Survey Shows 40% of People with a Disability go to the Movies

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/04/05 - Updated: 2016/02/24
Topic: Disability Statistics - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Australian Bureau of Statistics show 40% of people with a disability went to the cinema1 in 5 reported they had a disability which restricted everyday activities and lasted at least six months.

Introduction

According to the 2003 Survey of Disability, aging and Carers, one in five people in Australia reported that they had a disability which restricted their everyday activities and which had lasted, or was expected to last, for at least six months.

Main Item

The proportion of people with a disability attending cultural events barely changed between 1998 and 2003.

In comparison to attendance at cultural events, 29 percent of people with a disability attended sporting events as a spectator, and 28 percent took part in sport or physical recreation. Over one-quarter of people with a disability did not take part in any cultural or sporting activities.

Young people with a disability were more likely to attend cultural venues than older people with a disability.

According to the 2003 survey, 87 percent of children aged 5-14 years with a disability had attended a cultural venue or event, compared to only 47 percent of people aged 75 years and over.

Specifically, the largest difference was for cinema attendance, where 68 percent of children attended compared with 20 percent of people over 75 years.

The smallest difference was for theaters or concerts where 23 percent of children attended, compared to 19 percent of people over 75 years.

Overall, women with a disability attended more cultural venues or events than men. The difference was most noticeable for theaters or concerts with 29 percent of women attending compared to 22 percent of men.

References:

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Survey of Disability, aging and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2003 (cat. no. 4430.0).

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Disability, aging and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, 2003.

Australia Council, Don't give up your day job: An Economic Study of Professional Artists in Australia (Throsby and Hollister 2003).

Australia Council, 2005, Artswork2: a report on Australians working in the arts.

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 4114.0).

Cultural Ministers Council Statistics Working Group, Cultural Participation by Persons with a Disability and Older Persons, 2003.

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Arts and Culture in Australia: A Statistical Overview, 2007, Participation and Attendance (cat. no. 4172.0).

Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.