Frequent mental distress (FMD) in Irish Travellers: Discrimination and bereavement negatively influence mental health in the All Ireland Traveller Health Study

Abstract

Travellers are an indigenous minority group in Ireland, with poorer life expectancy and health status than the general population. Recent data have shown that Travellers are at increased risk of poor mental health and sequelae from same. We aimed to examine the associations between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors with poor mental health in Irish Travellers. A census survey of all Travellers was undertaken, with 8,492 enumerated families (80% response rate). A random subset of 1,796 adults completed an adult health survey. Traveller peer researchers employed a novel oral-visual computer-aided data collection tool. Frequent mental distress (FMD) was defined as 14 or more days of poor mental health in the preceding 1 month. Prevalence ratios for typical associates of FMD were estimated using a Poisson regression model, adjusted for age and sex. FMD was present in 11.9% of Traveller respondents, and prevalence increased with age. After age and sex adjustment, FMD was more prevalent in those whose quality of life was impaired by physical health, by those who were recently bereaved of a friend or family member, and by those who had greater experiences of discrimination. This study shows that Travellers experience discrimination and bereavement, which negatively influence their mental health. The findings have implications for the mental healthcare needs of indigenous ethnic minorities worldwide.

A rapid review of Irish Traveller mental health and suicide: a psychosocial and anthropological perspective

“…Of these, the leading quantitative study calculated a Standardised Mortality Ratio for suicide amongst Travellers in Ireland, and reported an SMR of 6.6 for young adult males (Abdalla et al 2013). The qualitative studies focussed on aspects of mental illness and postvention themes and impacts of bereavement, grief and loss through suicide ((McGorrian et al 2013;Malone et al 2017;Tobin et al 2018;Millan & Smith, 2019).…”

“…Whilst several review studies have looked at the health of Travellers, the focus has by and large been on physical health, vaccine uptake and outreach programmes with little emphasis on mental health and suicide. Yet, the findings from AITHS show high levels of mental ill-health, and frequent mental distress (FMD) has shown to be associated with key life events including experience of discrimination and bereavement (McGorrian et al 2013). There has been some research done by Mac Greil (1996Greil ( , 2010 which shows that Irish Travellers are exposed to the risk of discrimination on a daily basis in all aspects of their lives.…”

“Where are our costumes?”: the All Ireland Traveller Health Study – our Geels 2007–2011

“…We did, however, record the death as a bereavement variable in the analysis and found that this was an independent predictor of poor mental health for the respondent who completed the health status interview (McGorrian et al, 2013). Due to a change in legislation the onus to register a death now lies with the families in Ireland, and, if there are no probate issues in relation to a last will and testament, such registration may not take place.…”

Grief, Tragic Death, and Multiple Loss in the Lives of Irish Traveller Community Health Workers

“…Members of the Traveller community share a distinct culture based on nomadism and extended family structures, as well as a historically distinct language and economy, in addition to shared religious beliefs and value systems (Brack & Monaghan, 2007). Numerous interacting factors including lifestyle, cultural and socioeconomic factors, discrimination, and educational standards and low employment levels have meant that the Traveller community is a marginalized and socially excluded group within the country, with poorer health status and lower life expectancy than the general population (McGorrian et al., 2013; Van Hout, 2010) and a complicated relationship to bereavement, mourning, and grief.…”