Headline indicator 1.1: Social connection
Measure 1.1.1: Proportion of people with high social support
1.1.1 Rationale
Social support reflects if an individual is having their needs for social connection met. Social support is associated with many outcomes (for example, physical and mental health) and is commonly measured and reported.
1.1.1 Results
| Year | People with disability | People without disability | Relative inequality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 44.9% | 65.3% | 0.69 |
| 2022 | 44.7% | 60.6% | 0.74 |
1.1.1 Description of results
In 2018, the proportion of people with disability with access to high social support was 44.9%. By 2022, access to high levels of social support remained stable at 44.7%.
In comparison to people without disability, people with disability have gone from being 0.69 times less likely to 0.74 times less likely to have high social support. While this represents a slight close in the gap between people with and without disability, this has come from a decline in social support for people without disability.
1.1.1 Definition
This measure is estimated separately for people with and without disability.
- Denominator: People aged 15+ years
- Numerator: People with social support of 8 or more on the social support scale
1.1.1 Data source
Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA)
1.1.1 Data availability
Baseline year: 2018
Frequency: Annual
1.1.1 Technical note
Social support is based on 10 questions where people describe the level of support they get from others.
It includes positive scenarios, such as: ‘When I need someone to help me out, I can usually find someone’. It also includes negative scenarios, such as ‘I have no one to lean on in times of trouble’.
People receive one point each time they 1) agree with a positive scenario or 2) disagree with a negative scenario, resulting in a score ranging from 0 to 10.
We consider a score of 8 or higher as indicative of high social support.
Updated