Travellers and Vaccinations
Research type
Research Study
Full title
UNITES (UNderstanding uptake of Immunisations in TravellEr communitieS)
IRAS ID
134680
Contact name
Cath Jackson
Contact email
Research summary
Travellers experience significantly poorer heath and have shorter life expectancy than the general population. They also are less likely to use health services and this includes taking up immunisations.
This study has 2 aims.
1. Explore the reasons for taking up and not taking up immunisations amongst Traveller communities;
2. Identify ideas for programmes to increase uptake of immunisations.Our main focus will be immunisations that are offered within the UK childhood immunisation programme. However we will also explore views on adult flu and whooping cough vaccines.
The study has 3 phases. Each phase will be carried out in 4 cities, focusing on 6 Traveller communities: York (English Roma), Bristol (English Gypsies, Eastern European Roma), East London (Irish Travellers) and Glasgow (Eastern European Roma, Occupational Travellers).
In Phase 1 we will do individual/group interviews with 24 to 32 Travellers in each community. We will interview young women planning families, parents and grandparents to capture a life span/cross-generational perspective as well as teenage girls eligible for their 3-in-1 teenage booster (given at 13 to 18 years) and HPV vaccine (given at 12-13 years in school); and adults eligible for the flu vaccine (pregnant – also eligible for pertussis vaccine, over 65 years and with specified long term conditions).
In Phase 2 we will interview Health and Community Workers with responsibility for local policy making and/or providing services for the Traveller communities interviewed in Phase 1 (6 to 8 in each city).
We will analyse the data collected in Phases 1 and 2 and the findings will used to develop ideas for immunisation programmes. Phase 3 is a Feedback Workshop for each Traveller community with up to 16 participants who took part in Phases 1 and 2. At this event we will refine and produce a prioritised list of potential immunisation programmes for each community.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/YH/0252
Date of REC Opinion
23 Aug 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion