The Challenge
Gypsies and Travellers are one of the longest established minority ethnic groups in the UK but have some of the worst health outcomes. Data collection is generally poor for ethnic minority groups, and more so for Gypsies and Travellers who are not included in the NHS data set throughout the UK. Lack of knowledge of alcohol use and harm in this group means it is a ‘hidden concern’, and that services to meet needs are not available or not accessible to service users. Even less is known about New Travellers, such as Boaters who live nomadically on waterways but are rarely included in health research.
The original research into alcohol use and harm in these socially excluded and underexplored ethnic minority groups aims to add to the current evidence base, identify barriers to support for alcohol harm and present solutions moving forward.
The Method
This research is an exploratory study of alcohol use and harm by people who identify as Roma, Gypsies and Travellers. It partners with community members and uses a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. Here, peer researchers work with the academic research team to conduct interviews with their peers. This enhances the likelihood of participation and allows us to explore the cultural norms of drinking, as well as barriers to support and healthcare.
In addition to conducting these interviews, community members and advocates recorded digital stories that reflect the experiences of their community members.
The research is funded by Alcohol Change UK (ACUK): New Horizons and is one of 4 projects aimed at exploring alcohol use and harm in understudied groups in the UK.
The Impact
The project revealed several important themes relating to alcohol use and harm in these communities. It identified similarities and differences between these groups in relation to age, gender and ethnicity which offer helpful insights for future policy on alcohol-related support and healthcare. Furthermore, the development of digital stories is facilitating insight into the perceptions and needs of these communities and can be disseminated to the communities themselves as well as relevant stakeholders, in a meaningful and accessible way. The digital stories can be found on the ACUK website.
In recognition of the high health needs of ethnic and cultural Travellers, the main recommendation from the findings of this research is to improve access to health services, particularly in terms of self-referral to substance misuse support. There was a dearth of knowledge of the ability to self-refer.
In view of the identified barriers to accessing primary care, Roma, Gypsy, Traveller and Boater communities could be included as targeted groups for whom GPs are rewarded financially to provide services.
