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The "Special Topics Report No. 48" on social statistics is published by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (December 22).
The report contains the findings of a territory-wide survey on persons with disabilities and chronic diseases conducted by C&SD from November 2006 to December 2007.
At the time of the survey, it was estimated that there were a total of some 361,300 persons with one or more of the following types of disability : (1) restriction in body movement; (2) seeing difficulty; (3) hearing difficulty; (4) speech difficulty; (5) mental illness/mood disorder; (6) Autism; (7) Specific Learning Difficulties; and (8) Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. These 361,300 persons with disabilities constituted about 5.2% of the total population of Hong Kong. The numbers of persons with individual types of disability are shown in the attached table.
The survey also collected information on persons with intellectual disability residing in institutions and in households. However, there was strong indication of under-reporting in respect of the number of persons with intellectual disability in households as derived from the survey findings. Hence, the analysis of survey findings pertaining to the persons with intellectual disability has been separated from that of persons with other types of disability in the report. A crude statistical assessment indicated that the total number of persons with intellectual disability in Hong Kong was likely to be in the region of 67,000-87,000.
The survey findings also indicated that some 1,152,700 persons required long-term (i.e. lasting at least 6 months) medical treatment, consultation or medication for certain type(s) of diseases at the time of the survey. These 1,152,700 persons with chronic diseases constituted about 16.7% of the total population of Hong Kong.
This survey on persons with disabilities and chronic diseases was organised into three parts. The first part was a special topic enquiry (STE) on "Persons with chronic diseases" conducted via the General Household Survey (GHS), collecting data from persons with chronic diseases who resided in households. The second part was a STE on "Persons with disabilities" conducted via the GHS, collecting data from persons with disabilities who resided in households. The third part was an institutions survey to collect data from those persons with disabilities and chronic diseases who resided in institutions with residential services.
The report includes findings of the above survey with some 70 statistical tables and charts. Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).
Print version of this publication will be available for sale at HK$108 per issue in late January 2009. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel.: 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).
Enquiries about the contents of the report can be directed to the General Household Survey Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5503 or email: special-topics@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, December 22, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:30
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