The last time in-depth research on mortality rates in the Travelling community was done, in 1986, it found that their life expectancy was the same as settled Irish people in the 1940s.
In 1987 the Health Research Board (HRB) found that Travellers had higher rates for all causes of death, and increased rates for death caused by accidents, respiratory diseases, congenital illnesses and metabolic disorders. In 2002, the Department of Health published their national strategy on Traveller health, which recommended a Traveller needs assessment study in 2006, something that has never happened.
The 2002 Census supported the findings of the 1987 Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) research, reiterating that Travellers’ health is generally worse than the rest of the country’s population. Traveller men had a life expectancy of 65 years, compared to 75 years for settled men.
However, little research into the Travelling community’s mortality rates has been done since the 1986 research until now. A new book reveals that not only has there been no improvement in Traveller’s health in 20 years, 80 per cent of those studied died before their 85th birthday.
The book, called Travellers’ Last Rights: Responding to Death in a Cultural Context, was researched and written by the Parish of the Travelling People (PTP). It is targeted at service providers, including GPs and hospital staff, who come into contact with Travellers.
The authors were trying to determine mortality rates and life expectancy, and also did research to find out factors affecting the delivery and uptake of health services for Travellers, specific to bereavement. A study of 255 Traveller deaths between 1995 and 2004 showed that half had died before their 35th birthday.
Cancer was the most common form of death for females while road traffic accidents were the most common cause of death among males. In the infant group, 38 per cent had died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and a quarter of the infant deaths were caused by a genetic condition.
h4. Alarming results
According to Jacinta Brack, who wrote the report with Fr Stephen Monaghan of the PTP, comparisons with national statistics showed some alarming results, as there is a considerable disparity in the age, gender and pattern of Travellers’ deaths when compared to the general public.
Just 2.6 per cent of deaths in the total population are people aged under 25, compared to 32 per cent of Travellers, who have a very high rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (which is almost double the national average) and a high infant death rate generally.
Deaths from cancer and heart disease in the Traveller population, however, are much less frequent because of the high numbers of people dying young. Accessing mental health services is a particular problem for Travellers, which is worrying since there is a high rate of suicide in male Travellers, who accounted for all suicide deaths in the PTP research group. In contrast to national figures, half of all men in the Travelling population who committed suicide were married.
The report authors state that previous research shows 17 per cent of Travellers had difficulty registering with a GP, and in many areas only a small number of GPs provided services to Travellers.
“Since that time, equality legislation and other measures have been introduced to combat GP prejudice; however, there has been no follow-up analysis on its effectiveness,” states the report. “What cannot be underestimated is the value of GP support in the process of diagnosis of mental illness, the possible identification of suicidal tendencies and for the onward patient referral to services.”
The authors suggest improved contact between Travellers and all service providers in the health services will address the high death rates and improve access to services.
“Travellers report an alienation from services for a variety of reasons, sometimes experiencing hostility or a begrudging tolerance that has created challenges to their equality of access and their uptake of services,” said Ms Brack.
“On the other hand, Travellers have sometimes been criticised for their lack of recognition of the systems, procedures and structures operating in areas of service provision. Real improvements to Traveller’s contact with services should in theory come about through changes in policy and practice, but in reality will come about through real commitment by the individual and collective response to the book and through positively targeting Travellers as a client group.” The authors also spoke to groups of Travellers and healthcare workers to establish the barriers to services.
h4. No services in place
Service providers they spoke to said the recent growth in Ireland’s non-national community, who generally have organised services to meet their needs, has highlighted the fact there are no such services in place for the Travelling community.
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