Study title

There have already been two Mikrozensus special survey on the topic of physical handicaps in 1967 (Mikrozensus MZ7604) and 1986 (Mikrozensus MZ8604). In the course of the actual survey it is again evaluated how many Austrians suffer from impairment of seeing, hearing or movement as well as who suffers from a chronic disease. Updated numbers and information on the living conditions of handicapped persons are needed to make medical and social measures of improvement possible. Great efforts are expended to avoid discrimination resulting from handicaps in public as well as in private life. Some question aim at presenting results on the personal activities handicapped persons need help with. Moreover, it is evaluated whether this help is provided by relatives or friends and/or if the person makes use of social services. The results make the appraisal of the current and future need for outpatient facilities for physical impaired people possible. In addition, the data is used for planning and constructing special technical aids which facilitate leisure time activities and the daily job routine. Another aspect of this survey is - similar to all other Mikrozensus special programs - the grouping of the results according to certain characteristics of the life situation of the interviewee (age, social standing, size of the household, etc.) which would not be possible in an administrative statistic.