The 2013 New Zealand Disability Survey estimated that a total of 1.1 million (24%) New Zealanders were disabled (see Disability Survey: 2013, Statistics New Zealand). Disability was defined in the survey as any self-perceived limitation in activity resulting from a long-term condition or health problem lasting or expected to last 6 months or more and not completely eliminated by an assistive device. People were not considered to have a disability if an assistive device such as glasses or crutches eliminated their impairment.
| Indicator | Māori | Non-Māori | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | Females | Total | Males | Females | Total | |
| Total disabled (of total population), 0–14 years, percent, 2013 | 19.0 | 10.6 | 14.9 | 11.0 | 7.2 | 9.2 |
| Total disabled (of total population), 15–24 years, percent, 2013 | 20.3 | 23.5 | 20.9 | 14.0 | 13.8 | 13.9 |
| Total disabled (of total population), 25–44 years, percent, 2013 | 24.7 | 22.2 | 23.3 | 14.0 | 15.3 | 14.7 |
| Total disabled (of total population), 45–64 years, percent, 2013 | 39.6 | 45.3 | 43.6 | 26.0 | 26.1 | 26.1 |
| Total disabled (of total population), 65+ years, percent, 2013 | 73.7 | 50.0 | 62.2 | 55.1 | 57.0 | 55.9 |
Table 17 shows that Māori had a higher disability rate than non-Māori, regardless of age, in 2013. Older people had higher disability rates generally.
Figures 6 and 7 show that, for both Māori and non-Māori, more than half of disabled children and young adults (aged under 44 years) had a single impairment, but more than 60% of disabled adults aged 45 years and over had multiple impairment.
The top 3 impairment types for both Māori and non-Māori children were: difficulty with learning, psychiatric or psychological impairments, and difficulty with speaking. The top 3 impairment types for adults were: mobility impairment, hearing impairment and agility impairment (data not shown here).
Common causes of impairment for children, regardless of ethnicity, were conditions that existed at birth or due to disease or illness. For adults, common causes were accident or injury (especially for males), disease or illness, and ageing (data not shown here).
Figure 6: Prevalence of single or multiple impairments among Māori, by age group and gender, 2013 [1]
Figure 7: Prevalence of single or multiple impairments among non-Māori, by age group and gender, 2013 [1]
| Indicator | Māori | Non-Māori | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | Females | Total | Males | Females | Total | |
| Unmet need for special equipment (of total disabled), 0–14 years, percent, 2013 |
21.7 | 16.7 | 20.0 | 27.0 | 17.4 | 23.3 |
| Unmet need for special equipment (of total disabled), 15–24 years, percent, 2013 |
7.7 | 16.7 | 12.5 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 5.7 |
| Unmet need for special equipment (of total disabled), 25–44 years, percent, 2013 |
10.5 | 18.2 | 17.1 | 9.0 | 10.3 | 9.7 |
| Unmet need for special equipment (of total disabled), 45–64 years, percent, 2013 |
23.8 | 20.7 | 21.6 | 17.6 | 14.2 | 15.8 |
| Unmet need for special equipment (of total disabled), 65+ years, percent, 2013 |
28.6 | 33.3 | 30.4 | 18.6 | 16.2 | 17.4 |
Table 18 shows that Māori disabled children were less likely than non-Māori disabled children to have an unmet need for special equipment, but for all other groups unmet need was higher in Māori.
| Indicator | Māori | Non-Māori | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Males | Females | Total | Males | Females | Total | |
| Unmet need to see a health professional (of total disabled), 0–14 years, percent, 2013 | 17.4 | 16.7 | 17.1 | 10.8 | 17.4 | 15.0 |
| Unmet need to see a health professional (of total disabled), 15–24 years, percent, 2013 | 15.4 | 25.0 | 20.8 | 10.8 | 12.1 | 11.4 |
| Unmet need to see a health professional (of total disabled), 25–44 years, percent, 2013 | 21.1 | 40.9 | 31.7 | 20.9 | 21.8 | 21.4 |
| Unmet need to see a health professional (of total disabled), 45–64 years, percent, 2013 | 19.0 | 24.1 | 21.6 | 12.0 | 13.4 | 13.1 |
| Unmet need to see a health professional (of total disabled), 65+ years, percent, 2013 | 7.1 | Data not available | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
Table 19 shows that Māori adults aged 65 years and over with a disability were less likely to have an unmet need to consult with a health professional than non-Māori disabled adults in the same age group, but for all other age groups unmet need was higher in Māori.
Disabled children, regardless of ethnicity, attended appointments with their doctors or their dentists most commonly, out of all health professionals. Disabled adults consulted most commonly with doctors, followed by nurses and pharmacists (data not shown here).
About 10% of carers of both Māori and non-Māori disabled children received help with personal care for the child. The top 3 types of help young disabled adults (aged 15–24 years) received were help with doing paperwork, help with making decisions and help with communicating with other people. The top 3 types of help disabled adults aged 25 years and over received were help with heavy chores, help with normal household chores and help with shopping (data not shown here).
1. Note: Crude rates and prioritised ethnicity have been used – see Ngā tapuae me ngā raraunga: Methods and data sources for further information.
Source: 2013 New Zealand Disability Survey, Statistics New Zealand
- Crude rates and prioritised ethnicity have been used – see Ngā tapuae me ngā raraunga: Methods and data sources for further information.
- Data was not available where Statistics New Zealand suppressed estimates less than 1000 (they are subject to sampling errors too high for most practical purposes).
Source: 2013 New Zealand Disability Survey, Statistics New Zealand