Categorised mortality rate for disabled people, particularly those with psychosocial disabilities
GS Lakes made this Freedom of Information request to Australian Bureau of Statistics
Dear Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Please provide, under the FOI Act, any documents or updates that relate to the number of disabled people who died in the period January 2003 to present, ideally summarised monthly, if possible.
I request this categorised summary include the number of deaths of disabled people for each month/shortest period of data availability, the total disabled people known at the time, the total Australian population at the time, and the percentage of total disabled people at the time that these deaths represent.
If possible, I also request a further and separate category breakdown of this mortality data categorised by whether said deceased person was:
- known to be an NDIS participant (for applicable time ranges), and/or
- known to have a psychosocial disability, diagnosis, or impairment.
If possible, if this could also (in a further and separate break down) be categorised by the particular type of psychosocial disability/diagnosis/impairment known, including but not limited to: anxiety, autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, cPTSD/trauma, depression, dissociative disorder, mood disorder, OCD, paranoia, phobia, psychosis, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders, and so on.
(If it helps - I'm looking for mortality trend data with as fine a time/cohort granularity as possible, to compare against mortality trend data like that seen in Department of Social Security FOI 2122-068, and National Disability Insurance Agency FOIs 21/22-0295 and 21/22-0803, as publicly available on righttoknow.org.au)
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
GS Lakes
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your request.
The FOI team would like to discuss the request with you. If possible,
could you please provide a contact number for us to reach you on, or
alternatively, you can contact me on 02 6252 5956.
Many thanks,
Angalea Turnbull
Policy & Legislation Section | Legislative Compliance & Parliamentary
Australian Bureau of Statistics
(E) [1][email address] (W) [2]www.abs.gov.au
[3]Inactive hide details for "GS Lakes" ---01/07/2024 08:02:09 PM---"GS
Lakes" <[FOI #11596 email]>"GS Lakes"
---01/07/2024 08:02:09 PM---"GS Lakes"
<[FOI #11596 email]>
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"GS Lakes" 01/07/2024 08:02 PM
<[FOI #11596 email]>
Send To "FOI requests at ABS" <[ABS request email]>
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Freedom of Information request - Categorised mortality rate
Subject for disabled people, particularly those with psychosocial
disabilities[4]Policy & Legislation Section WDB
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Categories Freedom of Information\Requests\Valid\2024/25
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Leema Mangal/Staff/ABS, "GS Lakes"
Editors <[FOI #11596 email]>, PALS WDB
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Readers Leema Mangal/Staff/ABS, PALS WDB Access, FOI Stakeholder
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Last modified 03/07/2024 08:29:08 AM By Angalea Turnbull/Staff/ABS
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Dear Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Please provide, under the FOI Act, any documents or updates that relate to
the number of disabled people who died in the period January 2003 to
present, ideally summarised monthly, if possible.
I request this categorised summary include the number of deaths of
disabled people for each month/shortest period of data availability, the
total disabled people known at the time, the total Australian population
at the time, and the percentage of total disabled people at the time that
these deaths represent.
If possible, I also request a further and separate category breakdown of
this mortality data categorised by whether said deceased person was:
- known to be an NDIS participant (for applicable time ranges), and/or
- known to have a psychosocial disability, diagnosis, or impairment.
If possible, if this could also (in a further and separate break down) be
categorised by the particular type of psychosocial
disability/diagnosis/impairment known, including but not limited to:
anxiety, autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder,
cPTSD/trauma, depression, dissociative disorder, mood disorder, OCD,
paranoia, phobia, psychosis, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders, and
so on.
(If it helps - I'm looking for mortality trend data with as fine a
time/cohort granularity as possible, to compare against mortality trend
data like that seen in Department of Social Security FOI 2122-068, and
National Disability Insurance Agency FOIs 21/22-0295 and 21/22-0803, as
publicly available on righttoknow.org.au)
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
GS Lakes
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #11596 email]
Is [ABS request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to Australian Bureau of Statistics? If so, please
contact us using this form:
[5]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
[6]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.abs.gov.au/
4. file:///tmp/Notes:/domco1510.corp.abs.gov.au/CA25814D00045998/F54534119E524D36CA256D4800227591/AF1B3E1330F0155CCA258B4D007D2457
5. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
6. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Good morning,
As we have not had a response from our email on 03/07/2024, we have
provided further information regarding your request below.
The ABS collects limited information on disability at the individual
level. The data you are requesting is collected under the authority of the
Census and Statistics Act 1905 (C&S Act). Information collected under the
C&S Act is exempt from the FOI Act under Schedule 2, Part II, Division 2,
and as such can not be provided through FOI.
However, you may be able access the data through the following pathway:
o Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA) - a secure data asset
combining information on health, education, government payments,
income and taxation, employment, and population demographics
(including the Census) over time.
It provides whole-of-life insights about various population groups in
Australia, such as the interactions between their characteristics, use
of services like healthcare and education, and outcomes like improved
health and employment.
You can find more information about PLIDA and how to access the
information you are requesting on our website: [1]Person Level Integrated
Data Asset (PLIDA) | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)
As the data you are requesting cannot be made available through FOI, we
would appreciate if you could let us know by 12pm Friday 12 July 2024 if
you agree to withdraw your request. We are happy to assist you with
seeking your information through the suggested avenue.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Angalea Turnbull
Policy & Legislation Section | Legislative Compliance & Parliamentary
Australian Bureau of Statistics
(E) [2][email address] (W) [3]www.abs.gov.au
[4]Inactive hide details for Policy & Legislation Section WDB---03/07/2024
12:29:00 PM---Policy & Legislation Section WDBPolicy & Legislation Section
WDB---03/07/2024 12:29:00 PM---Policy & Legislation Section WDB
*
Basics
Policy & Legislation Section WDB 03/07/2024 12:29 PM
Sent by Angalea Turnbull
Send To "GS Lakes" <[FOI #11596 email]>
cc
Re: Freedom of Information request - Categorised mortality
Subject rate for disabled people, particularly those with
psychosocial disabilities [SEC=OFFICIAL][5]Policy &
Legislation Section WDB
Protective Mark OFFICIAL
Information management markers Caveat
Categories Freedom of Information\Requests\Valid\2024/25
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Editors PALS WDB Access, Leema Mangal/Staff/ABS
Readers PALS WDB Access, FOI Stakeholder Group, Leema
Mangal/Staff/ABS
Last modified 03/07/2024 12:29:00 PM By Angalea Turnbull/Staff/ABS
Document Id ATUL-D6T4GW
Edit Logging
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| Edit | 03/07/2024 12:06:12 PM; Angalea Turnbull; Document |
| Log | created. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your request.
The FOI team would like to discuss the request with you. If possible,
could you please provide a contact number for us to reach you on, or
alternatively, you can contact me on 02 6252 5956.
Many thanks,
Angalea Turnbull
Policy & Legislation Section | Legislative Compliance & Parliamentary
Australian Bureau of Statistics
(E) [6][email address] (W) [7]www.abs.gov.au
[8]Inactive hide details for "GS Lakes" ---01/07/2024 08:02:09 PM---"GS
Lakes" <[FOI #11596 email]>"GS Lakes"
---01/07/2024 08:02:09 PM---"GS Lakes"
<[FOI #11596 email]>
*
Basics
"GS Lakes" 01/07/2024 08:02 PM
<[FOI #11596 email]>
Send To "FOI requests at ABS" <[ABS request email]>
cc
Freedom of Information request - Categorised mortality rate
Subject for disabled people, particularly those with psychosocial
disabilities[9]Policy & Legislation Section WDB
Protective Mark
Information management markers Caveat
Categories Freedom of Information\Requests\Valid\2024/25
Visibility Limited Readers
Leema Mangal/Staff/ABS, "GS Lakes"
Editors <[FOI #11596 email]>, PALS WDB
Access
Readers Leema Mangal/Staff/ABS, PALS WDB Access, FOI Stakeholder
Group
Document Information Management - determines recordkeeping action
Usage
Last modified 03/07/2024 08:29:08 AM By Angalea Turnbull/Staff/ABS
Document Id DCOO-D6RDY6
****************************************************************************************************
CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless
you recognise the sender
and know the content is safe
****************************************************************************************************
Dear Australian Bureau of Statistics,
Please provide, under the FOI Act, any documents or updates that relate to
the number of disabled people who died in the period January 2003 to
present, ideally summarised monthly, if possible.
I request this categorised summary include the number of deaths of
disabled people for each month/shortest period of data availability, the
total disabled people known at the time, the total Australian population
at the time, and the percentage of total disabled people at the time that
these deaths represent.
If possible, I also request a further and separate category breakdown of
this mortality data categorised by whether said deceased person was:
- known to be an NDIS participant (for applicable time ranges), and/or
- known to have a psychosocial disability, diagnosis, or impairment.
If possible, if this could also (in a further and separate break down) be
categorised by the particular type of psychosocial
disability/diagnosis/impairment known, including but not limited to:
anxiety, autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder,
cPTSD/trauma, depression, dissociative disorder, mood disorder, OCD,
paranoia, phobia, psychosis, schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders, and
so on.
(If it helps - I'm looking for mortality trend data with as fine a
time/cohort granularity as possible, to compare against mortality trend
data like that seen in Department of Social Security FOI 2122-068, and
National Disability Insurance Agency FOIs 21/22-0295 and 21/22-0803, as
publicly available on righttoknow.org.au)
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
GS Lakes
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #11596 email]
Is [ABS request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to Australian Bureau of Statistics? If so, please
contact us using this form:
[10]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
[11]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. https://www.abs.gov.au/about/data-servic...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.abs.gov.au/
5. file:///tmp/Notes:/domco1510.corp.abs.gov.au/CA25814D00045998/F54534119E524D36CA256D4800227591/F820CC01C6DB3813CA258B4D0037C39E
6. mailto:[email address]
7. http://www.abs.gov.au/
9. file:///tmp/Notes:/domco1510.corp.abs.gov.au/CA25814D00045998/F54534119E524D36CA256D4800227591/AF1B3E1330F0155CCA258B4D007D2457
10. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
11. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...
Dear Angalea Turnbull, the FOI team at the ABS,
Thank you for your response. I'm disappointed to hear that you won't help me obtain this data.
As you'd surely know, PLIDA access is not easy to obtain, and requires substantial training, data analysis skills, as well as ongoing employment at a major university, government agency, or one of a handful of accredited non-government entities, from what I can see.
This is a standard beyond many people's reach to obtain and maintain, and hence is rather inequitable - especially so to disabled people. I happen to have the requisite data analysis skills, but because of acquired disability, I would not be able to obtain or maintain employment and/or personal accreditation at any of the institutions I can see publicly listed as being active research participants with access to PLIDA.
(I do not see any disability advocacy organisations listed, and I understand given recent funding cuts, they likely wouldn't be able to maintain any such accreditation, anyway.)
I understand that the ABS does not have a legal requirement to provide this data, but I am at a loss as to how a member of the general public in my situation could obtain this data otherwise.
Without it being up to the whim of an organisation that perhaps has conflicting interests to that of my particular 'cohort'.
(I do not have high hopes for the success of my similar requests to the Department of Social Services or the NDIA, given that it may not paint them in a favourable light!)
I'd appreciate any advice you can give me on alternate paths for me to access this data, as the public rather urgently needs this information, given the current debate about the NDIS.
Yours sincerely,
GS Lakes
Good afternoon,
I have reached out to the relevant area of the ABS to further discuss your
request.
It has been suggested you could try a customised data request, however it
may not provide much more information than what is already available in
the Causes of Death Australia publications which you can access here:
[1]Causes of Death, Australia | Australian Bureau of Statistics
(abs.gov.au).
You can apply for a customised data request here: [2]Consultancy request
form | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au).
If you have any questions, please get in touch with the FOI team. We would
appreciate a response by COB 12 July to let us know how you would like to
proceed.
Regards
Angalea Turnbull
Policy & Legislation Section | Legislative Compliance & Parliamentary
Australian Bureau of Statistics
(E) [3][email address] (W) [4]www.abs.gov.au
[5]Inactive hide details for "Angalea Turnbull" ---10/07/2024 11:18:06
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---10/07/2024 11:18:06 AM---"Angalea Turnbull"
<[email address]>
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"Angalea Turnbull" <[email address]> 10/07/2024 11:18 AM
Send To "Policy & Legislation Section WDB"
<[email address]>
cc
FW: Notification: Re: Freedom of Information request -
Subject Categorised mortality rate for disabled people, particularly
those with psychosocial disabilities [SEC=OFFICIAL][6]Policy
& Legislation Section WDB
Protective Mark OFFICIAL
Information management markers Caveat
Categories Freedom of Information\Requests\Valid\2024/25
Visibility Limited Readers
"GS Lakes" <[FOI #11596 email]>,
Editors "Angalea Turnbull" <[email address]>, Leema
Mangal/Staff/ABS, PALS WDB Access
Readers Leema Mangal/Staff/ABS, PALS WDB Access, FOI Stakeholder
Group
Document Information Management - determines recordkeeping action
Usage
Last modified 10/07/2024 05:11:59 PM By Angalea Turnbull/Staff/ABS
Document Id DCOO-D723LF
Dear GS Lakes,
Please find attached the response from the ABS regarding your Freedom of
Information request.
(See attached file: ABS Response to your FOI Request.pdf)
Kind regards,
Leema Mangal
Freedom of Information Policy Officer
Policy & Legislation Section | Legislative Compliance and Parliamentary
Branch
Australian Bureau of Statistics
(E) [1][email address] (W) [2]www.abs.gov.au
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.abs.gov.au/