NZ Disability Survey Snapshot: Physical Disabilities
Special Equipment
- Just under one-quarter (24%) of adults with physical disabilities in households (95,300) used or needed some type of equipment to help them move about. Two of the most common types of equipment used were a walking stick (70,900), and a walking frame (15,700).
- About 8,400 adults with physical disabilities in households had an unmet need for some type of equipment to help them move about. One of the most common reasons for this was they could not afford it.
- About 82% of adults with physical disabilities in residential facilities (21,300) used some type of equipment to help them move about. This included people who did not operate the equipment themselves, for example, staff pushing their wheelchair. Two of the most common types of equipment used were a walking frame (11,500), followed by a wheelchair (10,900).
- Three percent of physically disabled adults in households (12,500) used some type of equipment to support, replace, or help them use their hands or arms. This compared with 5% of physically disabled adults in residential facilities (1,200).
- About 1,100 children with physical disabilities had an unmet need for equipment to help with standing or moving around. One of the most common reasons was that it was too costly.
Transport Issues
All of the numbers in this section relate to people living in households.
- An estimated 249,100 physically disabled adults drove a private motor vehicle in 2001. About 3% of these had changes made to the vehicle so they could drive it, and 2% had needed changes which they had not yet had made.
- About 4,200 physically disabled adults said they would drive a vehicle that was in their household if it was adapted to their needs. One of the most common reasons it had not been adapted was that it was too costly.
- Some 336,500 people with physically disabilities travelled as a passenger in a private motor vehicle (excluding taxis) in 2001.
- About 147,200 physically disabled people who drove and/or travelled as a passenger in a motor vehicle needed parking close to where they wanted to go because of their condition or health problem. Nearly half of these people had experienced problems finding a carpark in the last six months. Two of the most common reasons were that they had not been able to find parking close to where they wanted to go (59,500), and people with no disability were using the carparks for people with a disability (33,000). An estimated 18,600 had difficulties because, although parking was available, it was in places which were too awkward for them to use.
- Some 100,100 people with physical disabilities had used public transport to travel short distances (less than 80 km) in the last 12 months. 20% of these reported having some difficulty while doing so. Two of the most common problems were difficulty getting on or off public transport (14,000), and difficulty getting to or finding the stop (5,300). A further 47,000 people with physical disabilities did not use public transport to travel short distances because they would have difficulty doing so. Some of the most common problems experienced by these people were difficulty getting on or off public transport (33,100), difficulty getting to or finding the stop (21,300), and difficulty standing in the vehicle while it was moving (21,000).
Accommodation Issues
All of the numbers in this section relate to people living in households.
- Around 53,900 people with physical disabilities used special features to enter or leave their present homes in 2001. Two of the most common features used were hand rails at steps or doorways (41,400), and easy access driveways, ramps, or street level entrances (19,300).
- About 18,000 people with physical disabilities reported an unmet need for special features to enter or leave their present homes in 2001. One of the most common reasons was that it was too costly or they could not afford it.
- Some 69,400 physically disabled people had special features attached inside their homes because of their health condition or problem (portable household equipment and appliances were excluded). Some of the most common features were grab or hand rails (58,700), an easy access toilet (14,900), and a wet area shower (14,800).
- Around 26,100 people with physical disabilities had an unmet need for special features attached inside their homes (portable household equipment and appliances were excluded). One of the most common reasons was that it was too costly or they could not afford it.
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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