This report presents the impact evaluation of the Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health (CRE-DH) from 2016 until December 2022.

The Centre’s goal is to identify implementable and cost-effective policy interventions that improve the health of working-age disabled Australians. The work during this period was funded by an NHMRC program grant. This report also summarises CRE-DH activities and contributions more generally. Information from program outputs, an investigator survey, and stakeholder interviews reveals how the Centre has contributed to policy, practice, and new ways of working.

Key findings

• CRE-DH projects have shone the light on inequalities in health and social determinants, how social determinants impact health, and how current policies are working (or not) for Australians with disability.
• CRE-DH researchers have shown that people with disability would benefit substantially from the removal of barriers blocking their participation in employment, economic life, transport, community and social activity, leisure, and civic activities, as well as accessibility in the home and community. These benefits can be measured in terms of their health and wellbeing (self-rated health, anxiety, life satisfaction, life worth and happiness).
• Emerging from COVID-19 there is a greater appetite for whole-of-government, cross-sectoral responses to improve the health and wellbeing of people with disability.