Cross-Border Women’s Health Research
| Description | Research focusing on the effects of conflict on health and mental health for local populations and on the impact of living in a border area on women’s role and health. |
|---|---|
| Setting | Western part of Northern Ireland and North-West of Ireland. |
| Populationting | Women living on either side of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. |
| Intervention summary | Action will be taken based on the research. |
| Outcome Summary | Too early to say. |
| Startup Cost | £34 000 funding in total. |
| Running Cost | See above. |
| Funding | Derry Well Women (through European Commission funding). |
| Started | 2006 |
| Ended | 2007 |
| Location | Northern Ireland, Ireland. |
| Contact |
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Background
This involves research, including a literature review, focusing on the effects of conflict on health and mental health for women in the local population and on the impact of living in a border area on women’s role and health.
The project is exploring people’s own experience and interpretations using an ethnographic approach. Individual interviews have been carried out with women living on both sides of the border and from different religious backgrounds, using a narrative interview technique. A small number of focus groups have also been undertaken. The data is being analysed to address the aims of the project.
The project was taken forward by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland and is based in the Western part of Northern Ireland and the North-West of Ireland.
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
To improve the understanding of the impact of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and the impact of the conflict on both sides of the border, on women’s health
What local organisations are involved?
The project was taken forward by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland, supported by a steering group convened by Derry Well Women on behalf of the North West Women’s Health Network.
How many people are running this project and who are they?
Four researchers and six people on the steering group
What local population are you targeting?
Women living on either side of the border
How many people are you targeting?
Approximately 50 people were interviewed or participated in focus groups.
Interventions
What interventions are you using to address the problem?
Action will be taken based on the research.
Is the project design based on evidence? If so, please state reference.
No.
Outcome
What outcomes or planned outcomes are you measuring?
We are researching women’s health. Overall the project is concerned with improving women’s health and reducing social exclusion.
Do you have any outcomes or results yet? If so, what are they?
Not yet. Our report will be published in September 2007.
Is your project relevant to a government target or guideline?
Investing for Health 1
Feedback
What obstacles did you have to overcome to set up this project?
The main obstacle was in accessing a suitable range of women to interview.
What have you learned about the project so far?
It is very early days, but interesting perspectives are emerging about the coping strategies women use in the face of severe trauma. They tend to “get on with things”. Also, people on the south of the border tended not to see the conflict as impacting on them.
What would you do differently?
We would have liked to have had a more comprehensive sample of interviewees, but not sure what we could have done to have assisted this.