C. Flower
03-09-2010, 07:43 AM
All Ireland Traveller Health Study
http://www.dohc.ie/publications/traveller_health_study.html
Summary (P.96 for mortality and cause of death)
http://www.dohc.ie/publications/aiths2010/ExecutiveSummary/AITHS2010_SUMMARY_LR_All.pdf?direct=1
Irish Times Report
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0902/breaking64.html?via=mr
The Department of Health has produced a major study on Traveller health across the Republic and the North. Travellers were heavily involved in what looks to have been a very thorough and well conducted study. There is health gap across the general population, with people on low incomes generally having a much shorter life span. But Traveller men stand out as a group whose life expectancy has actually shortened in recent years.
There are a lot of proposals for changing the situation in the Report - the small amount of support required to maintain the Traveller community organisations needs to be maintained, as these groups are driving positive changes. The trend to settling has not improved overall life expectancy. There is plenty of evidence internationally that when nomadic societies are pressured to settle, there are physical and health problems as a result.
It's a very important study for Travellers and I hope that it doesn't become a dust collector on the shelf and that people get real benefit from it.
The All Ireland Traveller Health study, which took three years to complete and encompassed over 10,500 Traveller families across the whole island, was jointly funded by health departments on both sides of the Border.
The study found that Traveller men live on average to the age of 61.7, a life expectancy equivalent to Irish males in 1945.(Settled men have a life expectancy of 76.8CF)
Compared to the general population, their life expectancy has decreased by five years since in 1987. The study also found that suicide rates are nearly seven times higher in Traveller men compared to the general population.
While the life expectancy of traveller women has increased to 70, this is still 11.5 years less than women in the general population.
The health of Traveller women has improved, however, with an uptake of cervical screening that is higher than the general population, and an uptake of breast screening that is similar to the general population.
The main causes of death in the community were found to be heart disease, cancer and lung disease. Social determinants such as accommodation, education, employment, poverty, discrimination and access and utilisation of services were also factors.
http://www.dohc.ie/publications/traveller_health_study.html
Summary (P.96 for mortality and cause of death)
http://www.dohc.ie/publications/aiths2010/ExecutiveSummary/AITHS2010_SUMMARY_LR_All.pdf?direct=1
Irish Times Report
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0902/breaking64.html?via=mr
The Department of Health has produced a major study on Traveller health across the Republic and the North. Travellers were heavily involved in what looks to have been a very thorough and well conducted study. There is health gap across the general population, with people on low incomes generally having a much shorter life span. But Traveller men stand out as a group whose life expectancy has actually shortened in recent years.
There are a lot of proposals for changing the situation in the Report - the small amount of support required to maintain the Traveller community organisations needs to be maintained, as these groups are driving positive changes. The trend to settling has not improved overall life expectancy. There is plenty of evidence internationally that when nomadic societies are pressured to settle, there are physical and health problems as a result.
It's a very important study for Travellers and I hope that it doesn't become a dust collector on the shelf and that people get real benefit from it.
The All Ireland Traveller Health study, which took three years to complete and encompassed over 10,500 Traveller families across the whole island, was jointly funded by health departments on both sides of the Border.
The study found that Traveller men live on average to the age of 61.7, a life expectancy equivalent to Irish males in 1945.(Settled men have a life expectancy of 76.8CF)
Compared to the general population, their life expectancy has decreased by five years since in 1987. The study also found that suicide rates are nearly seven times higher in Traveller men compared to the general population.
While the life expectancy of traveller women has increased to 70, this is still 11.5 years less than women in the general population.
The health of Traveller women has improved, however, with an uptake of cervical screening that is higher than the general population, and an uptake of breast screening that is similar to the general population.
The main causes of death in the community were found to be heart disease, cancer and lung disease. Social determinants such as accommodation, education, employment, poverty, discrimination and access and utilisation of services were also factors.