All Ireland Traveller Health Study Our Geels - Department of Health ...

Health Survey Findings
Section B3: 9-year-old Child Health
General Summary
A majority of mothers (94.8% in ROI and 89.3% in NI) reported the health of their 9-year-old children as
excellent or very good.
Most (81.4% in ROI and 78.2% in NI) brushed their teeth at least daily. In ROI 60.9% and in NI 76.9%
of children had been seen by a dentist in the last 12 months. Just 2.4% in ROI and 3.1% in NI were
reported as smokers. In ROI 84.9% of children were reported as always wearing a seatbelt, compared to
65.6% in NI.
Around one fifth of 9-year-olds (22.9% ROI and 18.5% NI) had access to a computer, most of these, both
male and female, used it a little of the time only. There was wide variability in number of days children
were active for at least an hour daily; just under half (48.6%) were active 7 days in ROI, and 25.4% in NI.
In ROI 24.6% were reported to have a mobile phone and in NI 52.3%. Almost all watched TV (including
videos and DVD) regularly, the majority spending between 1 to 5 hours per day on weekdays and at
weekends also.
Most children (92.5% in ROI and 84.6% in NI) had their first daily meal between 7 and 9 a.m. and most
reported daily breakfast during school week (79.9% ROI and 64.9% NI) with higher rates at weekends.
Whilst fruit (34.6% ROI and 36.9% NI), and vegetables (29.0% ROI and 24.6% NI) were reported as being
eaten more than daily by respondents, diet fizzy drinks (45.9% ROI and 39.3% NI) and fish (27.9% ROI
and 43.5% NI) were never consumed by appreciable numbers. Sweets, crisps and chips were consumed
on several occasions weekly.
Many parents thought their children were always fit and well (65.2% ROI and 71.9% NI), and not at all
sad (49.1% ROI and 51.6% NI) or lonely (64.8% ROI and 62.5% NI). Most felt they got on well at school
(63.7% ROI and 62.9% NI). There were few appreciable differences according to gender. Whilst the
majority of parents did not think their child had been picked upon in the last year, appreciable numbers
(22.5% ROI and 22.2% NI) said that they had been. A majority (58.4% ROI and 61.9% NI) felt it was always
safe for children where they lived and a majority (76.3% ROI and 96.7%) reported their children had a
network of up to 10 friends. Over 95% of families in both jurisdictions reported they had eaten together,
visited relations, sat and watched TV or chatted in the last week.
Commentary
In total, 69% of the 9-year-old children in SC 5-6 in the NLSC/GUI study were judged by their parents to
be very healthy, and 29% were judged to be healthy, but with a few minor problems. 89.8% and 91%
of 9-year-old children in SC 5-6 in the HBSC study and the lowest income group in the NLSC/GUI study
respectively brush their teeth daily or more than daily, compared with 81.4% of ROI and 78.2% of NI
Traveller 9-year-olds. Similarly few children in this age group have tried smoking tobacco in the HBSC
SC 5-6 9-year-olds (3.0%).
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