Built from the ground up by people with disability themselves, this new wellbeing index captures what truly matters, not systems.
What’s happening: Monash University has launched the Disability Wellbeing Index (DWI), a measurement tool developed through consultation with over 3,500 Australians with disability to assess outcomes across 14 key areas including health, safety, relationships, and meaningful activities.
Why this matters: This represents the first wellbeing index built from the ground up by and for people with disability, shifting measurement from what systems think should matter to what participants actually value most in their lives.
After four years of research and consultation with thousands of Australians with disability, Monash University has created something unprecedented: a wellbeing measurement that puts participants’ voices at the centre.
The Disability Wellbeing Index (DWI), launched by Monash University’s Centre for Health Economics and supported by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), represents a fundamental shift in how disability outcomes are measured across Australia.
Built by the community
“This is the first time a wellbeing index has been built from the ground up by and for people with disability,” explains Professor Dennis Petrie, co-author and inequities in health researcher from Monash’s Centre for Health Economics. “It captures what really matters to the participants, not just what systems think should matter.”
The Index emerged from extensive consultation with more than 3,500 Australians with disability, their families, carers, and support networks. A total of 1,983 NDIS participants, including 1,470 adults and 513 young people, completed the final valuation survey that informed the weighting and scoring system.
The DWI measures outcomes for adults and young people aged 15 and above across 14 key items covering ten life domains: health, safety, relationships, personal care, meaningful activities, finances, learning and support.
What participants value most
Project lead Professor Gang Chen (Adjunct), a quality of life and health economics researcher from Monash’s Centre for Health Economics, says the Index can help measure the impact of NDIS and other agency services in ways that are meaningful for all people with disability.
“Measuring wellbeing through the DWI over time will help the NDIA, providers and other agencies in the community to improve services for people with disability,” Professor Chen explains. “Looking at the Index results over time and across services for diverse groups of people with disability can inform better planning decisions and assist in prioritising resources.”
The measurement approach captures personal experiences through responses to statements such as ‘I am satisfied with my mental health,’ ‘I have enough money to meet my needs,’ and ‘I am satisfied with how people treat me.’
Practical implementation
The Index questionnaire can be completed by participants themselves or with supporter assistance. To ensure accessibility, researchers collaborated with the Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability (VALID) to develop an “Easy English” version.
“This ensures people with diverse communication needs can use the tool, express what matters to them, and be counted,” says VALID Chief Executive Officer Fionn Skiotis. “Making the DWI more inclusive means it can better reflect the experiences and wellbeing of all people with disability.”
Service improvement focus
Health economics expert Professor Anthony Harris, co-author from Monash’s Centre for Health Economics, emphasises the Index’s role in driving service performance improvements.
“The DWI was designed to measure the performance of services and supports delivered to people with a disability, to promote those that perform better, and allow participants to make better choices,” Professor Harris explains.
“Ultimately if adopted as a routine measure of performance by providers we hope that it will lead to better support for people with a disability, and improved value for money as investment shifts to services that contribute more to wellbeing.”
Beyond measurement
The Index development used preference-based scoring that enables person-centred measurement of wellbeing rather than system-centred metrics. This approach allows for smarter, more compassionate investments in disability services and supports.
The project was led by Monash University in partnership with researchers from Flinders University and the University of Sydney, with research supported by the NDIA.
By shifting focus from administrative convenience to participant priorities, the Disability Wellbeing Index represents a fundamental change in how Australia approaches disability service measurement and improvement.
The development follows growing innovation in the disability sector, with startups disrupting traditional disability and aged care services by putting user experience at the centre of their offerings.
The tool promises to create accountability mechanisms that align with what people with disability actually value, potentially transforming service delivery across the sector.
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