SNZ Summary Profile for Information about the Household Disability Survey 2001

Information about the Household Disability Survey 2001

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Availability

Valid From: ..	11/01/2000
To: ..	06/01/2002 12:00:00 AM
Frequency: ..	Irregularly

Design
Purpose: The main purpose of the 2001 Household Disability Survey was to measure the prevalence of disability among the resident population of New Zealand living in households. Focus was placed on measuring disability among children, adults and older people at the national and regional levels (i.e. for the four Transitional Health Authority areas that were in place in 1996–1997); and for Mäori and Pacific peoples at the national level.

The objectives of the survey are stated below:

Key Objectives
1. To measure the prevalence of activity limitations among:

children, adults and older persons at the national and regional levels; and
Maori and Pacific Island people at the national level

2. To provide information on the nature, duration, severity (resource definition) and cause of activity limitations amongst the population with activity limitations.

3. To obtain data on the socio-demographic characteristics of the population with activity limitations, including their age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, educational qualifications, labour force status, income, NZDep and household and family circumstances.

4. To compare and contrast information collected on people with activity limitations in 2001 with that collected in the 1996 Household Disability Survey.

Secondary objectives
1. To provide information on the types of activity limitation related expenses which are incurred by individuals with activity limitations and their families.

2. To identify the current use of and unmet needs for technical and personal support services, both formal and informal (eg home-help, special equipment for transport and accommodation, walking sticks...) and the reason for the need remaining unmet amongst the population with activity limitations.

General Information ..Background Information

People with disabilities are a significant part of New Zealand's population, accounting for one in every five people in 2001. Information about the experience of disability in New Zealand is becoming increasingly important as the population ages and New Zealand strives to eliminate barriers faced by people with disabilities.

The 2001 Household Disability Survey and the 2001 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities combine to form the 2001 New Zealand Disability Survey. The 2001 New Zealand Disability Survey was the second national survey on disability conducted by Statistics New Zealand. It provided up to date statistical information on the nature and extent of disability in New Zealand, and the circumstances of people with disabilities, including their use of and unmet need for services and support. An important aim of the survey was to produce information that was comparable with the first national data collection on disability in 1996–1997. The data is a useful resource for a wide range of users, including policy makers, service providers, researchers and all others involved with or interested in people with disabilities in New Zealand.

Note that estimates from the 2001 Household Disability Survey and the 2001 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities were combined to give total disability estimates for New Zealand. However, it is important to note that these are not strictly disability estimates for the total New Zealand population as some types of non-private dwellings were excluded from the scope of this survey. The overall effect of excluding these types of non-private dwellings is not known and, although not expected to have a significant impact on estimates of the total prevalence of disability, there is potential for some underestimation, particularly of psychiatric and intellectual disability.

Target Population

The target population for the 2001 Household Disability Survey was the usually resident population of New Zealand, staying in private dwellings and group homes on the night of the 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings. People staying in group homes containing less than 10 people at the 2001 Census were included in the target population for this survey for comparability with the 1996 Household Disability Survey.

The following people were excluded from the target population:

non-New Zealand diplomats and non-New Zealand members of their staff and households
members of non-New Zealand armed forces stationed in New Zealand and their dependants
overseas visitors who had been resident in New Zealand for less than twelve months and who did not intend to stay in New Zealand for a total period of more than twelve months
long-term residents of non-private dwellings, such as homes for the elderly, retirement homes, hospitals and psychiatric institutions, and penal institutions.

Survey Population
The survey population is the population actually covered by the sampling frame, i.e. individuals who have a chance of being selected into the sample. The survey population for this survey was the usually resident population of New Zealand, staying in private dwellings and group homes (Residential/Community Care Facilities) on the main islands of New Zealand (North, South and Waiheke) on census night who filled in a census form.

The survey population undercovers the target population, particularly individuals living on off-shore islands because of the high cost of sending interviewers to off-shore islands. For practical reasons people staying on census night in a small number of dwellings which were part of the defined target population were excluded from the survey population. These were dwellings in very remote locations inaccessible by private car (e.g. a boat or 4 wheel drive is required). The majority SNZ household surveys exclude these remote dwellings from the survey population. It was also not possible to select people who did not fill in a census form. Note that individuals residing in temporary private dwellings were in the target and survey populations.

Frame

The frame for this survey was created using 2001 Census records. The compilation of the sample frame was aided greatly by the inclusion of two general questions on disability in the 2001 Census. These questions were included in the census to identify a large portion of the population with disabilities, in order to improve the efficiency of the sample selection for this survey.

Statistical Unit
Individuals

Selection Unit
Individuals

Collection Unit
Individuals

Under Coverage
Coverage rules ensure that each person in the survey population has one and only one chance of selection. Since the 2001 Household Disability Survey was selected from census forms, coverage rules were not required. Here we are assuming every person has only one census form so only has a single chance of selection. The 2001 Post-enumeration Survey estimated that the 2001 Census had a net under-count of individuals of approximately 2.2% +/- 0.3%

Sample Size and Response Rate

Statistics New Zealand selected 38,508 people for the 2001 Household Disability Survey. The achieved response rate was 73.4 percent. A significant proportion of the non-responses were attributable to non-contact due to people shifting address between the 2001 Census and the survey.

The total number of respondents with disabilities was 7,256; 2,055 children, 3,483 adults aged 15 to 64 years and 1,718 seniors aged 65 years and over. The survey included oversamples of Mäori and Pacific peoples to improve the quality of estimates for these ethnic groups.

Weighting
Each responding adult and child has been assigned a unique survey weight to be used in the calculation of survey estimates. The two most important functions of the allocated weights are:

to produce unbiased survey estimates by taking account of the varying probabilities of selection amongst members of the sample population
to ‘rate up’ the sample data to the size of the total population living in private households, enabling simple calculation of estimates of population counts.

The 2001 Household Disability Survey used four questionnaires. Each adult completed a “Screening Questionnaire" to establish whether or not they had a disability according to the definition applied. Those who were identified as having a disability then completed a “Content Questionnaire" containing a series of questions relating to services and assistance, employment, education, transport, accommodation, special equipment and economic characteristics. Two similar, but separate, questionnaires were completed for children aged 0 to 14 years who were selected to participate in the survey. Separate questionnaires were used for children because some of the questions in the adult questionnaires did not apply to children.

Links to the four questionnaires on the Statistics New Zealand website are provided below:
http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/quest/sddquest.nsf/a0d89f655b2a49f64c256809000da4aa/f8a5c5838da06086cc256ad8001d4a13?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,disability

http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/quest/sddquest.nsf/a0d89f655b2a49f64c256809000da4aa/77b99aaca0a018e2cc256ad8001d7c10?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,disability

http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/quest/sddquest.nsf/a0d89f655b2a49f64c256809000da4aa/afe0296c8e1fa069cc256ad8001d99f7?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,disability

http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/quest/sddquest.nsf/a0d89f655b2a49f64c256809000da4aa/90690d313a42c061cc256ad8001daec1?OpenDocument&Highlight=2,disability

Output Variables

Output variables are pieces of individual information that can be extracted from the survey/output data. Often output variables can be cross tabulated with other output variables, for example sales by industry classification. The list below contains all current and past output variables which have been released for this survey/output.
The datasets contain variables for all questions in the four survey questionnaires as well as some derived variables and some census variables. Derived variables are variables created by combining responses from 2 or more questions. The census variables were obtained by merging the survey data of respondents with their census record. This enhanced the analytical capacity of the survey database by providing additional demographic and socio-economic variables. It also reduced respondent burden because it was not necessary to collect some information that could be gained through linking disability survey respondents to their census data.

The derived variables and census variables are listed below. Requests for additional census variables to be made available will be considered on a case by case basis.

Derived variables for adults
Screening in (having a disability): scrn_code
Classification of adult disability type: dsblty_type_1_code-dsblty_type_5_code
Higher order classification of adult disability: hear_code, deaf_code, speak_code, ...(see the specs for this variable)
Multiple disability: mult_dsblty_code
Derived variable for condition/disease: q3_condition_code, q4_condition_code, ...
Cause of disability: cause_disease_code, cause_birth_code, ... (see the specs for the full list)
Duration of each disability (in single years): q3_durat_nbr, q4_durat_nbr, ...
Derived variable for duration of the disability with the earliest onset: longest_durat_code
Severity of disability: severity_code
Receipt of a disability related benefit: dis_benft_code
Receipt of other disability related government assistance: govt_assis_code
Government assistance unmet need: unmet_need_code
Out of pocket expenses: expense_code
Modifications to home unmet need: mod_hse_unmet_need_code
Modifications to vehicle unmet need: mod_veh_unmet_need_code
Type of modifications needed but not done to vehicle for passengers: v_mod_type_need_pas_1_code-v_mod_type_need_pas_5_code
Difficulties experienced or would be experienced travelling short distances on public transport: diff_trav_shrt_1_code-diff_trav_shrt_11_code
Special equipment use: equip_use_code
Special equipment unmet need: equip_unmet_need_code
Special equipment or services needed/or would be needed to work:sp_eq_work_1_code-sp_eq_work_11_code, sp_eq_work_99_code
Cause of main activity limitation: cause_main_code
Job search methods: job_srch_meth_1_code-job_srch_meth_10_code
Labour force status: lfs_code
Reason for not being in the labour force: notinlf_code
Work status full time/part time: work_status_code
Type of modifications needed but not done to vehicle for drivers: v_mod_typ_need_dr_1_code-v_mod_typ_need_dr_7_code
Difficulties experienced or would be experienced travelling long distances by aeroplane, train or bus: diff_trav_long_1_code-diff_trav_long_11_code
Receipt of help for everyday activities: recpt_act_use_code
Receipt of help for everyday activities (only to be used in conjunction with the residential facilities data on receipt of help for everyday activities): recpt_act_res_code
THA (Transitional Health Authority in place in 1996): rha_code
Prioritised ethnic group: ethnic_grp_nbr

Derived variables for children
Screening in (having a disability): scrn_code
Classification of child disability type: dsblty_type_1_code-dsblty_type_6_code
Higher order classification of child disability: hear_code, sight_code, ...(see the specs for this variable)
Multiple disability: mult_dsblty_code
Derived variable for condition/disease: q3_condition_code, q4_condition_code, ...
Cause of disability: cause_disease_code, cause_birth_code, ... (see the specs for the full list)
Duration of each disability (in single years): q3_durat_nbr, q4_durat_nbr, ...
Duration of the disability with the earliest onset: longest_durat_code
Severity of disability: severity_code
Receipt of a disability related benefit: dis_benft_code
Receipt of other disability related government assistance: govt_assis_code
Government assistance unmet need: unmet_need_code
Out of pocket expenses: expense_code
Modifications to home unmet need: mod_hse_unmet_need_code
Modifications to vehicle unmet need: mod_veh_unmet_need_code
Type of modifications needed but not done to vehicle for passengers: v_mod_type_need_pas_1_code-v_mod_type_need_pas_5_code
Difficulties experienced or would be experienced travelling short distances on public transport: diff_trav_shrt_1_code-diff_trav_shrt_11_code
Special equipment use: equip_use_code
Special equipment unmet need: equip_unmet_need_code
Use special equipment for standing or moving around: equip_moving_code
THA (Transitional Health Authority in place in 1996): rha_code
Prioritised ethnic group: ethnic_grp_nbr

Census variables
Highest educational qualification: highest_qual_code
Marital status (for respondents without a disability): social_marital_status_code
Total personal income in the last 12 months: total_income_pers_code
Total household income in the last 12 months: total_income_hhld_code
Occupation (for respondents without a disability) : occupation_code
Labour force status (for respondents without a disability): lfs_code
Family type: family_type_code
Usual household composition: hhld_composn_code
Source of personal income: income_srce1_code-income_srce14_code
Main means of travel to work: travel_work_code

Changes in Output Variables over time

Guide to Interpreting Data

Summary of Changes to Survey/Output ..The main differences between the 1996 Household Disability Survey and the 2001 Household Disability Survey was the addition of the Mäori and Pacific over-samples in 2001. This meant that more reliable statistics on Mäori and Pacific peoples could be produced in 2001.

There were also some minor changes to the questionnaires in 2001. Below is a summary of these changes, where applicable the impact is also discussed.

Adult screening questionnaire

The 'cause of activity limitation' question was adjusted in 2001 to discourage people answering ageing/another cause, and to tidy it up so that psychological/physical abuse was separate question asked if the cause was a particular case of accident/injury. Also, the 'accident' category in 1996 became 'accident or injury' in 2001. The changes to the questionnaire had an impact on the way the respondents answered. This means that caution should be used when comparing the 2001 and 1996 cause estimates.
A question asking the main activity limitation was added in 2001. In order to make this work, a new question was also added to the 'any other activity limitation' question, which asked what the limitation was.

Adult content questionnaire

The 'needs assessment' questions were deleted in 2001. In 1996 there were some questions to find out whether 'respondents had received a Needs Assessment since July 1 1995' so that users could identify if people had received an RHA (aka. THA) funded Needs Assessment and if not, why not. The respondents were not clear on what a needs assessment was, despite the definition, so the quality of the question was poor in 1996 and it was removed in 2001.

Child screening questionnaire

Screening questions on: Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida and Autism or Asperger Syndrome were added in 2001. These are conditions very prevalent in NZ.

Child content questionnaire

Children aged under 2 years were not asked the questions on transport and accommodation in 2001 because they were not seen to be relevant. Consequently, care should be taken comparing this data between 2001 and 1996.

Usage and Limitations of the Data ..The sample size limits the use of complex cross-tabulations, sample size is one of the factors influencing the size of the sampling error.

Note that the only regional data that can be provided is for the four Transitional Health Authorities that were in place in 1996. This is due to the size of the sample.

Related Data Sources ..1996 Household Disability Survey
2001 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities
1997 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities
2001 Census of Population and Dwellings
1996 Census of Population and Dwellings
1996/97 Health Survey

Sampling Errors ..Sampling error is a measure of the variability that occurs by chance because a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed. The size of the sampling errors in this survey has been controlled by the size of the sample and the use of random selection, stratification, sample allocation and estimation techniques. Note that all sampling errors have been measured at the 95 percent confidence level.

Generalised tables of Relative Sampling Errors (RSEs) have been provided below. These should be used as a guide for judging the reliability of estimates. Note that these sampling error tables are for count estimates only, not for percentages. This does not mean there is no sampling error present for percentage estimates.

Specific sample errors were calculated for some of the survey estimates for the technical report "Disability Counts 2001". Those wishing to use these sampling errors should contact Statistics New Zealand.

Five generalised sampling error tables are provided. Some are for estimates from the Household Disability Survey, others are for estimates from both disability surveys combined (household and residential facilities. Details of when each table should be used are provided below:

Table 1 should be used for all 2001 estimates for people living in households. Separate RSEs are provided in this table for children, adults and total estimates. Total estimates are for children and adults combined.
Table 2 should be used for 2001 adult only estimates for the whole of New Zealand, that is, the adult estimates created using data from both of the 2001 Disability Surveys (household and residential facilities) combined.
Table 3 should be used for 2001 total estimates for the whole of New Zealand, that is, the total estimates created using data from both of the 2001 Disability Surveys (household and residential facilities) combined. Total estimates are for children and adults combined. For adult only estimates for the whole of New Zealand, use table 3.
Table 4 should be used for all 1996–1997 estimates. Separate RSEs are provided in this table for children in households; adults and total estimates for households; and estimates of people in residential facilities. Total estimates are for children and adults combined.
Table 5 should be used for comparing 2001 Mäori estimates, Pacific peoples estimates and non-Mäori, non-Pacific peoples estimates for people living in households only, or for the whole of New Zealand. The whole of New Zealand estimates were created using data from both of the 2001 Disability Surveys (household and residential facilities) combined. Separate RSEs are provided in this table for all Mäori, all Pacific peoples, non-Mäori, non-Pacific children, and non-Mäori, non-Pacific adults or totals. Note that non-Mäori, non-Pacific peoples are those who do not belong to either the Mäori or the Pacific ethnic groups. However, the non-Mäori, non-Pacific peoples RSEs should also be used for non-Mäori estimates and for non-Pacific peoples estimates.

Generalised sampling error tables

Table 1: For All Estimates from the 2001 Household Disability Survey

Estimate	Relative Sampling Errors (%)
Estimate	Children	Adults	Total (children and adults combined)
500	73	112	112
1,000	53	81	81
2,000	39	59	59
3,000	32	49	49
4,000	28	43	43
5,000	26	39	39
10,000	19	28	28
30,000	11	17	17
50,000	9	13	13
100,000	7	10	10
300,000	4	6	6
500,000	3	5	5
Estimate cut-off points
for RSE=50% for RSE=70% for RSE=100%	1140 540 250	2860 1380 630	2860 1380 630

Table 2: For Adult Estimates from Both 2001 Disability Surveys Combined⁽¹⁾

Estimate	Relative Sampling Errors (%)
500	148
1,000	104
2,000	74
3,000	60
4,000	52
5,000	47
10,000	33
30,000	19
50,000	15
100,000	10
300,000	6
500,000	5
Estimate cut-off points
for RSE=50% for RSE=70% for RSE=100%	4380 2230 1090

⁽¹⁾ "Both 2001 Disability Surveys combined" is the 2001 Household Disability Survey and the 2001 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities combined.

Table 3: For Total Estimates (All Age Groups Combined) from Both 2001 Disability Surveys Combined⁽¹⁾

Estimate	Relative Sampling Errors (%)
500	67
1,000	52
2,000	40
3,000	35
4,000	31
5,000	29
10,000	22
30,000	15
50,000	12
100,000	9
300,000	6
500,000	5
Estimate cut-off points
for RSE=50% for RSE=70% for RSE=100%	1120 450 170

⁽¹⁾ "Both 2001 Disability Surveys combined" is the 2001 Household Disability Survey and the 2001 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities combined.

Table 4: For All Estimates from the 1996–1997 Disability Surveys

Estimate	Relative Sampling Errors (%)
Estimate	Household Children	Household Adults and Totals (all age groups combined)	Residential Facilities
500	121	216	46
1,000	86	156	34
2,000	62	113	26
3,000	52	93	22
4,000	45	82	19
5,000	41	74	18
10,000	30	54	13
30,000	19	33	9
50,000	15	27	.
100,000	12	20	.
300,000	8	12	.
500,000	6	10	.
Estimate cut-off points
for RSE=50% for RSE=100%	3,200 700	12,000 2,600	420 .

Table 5: For Comparing Mäori, Pacific Peoples and Non-Mäori Non-Pacific Peoples Estimates, from the 2001 Household Disability Survey OR from Both 2001 Disability Surveys Combined⁽¹⁾

Estimate	Relative Sampling Errors (%)
Estimate	Mäori	Pacific Peoples	Non-Mäori Non-Pacific Children	Non-Mäori Non-Pacific Adults and Totals all age groups combined)
500	60	56	90	146
1,000	44	41	65	105
2,000	33	30	46	75
3,000	27	25	38	62
4,000	24	22	33	54
5,000	22	20	30	49
10,000	16	14	22	35
30,000	10	9	13	21
50,000	8	7	10	16
100,000	6	5	7	12
300,000	4	3	4	7
500,000	3	2	3	5
Estimate cut-off points
for RSE=50% for RSE=70% for RSE=100%	750 350 155	640 310 140	1710 840 400	4700 2330 1110

⁽¹⁾ "Both 2001 Disability Surveys combined" is the 2001 Household Disability Survey and the 2001 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities combined.

See the technical notes section of "Disability Counts 2001" for more details on how to use the sampling errors.

Non-sampling errors Possible non-sampling errors in sample surveys include errors arising from biases in the patterns of response and non-response, inaccuracies in reporting by respondents, and errors in the recording and coding of data.

Caveats on Release ..SNZ standard terms and conditions of supply

Catalogue & Reference Numbers

Total population residing in households and residential facilities

Other Comments

Classification(s) used

Glossary of Terms

Adult
An adult is a usual resident of New Zealand aged 15 years or over.

Agility disability
People with an agility disability have difficulty with or cannot bend, dress, grasp, cut their own toe-nails, reach, cut their own food or get themselves in or out of bed.

Child
A child is a usual resident of New Zealand aged between 0 and 14 years.

Chronic health problem
Children with a chronic health problem have severe asthma, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, a chronic gastro-intestinal condition, growth failure or failure to thrive, autism or asperger syndrome, or a long-term lung, heart or kidney condition or disease which limits their activities.

Disability
A disability is any self-perceived limitation in activity resulting from a long-term condition or health problem; lasting or expected to last six months or more and not completely eliminated by an assistive device.

More details:
A functional concept of disability was used in these surveys:
“ … any restriction or lack (resulting from impairment) of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.” (WHO)

This is the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition that was used in the 1996–1997 disability surveys. It was used again in 2001 so the data would be comparable. Using this concept, a disability was defined as any limitation in activity resulting from a long-term condition or health problem. The focus was, therefore, not on identifying the nature of the disorder or disabling condition, but rather the limitation resulting from it.

People were not considered as having a disability if an assistive device (such as glasses) completely eliminated their limitation. A concept of time was also added as an additional filter; the disability must have lasted or be expected to last for six months or more.

Disability was determined by responses to a series of questions that assessed difficulties performing certain day-to-day activities. Answers reflected respondents’ own perception of their situation and were, therefore, subjective.

A new WHO disability classification was finalised in 2001: the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). This was not used for the 2001 surveys because the decision on which classification to use was made in 2000, before the new classification was finalised. The decision to use the same disability classification as was used in the 1996–1997 surveys was made in consultation with agencies from the disability community and government sector.

Disability rate
The disability rate is the proportion of people reporting a disability. This is the estimate of the number of people with a disability divided by the estimate of the number of people with and without a disability.

Disability type for adults
The following disability types are provided under the detailed classification of disability type for adults:
Hearing, Seeing, Mobility, Agility, Speaking, Intellectual, Psychiatric / Psychological, Other.
These disability types are defined separately here in the Glossary of Terms. In this case 'Other' includes adults who have a long-term condition or health problem that causes them ongoing difficulty with their ability to learn or remember, or causes them difficulty with or stops them from doing everyday activities which people their age can usually do.

The disability types above were combined to form a higher order classification of disability type for adults with five categories: Sensory, Physical, Intellectual, Psychiatric / Psychological, Other.
These disability types are defined separately here in the Glossary of Terms.

Disability type for children
The following disability types are provided under the detailed classification of disability type for children:
Hearing, Seeing, Speaking, Use of technical equipment, Chronic health problem, Intellectual, Psychiatric / Psychological, Special education, Other.
These disability types are defined separately here in the Glossary of Terms. In this case 'Other' includes children who have any long-term condition or health problem, not classified into one of the categories above, that limits what they can do at school, at play, or in any other activity that children their age can usually do.

The disability types above were combined to form a higher order classification of disability type for children with six categories:
Sensory, Use of technical equipment, Intellectual, Psychiatric / Psychological, Chronic health problem, Other.
These disability types are defined separately here in the Glossary of Terms.

Dwelling
A dwelling is any building or structure, or part thereof, that is used (or intended to be used) for the purpose of human habitation. It can be of a permanent, temporary or even mobile nature and includes structures such as motels, hotels, hospitals, prisons, motor homes, huts and tents.

Employed
People who work for one or more hours per week for financial gain, or who perform unpaid work in a family business, are employed.

Ethnic group
This refers to the ethnic group or groups that a person identifies with on a self-determination basis. If appropriate, respondents may identify with more than one group. An ethnic group is defined as a social group whose members share a sense of common origins, a distinctive history and destiny, collectively possess one or more dimensions of cultural identity and have a unique collective solidarity. In the cases where respondents stated that they belonged to more than one ethnic group, then a single ethnic category was assigned to that person using a system of priority recording of ethnicity.

European
This refers to people who specified their ethnic group to be one of:

New Zealand European (New Zealander, Päkehä, Kiwi)
Australian
Dutch
Greek
English
Scottish
Irish
Eurasian
Caucasian or any other European group as their sole ethnic group.

Hearing disability
People with a hearing disability have difficulty hearing or cannot hear what is said in a conversation with one other person and/or a conversation with at least three other people.

Highest qualification
This qualification is the most advanced formally recognised educational attainment by people aged 15 years and over.

Household
A household consists of either one person who usually resides alone or two or more people who usually reside together and share facilities (such as eating, cooking, or bathroom facilities, a living area).

Household composition
The nature of a household based upon its usual occupants and organisation according to the relationships between the occupants. Persons temporarily absent from the dwelling on census night are assigned by Statistics New Zealand back to their appropriate household to ensure all usually present members of a household are accounted for. A household may consist of one or more families, may be a non-family household or a one-person household.

Intellectual disability
People with an intellectual disability need support or help from organisations like IHC, or have been to a special school or receive special education because of an intellectual disability or handicap.

Labour force
The New Zealand labour force includes all people aged 15 years and over who regularly work for one or more hours per week for financial gain, or as an unpaid worker in a family business. Also included are those who are unemployed and actively seeking either full-time or part-time work.

Life expectancy
Life expectancy is a measure, based on current mortality trends, of the number of years a person at a given age may expect to live.

Longest duration of disability
The longest length of time an individual has identified as having a disability.

Main disability
The disability that the respondent considered limited their everyday activities most. In 2001 all adults were asked what their main disability was. This was not asked in 1996–1997.

Mäori
This term refers to those persons who specified New Zealand Mäori in 1996–1997, or Mäori in 2001, as one of the ethnic groups they identified with.

Meshblock
The smallest geographical statistical unit for which data is collected and processed by Statistics New Zealand. Meshblocks provide the basis for aggregation into larger statistical units such as area units, wards, territorial authorities and regions. In 2001 there were over 38,000 meshblocks covering the whole of New Zealand, in 1996–1997 there were nearly 37,000.

Mobility disability
People with a mobility disability have difficulty with or cannot walk about 350 metres without resting, walk up or down a flight of stairs, carry an object as heavy as five kilograms for a 10 metre distance, move from room to room or stand for periods longer than 20 minutes.

Non-private dwelling
This is a dwelling in which a number of generally unrelated people live. Non-private establishments usually have common cooking and dining facilities. Examples of non-private dwellings are hotels, motels, hospitals, prisons and boarding houses.

Non-sampling error
Non-sampling error is one of the two types of error possible in estimates based on a sample survey. Non-sampling errors include errors arising from biases in the patterns of response and non-response, inaccuracies in reporting by respondents, and errors in the recording and coding of data. The other type of error is sampling error.

Not in the labour force
Any person who is neither 'employed' nor 'unemployed and actively seeking work' is deemed to be not in the labour force. This category includes retired people; people with personal or family responsibilities such as unpaid housework and childcare; people attending educational institutions; people permanently unable to work due to disability; people who were temporarily unavailable for work in the survey reference week; and people who were not actively seeking work.

Occupation
Refers to the job, trade, profession or type of work in which a person is employed for financial reward or as an unpaid worker in a family business. The classification used is the NZSCO99 (New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations 1999) and is provided at the major group level.

Other disability
People with an 'other' disability have a long-term condition or health problem that causes them ongoing difficulty speaking or being understood, or with their ability to learn or remember. Also included are people who have a disability that causes them difficulty with or stops them from doing everyday activities which people their age can usually do, and children requiring special education because of a long-term condition or health problem.. This is when the disability is not classified as physical, sensory, intellectual, a chronic health problem (children only), requiring the use of technical equipment (children only), or psychiatric/psychological.

Physical disability
People with a physical disability have mobility and/or agility disabilities.

Private dwelling
Any permanent or temporary dwelling which is occupied by a person or group of people and is not available to the public. This term includes houses, flats and apartments that are self-contained in respect of sleeping, cooking, dining, bathing and toilet facilities. Examples of temporary or mobile private dwellings include tents, caravans, campervans and boats.

Psychiatric/psychological disability
This includes people who, because of a long-term emotional, psychological or psychiatric condition, have difficulty with or are prevented from communicating, socialising or doing everyday activities that people their age can usually do.

Residential facility
A non-private dwelling being one of:

rest home or home for the elderly
public hospital
private hospital
intellectual disability unit
psychiatric disability unit
physical disability unit
multiple disability unit.

For the purposes of the Disability Survey of Residential Facilities, staff and family members living in these facilities and occupants of short-stay beds in public and private hospitals were excluded.

Also excluded were:

hospices and acute psychiatric wards
forensic psychiatric wards/hospitals
hospices and acute psychiatric wards
nurses homes
night shelters
DSW residential units
orphanages
welfare facilities
penal and corrections facilities
educational facilities
religious facilities
drug and alcohol recovery centres
boarding houses
supported housing/group homes
work camps, construction camps and training camps
seasonal group quarters
defence areas (armed forces and naval camps)
vessels
police lock-ups
hotels, motels, guest houses and motor camps
communes
marae.

Rural
Any areas of New Zealand not specifically designated as urban.

Sampling error
Sampling error is one of the two types of error possible in estimates based on a sample survey. Sampling error is a measure of the variability that occurs by chance because a sample rather than an entire population is surveyed. The other type of error is non-sampling error.

Seeing disability
People with a seeing disability have difficulty seeing or cannot see ordinary newsprint and/or the face of someone from across a room, even when wearing corrective lenses.

Sensory disability
People with a sensory disability have hearing and/or seeing disabilities.

Severity of disability
Severity is a measure of the intensity and extent of the disability of the respondent. Respondents have been assigned a rating of either 'mild', 'moderate' or 'severe' based on their need for assistance and/or special equipment relating to their disability. Those with 'moderate' disabilities use, or have an unmet need for, some type of assistive device, aid or equipment. Those with 'severe' disabilities receive daily assistance with tasks such as bathing, preparing meals etc.

Social marital status
A person’s reported status with respect to partnership, rather than in regard to registered marriages only. A person’s social marital status can be partnered or non-partnered.

Speaking disability
People with a speaking disability have difficulty speaking or being understood.

Special education
Children with a disability requiring special education:

have dyslexia, attention deficity disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and/or
attend a special school, or a special unit or class at a regular school, or a regular class where special education services are provided because of a long-term condition of health problem, and/or
have a Individual Education Programme (IEP) or an Individual Development Programme (IDP) because of learning or developmental difficulties.

Total household income
The total gross income received by all people aged 15 years or over in a household for the financial year ending 31 March. This includes income from all sources, such as wages, salaries, commission, bonuses paid by employer, self-employment, interest, dividends, rent, other investments, ACC, regular payments, NZ Superannuation, pensions, annuities, unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, invalids benefit, student allowance, other government income support payments or war pensions. Excluded are capital gains, gambling winnings and inheritances.

Total personal income
The total gross income that a person aged 15 years or over received from all sources for the financial year ended 31 March.

Transitional health authorities (THA)
The THAs are the former government-established health authorities (Northern, Midland, Central and Southern). At the time of the 1996–1997 Disability Surveys these were the key distributors of health services to their respective areas. These THAs no longer exist. The THAs were formerly known as RHAs (Regional Health Authorities).

Unemployed
This refers to those people who are not working in a paid job, business, farm or profession at the census date, but have actively looked for either full-time or part-time work in the preceding four weeks and would have started work in the week preceding the census had a job been available.

Urban
Non-administrative areas which consists of part of a city or parts of cities and/or part of a district or parts of districts and have populations of 1,000 people or more.

Use of technical equipment
This includes children who use a special buggy or trolley, a standing frame, braces (other than braces for teeth), a wheelchair, crutches, walking sticks, any other kind of walking aid, an artificial limb, or any other kind of equipment because of a long-term condition or health problem.

Usual residence
The address of the dwelling or place where the person considers himself or herself to live.

Contact Details

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Survey Enquiries E-mail Contact:	shari.mason@stats.govt.nz

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