Health and Social Care

• A mortality rate for Travellers children up to the age of ten found to be ten times that for the population as a whole while life expectancy of Travellers is around 20% lower than that of the general population.
  
  
• Only 10% of the Traveller community are over 40 years of age and only 10% are over 65.
  
  
• There are also lower levels of child immunisation and there is higher incidence of hospitalisation of Travellers for conditions that could usually be effectively treated at a much earlier stage.

• Many adult members of the Traveller community speak of being depressed.
  
  
• In a great number of instances they relate depression back to their living conditions (lack of basic services and overcrowding).
  
  
• Depression is also related to the fact that because of the overcrowding there is a lack of time and space for themselves.
  
  
• There is a high incidence of mortality in the Traveller community, which places a heavy burden of grief on the community. The extended family groupings mean that it is very difficult for relatives of the deceased to complete a grieving process before another death has impacted on their lives. The death of each member of the community is keenly felt; no matter the distance in time or place from they last met.
  
  
• There are high levels of drug abuse (due to the ready availability).
  
  
• There are high levels of alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is a well-known product of loss of identity and self-respect.
  
  
• Within North and West Belfast and the Traveller community there is a high level of self-harm and suicide.

• There are no special dietary needs, although some older Travellers may prefer to abstain from meat on Fridays. Many Travellers are uncomfortable eating in the presence of “Settled People”.

• Because of their experience of discrimination some Travellers will not say that they are members of the Traveller community. Travellers need sensitivity to their unease at being outside their normal environment and among “Settled People” and that they are respected as a different ethnic group. Because of their unease in hospital some Travellers may discharge themselves before their treatment is finished.

• Most travellers will require the services of a chaplain and this is especially the case if death is imminent. A priest will be called to administer the “Last Rites” and may also be present to say prayers after the patient has died. Travellers express their grief very vocally and visibly. They see this as an expression of their love and affection for the deceased. For the benefit of all within the ward it would be advisable to try and find a quiet part of the ward in order to facilitate this grieving process with the minimum of disruption. If this is not possible explain that the noise is causing alarm to other patients and this may help reduce any commotion.
  
  
• Travellers like to have the remains of their deceased loved one returned to them as soon as possible and in some cases this has been facilitated by calling in private undertakers to remove the body soon after death. Of course, this can only be done when there is to be no post-mortem and when a death certificate has been issued.
  

• Connolly and Keenan's study 'Racial Attitudes and Prejudice in Northern Ireland' (NISRA: 2000) found that 40% of people do not actually believe that the nomadic way of life of Travellers is a valid one that should be supported by Government.
  
  
• Over half of the population (57%) did not want Travellers as residents in their local area and 66% would not willingly accept Travellers as a work colleague. 

Poor Living Conditions

• Irwin and Dunn (University of Ulster: 1997) found that Travellers were eight times as likely to live in over crowded conditions in comparison with the general population in Northern Ireland.
  
  
• Many Travellers have extremely limited access to basic amenities such as running water, electricity and sanitation including some of those living on serviced sites.

Low levels of Educational Attainment

• Over 90% of Travellers have no GCSE's or their equivalents, whilst there are also high levels of illiteracy among the Traveller community.

Long-Term Unemployment

• Research suggests that only 11% are in paid employment of one form or another while 70% of those who are economically active have had no paid work in the last ten years.