Background: Health disparities between Irish Travellers and the majority settled population in Ireland are well documented. The severe marginalisation of Travellers in Ireland has resulted in higher prevalence of traumatic experiences and adverse childhood experiences in this community. However, the impact and experience of trauma is usually studied at an individual level, and little research to date has investigated the experience of collective trauma in the Irish Traveller community.
Aims: This study will investigate the comprehension of the concept of trauma and how it affects indigenous minority groups, to determine whether the framework may be useful in increasing and enhancing culturally-informed supports and services within the Irish Traveller community.
It is proposed that the application of a collective trauma framework may help provide a greater understanding of the healthcare needs of Irish Travellers.