12% of boys and 6% of girls aged between 5 and 7 now
participating.
Earlier this month NDIS integrity chief John Dardo told a Senate committee
that there were “significant indicators of fraud” portrayed by 90% of plan
managers that handled funding for up to 100 participants.
In May Acting Commissioner of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Michael
Phelan warned that Middle Eastern gangs and other criminal groups were
stealing more money from the NDIS than previously suspected, costing the
taxpayer at least $8.8 billion this year alone.
Investment bank Jardens revealed in April that the about 30% of jobs
created in the year to February were in areas servicing the NDIS, a
situation described by 2GB host Michael McClaren as a “wealth transfer from
the taxpayer to people working in [NDIS related fields]”.
<https://www.noticer.news/one-in-five-australians-disabled-autism-increasing/>
<https://archive.ph/WuPBg>
disability, according to new government statistics which also showed a
41.8% increase in autism over just four years.
In 2022 5.5 million Australians were disabled, up from 4.4 million (17.7%
of the population) in 2018, according to data released earlier this month
by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 7.9% had either a profound or
severe disability.
In the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, a person is considered to
have disability if they have any limitation, restriction or impairment
which restricts everyday activities and has lasted, or is likely to last,
for six months or more.
According to the ABS, several factors may have contributed to the increase,
including a growing awareness of disability, a general increase in
prevalence of some long-term health conditions, an online self-complete
questionnaire being used in 2022, and an aging population.
Linda Fardell, ABS head of health statistics, said: “The increase was seen
across most age groups in the most recent Survey of Disability, Ageing and
Carers. As seen in previous surveys, people aged 65 years and older were
more likely to have disability, with over half of this age group having
disability in 2022.
“Of the people who are 15 years or older with disability and living in
households, 45% have completed year 12 or an equal level of education.
That’s 2.2 million people in 2022 – up from 1.3 million people, or 33 per
cent, in 2018.”
A physical condition was the main long-term health condition for 75.3% of
the disabled, down from 77.4% in 2018, the most common being diseases of
the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue such as arthritis and back
problems.
The remaining 24.7% suffered from a mental or behavioural disorder.
“The most common mental and behavioural disorders were psychological
development, behavioural, cognitive and emotional conditions (9.4%), such
as Autism spectrum disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), an increase from 6.9% in 2018,” the ABS said.
Next were “anxiety disorders (7.4%), such as generalised anxiety, phobias,
panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorders, and post-traumatic stress
disorder, an increase from 6.1% in 2018”.
In 2022 there were 290,000 Australians with autism (1.1%), a 41.8% increase
from the 205,200 (0.8%) with the condition in 2018. 91.4% of people with
autism were disabled, up from 88% in 2018, and 73% reported a profound or
severe disability.
The figures come as the National Disability Insurance Scheme continues to
grow beyond government forecasts, and is set to cost taxpayers more than
the aged pension within three years if current trends continue and Middle
Eastern criminals are not stopped from committing large-scale fraud.
If the current NDIS growth trajectory of 20% per year is maintained the
scheme will cost $100 billion by 2027, making it the largest area of
government spending.
The NDIS already costs $42 billion a year, more than the aged care system
on $36 billion, Medicare on $32 billion, and hospital federal funding on
$30 billion.
About 2.6 million Australians are on the aged pension, and the NDIS has
650,000 participants.
The rapid growth in the NDIS has been attributed to a surge in child
enrolments for autism and “developmental delay”, as well as widespread
fraud, with 12% of boys and 6% of girls aged between 5 and 7 now
participating.
Earlier this month NDIS integrity chief John Dardo told a Senate committee
that there were “significant indicators of fraud” portrayed by 90% of plan
managers that handled funding for up to 100 participants.
In May Acting Commissioner of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Michael
Phelan warned that Middle Eastern gangs and other criminal groups were
stealing more money from the NDIS than previously suspected, costing the
taxpayer at least $8.8 billion this year alone.
Investment bank Jardens revealed in April that the about 30% of jobs
created in the year to February were in areas servicing the NDIS, a
situation described by 2GB host Michael McClaren as a “wealth transfer from
the taxpayer to people working in [NDIS related fields]”.
<https://www.noticer.news/one-in-five-australians-disabled-autism-increasing/>
<https://archive.ph/WuPBg>