Pavee Point Men’s Health and Mental Health Initiative recently partnered in research with Dr Noel Richardson of Carlow South East Technical University exploring an ‘Intersectional Approach to the Lived Mental Health Experiences of Traveller Men Affected by Suicide’.
The study findings reinforce previous research on the factors underpinning the high suicide rate among Traveller men in Ireland at 6 times the national average (All Ireland Traveller Health Study).
The research applies an intersectional lens to unravel how the lived experiences of Traveller men affected by suicide are shaped by social determinants such as accommodation, education and employment and including racism and discrimination.
Findings offer some practical suggestions of positive coping strategies used by Traveller men during times of psychological distress as well as how to engage Traveller men in their mental health.
“With the recently published National Traveller Health Action Plan there is a way forward for improving access to services and also Traveller participation in decision-making,” said Pa Reilly, Co Ordinator Mental Health Initiative, Pavee Point.
From a broader policy perspective, findings reinforce the need for early and targeted Traveller education and training interventions, for increased resourcing for Traveller organisations, and for more concerted efforts to deal with anti-Traveller racism at a societal level. Read more on this research in the American Journal of Men’s Health – https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15579883231189063
Caption -Traveller men cycle the Waterford Greenway to raise awareness on suicide prevention, September 2023.