Report Summary

Detailed Findings

 Detailed Findings
 

 Physical Impairment

Overall

A total of 205,723 Australians suffer a print disability due to physical disability.  This figure encompasses arthritis and multiple schlerosis sufferers.  This is a conservative estimate as lack of data has prevented gaining accurate statistics for some conditions.  These omitted conditions include cerebral palsy, spinal injury, and age.  The reasons for omission are explained below.

State Profile

Physical disability representative associations do not record specific membership numbers or other statistics of sufferers in their jurisdiction. It was therefore impossible to determine a State profile for those with a print disability through physical impairment.

Physical Impairment Type

Arthritis
The ABS states there are 850,000 arthritis sufferers who nominate arthritis as their main disability.[1]  The study estimates 24% of arthritis sufferers would encounter difficulties in basic physical tasks, including holding a book or newspaper.  Therefore, 204,000 sufferers around Australia have a print disability due to the effects of arthritis.

Spinal Disability
A total of 10% of the population of Australia have severe spinal problems.[2]  However, after consultation with the relevant representative associations it is felt that RPH Australia is of less relevance for paraplegics and quadriplegics as occupational therapy in the home is sufficiently sophisticated that reading assistance apparatus’ are fitted easily, making reading an easy task despite the spinal disability.  In addition, paraplegics and quadriplegics are typically very high television watchers.

Multiple Sclerosis
A total of 17,223 Australians suffer from multiple schlerosis (MS).[3]  MS is a complicated disease with varying levels of severity.  One sufferer may only have one attack in their lifetime, while others are substantially disabled for their lifetime.  It is estimated by MS representative organisations around Australian that 10% (1,723 people) of MS sufferers would have difficulty either holding a book or newspaper, have blurred vision, or other impairment that equates to a print disability.

Table 6: MS Sufferers by State/Territory

State or Territory	Sufferers in State/Territory	10% of Sufferers in State/Territory
New South Wales	3,599	360
Victoria	7,000	700
South Australia/Northern Territory	1,600	160
Queensland	1,778	178
Western Australia	1,746	175
Australian Capital Territory	600	60
Tasmania	900	90
Total	17,233	1,723

 

Cerebral Palsy
The Cerebral Palsy Association Australia does not have any records of sufferers in Australia.  However, they do have statistics on sufferers in the USA and it is felt that there is little variation in the incidence of the condition between the two countries.  A total of 0.17% of the population of the USA suffer the condition, extrapolated to Australia’s population this results in 32,303 sufferers Australia wide.  As well as muscular disability cerebral palsy often results in mental incapacitation, learning difficulties, hearing problems and vision impairment. As it has been impossible to determine the proportion of cerebral palsy sufferers who also suffer mental retardation, severe learning disabilities and hearing impairment, cerebral palsy has been omitted from the physical impairment figures.

Aged
Old age is recognised as a disabling condition that may lead to a print disability.  However, the aged suffer print disability due to specific conditions outlined in this report such as arthritis and vision impairment.  It is therefore felt to further profile the aged would severely duplicate the figures.  In addition, the Office of Older Australians keep no reliable statistics that are disaggregated sufficiently to determine a print disability.

Whilst accurate figures for the aged with a print disability are not accessible it should not be ignored that they represent a significant proportion of the potential audience for RPH Australia.

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This page was last modified on Tuesday, 27 September, 2005