2.1 Recipients by Medical Category
The medical conditions reported in chart 2.1 below represent the primary medical category that is recorded on a recipient's record at time of grant or review.
Chart 2.1 DSP Recipients by Medical Category at June 2008 
Table 2.1 DSP Recipients by Medical Category at June 2008
| Medical Condition |
Total |
% |
| Acquired brain impairment |
17 098 |
2.3 |
| Amputation |
1666 |
0.2 |
| Cancer/tumour |
13 432 |
1.8 |
| Poorly defined cause |
7545 |
1.0 |
| Chronic pain |
9140 |
1.2 |
| Circulatory system |
35 627 |
4.9 |
| Congenital abnormality / Inherited Disorders |
11 427 |
1.6 |
| Endocrine and immune system |
16 904 |
2.3 |
| Gastro-intestinal system |
4010 |
0.5 |
| Infectious Diseases |
1569 |
0.2 |
| Intellectual/learning |
82 368 |
11.2 |
| Musculo-skeletal and connective tissue |
227 641 |
31.1 |
| Nervous system |
33 368 |
4.5 |
| Psychological/psychiatric |
202 421 |
27.6 |
| Reproductive system |
338 |
0.1 |
| Respiratory system |
20 385 |
2.7 |
| Sense organs |
19 404 |
2.6 |
| Skin disorders and burns |
570 |
0.1 |
| Urogenital system |
3014 |
0.4 |
| Visceral disorder |
7111 |
1.0 |
| Not Coded |
17 329 |
2.4 |
| Total |
732 367 |
100.00 |
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2.2 Recipients by Medical Condition and Gender
Males and females show a similar distribution of medical conditions. The only noticeable differences (ie. a greater than 2 percentage point difference) are for recipients with circulatory conditions (5.9 per cent male and 3.7 per cent female). Table 2.2 provides a list of all medical categories by gender.
More males were former Invalid Pension recipients (granted prior to 1991) than females and therefore do not have their medical condition coded. This needs to be taken into account when interpreting the data as this may contribute to situations where the percentage of females with a particular condition appears greater than the percentage of males.
For both males and females, the most common medical condition was musculo-skeletal and connective tissue and psychological / psychiatric conditions, followed by intellectual / learning conditions. This is consistent with June 2007.
Of the medical categories listed in Table 2.2, females outnumbered males in three groups. These groups are poorly defined cause (143 per cent), chronic pain
(13 per cent) and gastro-intestinal system (36 per cent).
Male recipients make up 79 per cent of the amputation medical condition group. The next highest male dominated group is acquired brain impairment with 71 per cent followed by circulatory system with 68 per cent.
Table 2.2 DSP Recipients by Medical Category and Gender at June 2008
| Medical Condition |
Males |
% |
Females |
% |
Total |
% |
| Acquired brain impairment |
12 148 |
2.94 |
4950 |
1.55 |
17 098 |
2.33 |
| Amputation |
1320 |
0.32 |
346 |
0.11 |
1666 |
0.23 |
| Cancer/tumour |
6812 |
1.65 |
6620 |
2.08 |
13 432 |
1.83 |
| Poorly defined cause |
2200 |
0.53 |
5345 |
1.68 |
7545 |
1.03 |
| Chronic pain |
4276 |
1.03 |
4864 |
1.53 |
9140 |
1.25 |
| Circulatory system |
24 554 |
5.94 |
11 073 |
3.47 |
35 627 |
4.86 |
| Congenital abnormality / Inherited Disorders |
6040 |
1.46 |
5387 |
1.69 |
11 427 |
1.56 |
| Endocrine and immune system |
9288 |
2.25 |
7616 |
2.39 |
16 904 |
2.31 |
| Gastro-intestinal system |
1693 |
0.41 |
2317 |
0.73 |
4010 |
0.55 |
| Infectious Diseases |
1021 |
0.25 |
548 |
0.17 |
1569 |
0.21 |
| Intellectual/learning |
47 725 |
11.54 |
34 643 |
10.86 |
82 368 |
11.25 |
| Musculo-skeletal and connective tissue |
127 819 |
30.91 |
99 822 |
31.30 |
227 641 |
31.08 |
| Nervous system |
16 738 |
4.05 |
16 630 |
5.22 |
33 368 |
4.56 |
| Psychological/psychiatric |
113 877 |
27.54 |
88 544 |
27.77 |
202 421 |
27.64 |
| Reproductive system |
15 |
0.00 |
323 |
0.10 |
338 |
0.05 |
| Respiratory system |
10 698 |
2.59 |
9687 |
3.04 |
20 385 |
2.78 |
| Sense organs |
10 706 |
2.59 |
8698 |
2.73 |
19 404 |
2.65 |
| Skin disorders and burns |
319 |
0.08 |
251 |
0.08 |
570 |
0.08 |
| Urogenital system |
1580 |
0.38 |
1434 |
0.45 |
3014 |
0.41 |
| Visceral disorder |
4012 |
0.97 |
3099 |
0.97 |
7111 |
0.97 |
| Not Coded |
10 643 |
2.57 |
6686 |
2.10 |
17 329 |
2.37 |
| Total |
413 484 |
100.00 |
318 883 |
100.00 |
732 367 |
100.00 |
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2.3 Recipients by Musculo-skeletal/Connective tissue Medical Conditions
The age distribution for recipients with musculo-skeletal/connective tissue conditions is skewed strongly towards the older age groups. This indicates a strong correlation between this type of condition and age.
Chart 2.3 DSP Recipients by Age and Gender as a Percentage of Population at June 2008. Medical Category: Musculo-skeletal / Connective Tissue. 
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2.4 Recipients by Psychological/Psychiatric Medical Conditions
Psychological/psychiatric conditions also show a high representation in the older age groups, but substantial numbers in the younger age groups lead to a more even distribution across the DSP population compared to the other main medical conditions.
Chart 2.4 DSP Recipients by Age and Gender as a Percentage of Population at June 2008. Medical Category: Psychological / Psychiatric Conditions. 
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2.5 Recipients by Intellectual Medical Conditions
Recipients with intellectual/learning disabilities are predominately in the 16 to 24 year age bracket. The majority of these recipients are born with their condition and are predominately manifest grants based on medical evidence provided at claim.
Chart 2.5 DSP Recipients by Age and Gender as a Percentage of Population at June 2008. Medical Category: Intellectual / Learning Conditions. 
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2.6 Recipients by Circulatory Medical Conditions
The age distribution for recipients with Circulatory conditions is skewed strongly towards the older age groups. This indicates a strong correlation between this type of condition and age.
Chart 2.6 DSP Recipients by Age and Gender as a Percentage of Population at June 2008. Medical Category: Circulatory System. 
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2.7 Recipients by Blind Indicator
There were 11 501 recipients identified as permanently blind (1.6 per cent of the total DSP population). Of these, 55 per cent were male, compared to the total DSP population where 56 per cent were male.
The drop in female blind recipients in the 60 plus group is due to the younger qualifying age for Age Pension. Whereas the male qualifying age is 65 years and the drop in male blind recipients in the 65 plus group shows a similar trend to females.
Chart 2.7 DSP Blind Recipients by Age and Gender at June 2008 
Table 2.7 DSP Blind Recipients by Age and Gender at June 2008
Age |
Blind Recipients |
Total DSP recipients |
| Male |
% |
Female |
% |
Total |
% |
Total |
% |
| 16-19 |
190 |
3.0 |
163 |
3.2 |
353 |
3.1 |
17 290 |
2.4 |
| 20-24 |
313 |
4.9 |
243 |
4.7 |
556 |
4.8 |
28 854 |
3.9 |
| 25-29 |
414 |
6.5 |
309 |
6.0 |
723 |
6.3 |
32 385 |
4.4 |
| 30-34 |
463 |
7.3 |
367 |
7.1 |
830 |
7.2 |
38 058 |
5.2 |
| 35-39 |
629 |
9.9 |
538 |
10.5 |
1167 |
10.1 |
52 673 |
7.2 |
| 40-44 |
665 |
10.5 |
580 |
11.3 |
1245 |
10.8 |
65 625 |
9.0 |
| 45-49 |
734 |
11.5 |
622 |
12.1 |
1356 |
11.8 |
86 785 |
11.8 |
| 50-54 |
797 |
12.5 |
721 |
14.0 |
1518 |
13.2 |
104 456 |
14.3 |
| 55-59 |
911 |
14.3 |
818 |
15.9 |
1729 |
15.0 |
132 772 |
18.1 |
| 60-64 |
1028 |
16.2 |
730 |
14.2 |
1758 |
15.3 |
162 798 |
22.2 |
| 65+ |
212 |
3.3 |
54 |
1.0 |
266 |
2.3 |
10 671 |
1.5 |
| Total |
6356 |
100 |
5145 |
100 |
11 501 |
100 |
732 367 |
100 |