The All Ireland Traveller Health Study (AITHS) is the first study of Traveller health status and health needs that involves all Travellers living on the island of Ireland, North and South. It arose from a recommendation in the Department of Health and Children’s National Traveller Health Strategy - 2002-2005 (Department of Health and Children, 2002): ‘A Traveller Needs Assessment and Health Status Study to be carried out to develop and extend the indicators collected in the last survey of Travellers’ Health Status(HRB, 1987) and to inform appropriate actions in the area of Travellers’ Health’. Following the publication of the National Traveller Health Strategy, the Institute of Public Health (IPH) was commissioned by the Department of Health and Children in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), and supported by Pavee Point, a national Traveller Organisation in ROI, to undertake a comprehensive consultation process throughout Ireland to ascertain the views of Travellers, Traveller organisations, the HSE and health personnel in relation to the scope and conduct of the AITHS. This consultation involved over 600 people throughout the regions and was completed in December 2003 with a national conference. The IPH then submitted a report to the Department of Health and Children, which was developed into a scoping document for an All Ireland Traveller Health Study (AITHS) and was put out to tender. The AITHS is jointly funded by the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (NI), with fieldwork funding support by the HSE and FAS. In June 2007 the School of Public Health and Population Science, University College Dublin, was awarded the contract for the AITHS. The study team worked in collaboration with the HSE and Travellers and Traveller organisations throughout the island of Ireland to conduct this research. The study aims were to: To count the number of Travellers living on the island of Ireland To document fertility rates, the number of births (prospectively) and deaths (retrospectively) of Travellers over a period of one year on the island of Ireland To follow a birth cohort of Traveller infants over a period of 1 year prospectively documenting outcomes, and uptake of services including vaccinations To document the health status of Travellers living on the island of Ireland To determine the factors influencing the health status of Travellers and their access to social and health services currently available/utilised by Travellers on the island of Ireland To document qualitatively the attitudes/perceptions of Irish Travellers to health services To examine the health status of Travellers, to assess the impact of the health services currently being provided and to identify the factors which influence mortality and health status, this study will provide a framework for policy development and practice in relation to Travellers.
Total universe/Complete enumeration
Telephone interview
Other
