Medicines are central to managing arthritis and osteoporosis, to improve musculoskeletal functions, slow disease progression and reduce pain and inflammation. Pharmaceutical innovations over the last several years have improved the efficacy and diversity of medicines available to manage these conditions. However, the adoption of new and more effective drugs is often costly.

This report provides information on what medicines Australians are using to manage their musculoskeletal problems, how much do these medicines cost them and trends in the prescription of newer medicines.

Go now to: Medication use for arthritis and osteoporosis (AIHW)

Devoted to human rights developments in Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and internationally. The Journal adopts a broad-based multidisciplinary approach to human rights issues. It deals not only with the legal aspects of human rights but also the philosophical, historical, sociological, economic and political dimensions.

The Australian Journal of Human Rights is a publication of the Australian Human Rights Centre (AHRC). Located in the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales, AHRC is an independent non-government organisation dedicated to encouraging multidisciplinary teaching and research in the area of human rights at the national, regional and international levels.

The Australian Journal of Human Rights was established in 1991. It is the first journal of its kind in Australia to be devoted to the publication of articles, commentary and book reviews about human rights developments in Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and internationally.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) publication Disability in Australia: multiple disabilities and need for assistance (AIHW) is now available to download for free.

The number and type of disabilities a person has is highly related to the severity of disability and need for assistance. This report examines the severity of disability and complex support needs of people with multiple disabilities in Australia. The analysis examines people with multiple disabilities in different age groups: children (0-14 years), people of working age (15-64 years) and older people (aged 65 years or over).

Authored by AIHW.

Go now to: Disability in Australia: multiple disabilities and need for assistance (AIHW)

The report provides detail on the key barriers and issues facing people with a disability, their families and carers and highlights the solutions offered by the submissions.

The report also compares the level of interest against a range of themes and issues that have emerged and identifies the existing strategies that submissions suggest are working well.

Go now to:  SHUT OUT: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia 

National Press Club of Australia Speaker - Dr Rhonda Galbally AO - Chair - National People with Disabilities and Carer CouncilDr Galbally presented evidence from Shut Out – a report recently released by the National People with Disabilities and Carer Council. Shut Out provides the first comprehensive picture of what contemporary life is like for Australians with a disability and their families. The report is the result of an extensive Australia-wide consultation which asked people with a disability and their families what their lives were like and, most importantly, what they would like their lives to be like. As a result of this consultation process, the report is alive with the voices and stories of hundreds of Australians.

"SHUT OUT- Life for Australians with a disability & their families" Report Launch

Shut Out is a damning indictment of the discrimination and exclusion experienced daily by many people with a disability and their families. Shut Out exposes a national disgrace for Australia - one of the wealthiest and most liveable nations in the world; a country where people with a disability find themselves shut out. Shut out of schools, shut out of jobs, shut out of housing, shut out of health care, shut out of community groups. Shut out of anything like a fair go – shut out of the Australian way of life.

Do you work in the community sector and have something to say about job stress?

Can you contribute one and a half to two hours?

It is important to discover workers' views and experiences of job stress: what is happening and what can be done to lessen job stress? Your views are important.

If you work in the community sector (clinicians, direct care staff and administrative workers), you can join a qualitative study looking at workers' experiences, knowledge and understanding of job stress.

Child protection Australia 2007-08 Child welfare series no. 45 provides comprehensive information on state and territory child protection and support services.

This report is based on data collected each year, by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The report contains data for 2007-08, as well as trend data on child protection notifications, investigations and substantiations, children on care and protection orders and children in out-of-home care. Detailed information on the characteristics of children in the child protection system is presented, specifically data on their age, sex and Indigenous status.

In addition, for child protection substantiations, data on the family type and the source of notification are included. For children on care and protection orders there are data on types of orders and living arrangements, and for children in out-of-home care there are data on types of placements and length of time in out-of-home care.

Go now to: Child protection Australia 2007-08 (AIHW)

NSW CID Health Fact Sheets – an exciting new resource providing information in the form of fact sheets on various health issues for people with intellectual disability. 

Please feel free to make copies of the fact sheets.

If you feel there are any issues that are of particular concern for people with intellectual disability, that have not been addressed within these fact sheets, please contact The NSW Council for Intellectual Disability (NSW CID).

Fact sheet topics include:  

• What Is Intellectual Disability?
• What to do when things go wrong: information for people with  intellectual disability and their families
• What is advocacy?
• What is systemic advocacy?
• Language: a powerful way of valuing people with intellectual disability
• Important historical milestones for people with disability
• Some common myths about people with intellectual disability
• Federal and State legislation relevant to people with intellectual disability

Go now to: NSW Council for Intellectual Disability - Fact Sheets  

The Learning Partnership Project highlights the potential of Mutually Beneficial Partnerships in the disability work environment. For example, it is capable of bringing to the surface primary objectives for the support of support workers and for gaining public recognition of the credibility of Mutually Beneficial Partnership that are performed between them and people with disabilities/different abilities.

Go now to: Achieving a synergy for the disabled