Frequent mental distress (FMD) in Irish Travellers

Discrimination and bereavement negatively influence mental health in the All Ireland Traveller Health Study

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2394971
AutoresCatherine Mcgorrian (University College Dublin), Noor Aman Hamid (0000-0003-0488-3659, University College Dublin), Patricia Fitzpatrick (0000-0003-2524-3677, University College Dublin), Leslie Daly (0000-0001-8560-1195, University College Dublin), Kevin M Malone (St. Vincent's University Hospital), Kevin Malone (0000-0001-5665-4706, St. Vincent's University Hospital), Cecily Kelleher (0000-0001-9548-4914, University College Dublin, autor correspondente)
Ano2013
Volume50
Fascículo4
Páginas559-578
Data de publicação2013-08-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoTranscultural Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1363-4615 • E-ISSN: 1461-7471
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1363461513503016
PMID24037851
OpenAlexW2125983356
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas7
Referências citadas43

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

Distress · Environmental health · Ethnic group · Indigenous · Irish · Life expectancy · Mental distress · Mental health · Poisson regression · Population · Psychiatry · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Romani and Gypsy Studies · Gerontology