Findings of the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study

Published: Saturday, September 04, 2010

Mary Harney, Minister for Health & Children, today (Thursday 2nd September, 2010) welcomed the publication of the findings of the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study, which she launched in July 2007.

The Department of Health and Children in conjunction with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland commissioned the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin to conduct the Study, which expanded on research conducted by the Health Research Board in 1987: 'Travellers Health Status Study - Vital Statistics of the Travelling People'.

Using innovative new methods, Travellers themselves, together with frontline service providers, worked with UCD researchers to collect the data. The purpose of the Study was to examine the health status of Travellers on the island of Ireland, to assess the impact of the health services currently being provided and to identify the factors which influence health status.

Speaking at the launch, which was attended by statutory and voluntary Traveller interest groups from both Northern Ireland and the Republic, the Minister thanked the Traveller community in Ireland, frontline health service providers and Professor Cecily Kelleher, head of the School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science in UCD and her team for carrying out a comprehensive study of the health status of Travellers in Ireland over the past three years. She said "Traveller health continues to be a priority and considerable work has already been undertaken in this area. This commitment is reflected in the significant resources allocated to the commissioning of this study.

"The findings will provide a framework for policy development and practice in relation to Traveller health."

One of the key findings from the study is that Travellers of all ages continue to have much higher mortality rates than people in the general population, with Traveller men now living on average 15 years less than men in the general population and Traveller women living on average 11.5 years less than women in the general population. Deaths from respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and suicides were more markedly increased in Travellers compared to the general population'

To read in full click here

Summary of Main Findings (Prepared by Pavee Point) click here