people living in finglas and their health - School of Medicine - Trinity ...

RESULTS - PART 2
RESULTS - PART 2
Health service providers said that depression and anxiety affected people of all age groups in the area.
‘Depression and anxiety really is up there….it is probably the commonest its definitely a mental health
issue….across the age groups, young and old’ (HSP 6)
‘…elderly people living alone, poorly supported ….so I’d say depression is the primary mental health problem’
(HSP 13)
‘The most common mental health problem is, I’d say top of the list would be depression and a lot of poor social
problems, housing, substance abuse’ (HSP 19).
‘…people who are depressed….most are single people….not really aged. You have some like would be fiftyish’
(HSP 5)
Respondents also said that bereavement was a source of anxiety for all ages in the community and in particular,
the tragic deaths of a number of young men in the area. This was seen as a source of depression and anxiety
for the whole community.
The respondents (2) highlighted the incidence of depression among young mothers, including postnatal
depression.
‘…in general depression and just anxiety, stress, they would be the main things, I mean again, very young
mums, a lot of children, not a lot of money’ (HSP 16)
Loneliness and isolation was said to be another cause of depression and anxiety.
‘…with the elderly, the most common problems would be like loneliness, isolation….which results in
depression’ (HSP 15)
A number of respondents (5) also said that dementia was a mental health problem commonly encountered in
the area. According to the respondents, people with this condition were inadequately supported due to a lack
of facilities and the poor support services for their carers.
‘…there is a big lack of services for Alzheimer’s patients in the area and they cause a lot of problems at home,
you know, and with the carers….its very hard you know, because they are the same age group and you know,
if they’re getting on a bit it’s, it’s hard, It’s very hard for the carer’ (HSP 9)
In general respondents said that ill health and socio-economic factors also contribute to poor mental health.
‘…where they have ill health and depressed as well….because they have no support financially or practically’
(HSP15)
‘…there is a lot of misery….you get a lot of depression….if the person was in better surroundings they wouldn’t
be depressed’ (HSP 13)
Social problems
All the health service providers mentioned that deprivation and social issues had an impact on the health of the
community. The service providers described a clear association between substance misuse, social isolation,
loneliness, deprivation and ill health.
Alcohol and drug misuse
Respondents described the effect of alcohol (8) and drug misuse (6) not only on the individual but also on the
family and the community at large. The lack of services for those with an alcohol addiction was stressed.
‘…people forget about alcohol, alcohol causes a lot of problems in the area….alcohol abuse is ubiquitous
((ever present)) and I think certainly in areas which are less deprived that people are able to cope with alcohol
abuse better….alcoholism is universal, it’s spread through, right throughout the community but I think in a
disadvantaged area, those who abuse alcohol, well I think there are going to be more who have a serious
problem with it and I don’t think the services are there for them’ (HSP 17)
‘The mental health problems, I get, there’s a lot of alcohol and substance abuse in this community. And
whether there’s just treating their own depression or whether this is, you know what happens in a deprived
community anyway goodness knows’ (HSP 12)
‘…the younger population definitely seems to be more drugs orientated but the older population…a lot of
women and men would be alcoholics….I see the consequences of that’ (HSP 16)
‘…what we mainly come across is, its like people with cross addictions, where they have a heroin addiction
and also have developed an alcohol addiction….and that is where the problem lies ….trying to access alcohol
services or treatment for their alcohol addiction while trying to treat their heroin addiction….the clients….may
come from a background where there has been a background of addiction, a lot of the time it is alcohol
addiction….there’s a whole kind of cohort of, of addiction in the family’ (HSP 4)
Loneliness and isolation
Respondents described loneliness and isolation among members of the community. According to a number of
respondents (8), the elderly are often isolated and lonely. This is mainly as a result of inadequate family support.
The respondents said that families were busy and generally lived a long distance from their elderly parents
thereby reducing opportunities for support.
‘I think a big thing for the elderly….they can feel quite isolated….because families are very busy these days
you know. They don’t really have the same time to, to come, so I think loneliness is a big problem’ (HSP 10)
‘…a lot of those elderly live alone, they’ve very little support and getting access to support structures can be
difficult….gone are the days where there are families around to look after these people’ (HSP 18)
A health service provider said that loneliness was also associated with marital problems.
‘…certainly the homeless problems is something that raises it's head regularly, with people coming in, even in
people, shall we say who have marital difficulties, the man is, whose, the house he's left out on his own it can
cause depression and the isolation of having to follow that kind of thing and will probably end up in the service’
(HSP 19)
Social deprivation
A number of respondents (6) spoke about the effect of poverty or deprivation upon the health of a community.
Issues such as low income, poor nutrition, housing problems were mentioned.
‘It’s (there is) full range of reasons why people would be unwell but nearly all of them link back to the fact that
they are living in poverty or very close to poverty’ (HSP 16)
‘…men wreck themselves so much and particularly working class men, you know, they’re just not good at
caring for themselves or they think they should cope but they don’t go to the GP….((they)) have had a tougher
life in Finglas, generally, they’ve had hard working lives and I just feel that there’s a whole kind of quality that
is missing’ (HSP 2)
‘…there’s a problem and it is getting worse over the last couple of years…lone parents are on the waiting list
for housing for longer periods, and in some cases you have two or three generations living in one
house…there is a lot of overcrowding’ (HSP 10)
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