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

All Ireland Traveller Health Study
Regarding specific measures of general health, such as an estimate of days during which ill-health had
an impact, the Traveller group appear to be in poorer health than the comparable populations (Table
251), although it is interesting to note that the SLAN 2002 medical card population have a higher rate of
limitation by a long term illness or disability. AITHS participants were asked whether their daily activity
or work was limited by a long term illness or disability. A similar item was collected in the SLAN and NI
Continuous Household surveys, and comparative results are presented in Table 252. It can be seen that
similar reporting frequencies are noted in the under-64 age groups, with some differences seen in the
over-64 age group. From INSIGHT ‘07, 18.3% of all participants with medical cards reported a long-term
illness which limited their daily activity.
Table 252: Percentage of respondents in the AITHS, SLAN 2007 and the NI Continuous
Household Survey 2008-2009 who reported a limiting long-term illness
Travellers
(ROI)
(n=1,622)
Travellers
(NI)
(n=390)
SLAN 2007 GMS
participants
(n=3,718)
NI Continuous
Household Survey
2008-2009
Under 44 years : 11.8% 12.4% 13.5% 12.0%
45-64 years 32.8% 32.0% 30.8% 27.0%
65 and older 40.7% 28.6% 27.3% 41.0%
Total 17.8% 15.1% 23.6% 24.0%
Of the 1,260 INSIGHT ‘07 participants who were medical card holders, 97.5% of women and 95.5%
of men were registered with a GP; whereas of all INSIGHT ‘07 participants (n=3,410), 87.9% of men
and 92.8% of women were registered with a GP. Overall, Travellers are accessing health screening for
cholesterol and high blood pressure at least as much as the SLAN 2007 GMS population (Table 253).
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