Travellers at greater risk of heart disease

RESEARCH partly carried out in Tuam has revealed that Travellers have a high risk of developing serious heart problems.[private] The study assessed the risk of cardio vascular disease among Travellers along the Atlantic seaboard and more than 350 Travellers from the Galway Traveller Movement and the Tuam-based Western Traveller Intercultural Development were screened. Researchers aimed to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the Traveller population. Author of the study Dr David Slattery feels that preventative measures can be taken to improve Travellers' health and lifespan. 'Appropriate, culturally-sensitive intervention might reasonably be expected to lower mortality and morbidity,' he said. The findings of the study will be presented at an information session in Brú Bhride, Tuam today (Wednesday), hosted by The Western Regional Traveller Health Network (WRTHN) with the support of the HSE. The WRTHN is a network of the health teams in the four Traveller projects in the western region.[/private]