Disability

![CDATA[Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, yet people with disability (PWD) struggle to access the very things that people without disability take for granted, such as employment, housing, education, recreation, sports, goods and services, and health care. PWD are more likely to belong to the lower socioeconomic group; have low participation rates in the workforce and education; and experience high rates of psychological distress, violence and discrimination, resulting in poor health outcomes (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW) 2019a). This is a socially constructed disparity and a human rights issue. Although governments around the world recognise these inequities, change, including health care services, is slow. Globally, people with disabilities have the same health care needs as those without disability; however, they are twice as likely to find health care services and skills inadequate, three times more likely to be denied health care and four times more likely to be treated badly in the health care system (World Health Organization (WHO) 2019a). Compared to the general population, PWD are more likely to have comorbid conditions and higher rates of premature death, experience secondary (e.g. pressure injuries) and age-related conditions (e.g. premature ageing) and engage in health risk behaviours (e.g. poor diet, physical inactivity) (WHO 2019a).]]