Community participation in action

This case study has been chosen to illustrate the use of PRA as a method used to assess the health and social needs of women in the deprived Ardoyne area of Belfast. Ardoyne, in North Belfast, with a population of around 7000 has some of the most concentrated deprivation in the UK. Based on the 1991 Census statistics, Ardoyne has been ranked the fifth most disadvantaged ward in Northern Ireland (Townsend et al., 1988) and unemployment is recognized as one of the most serious problems facing the area today (Mallet, 1997; Wilde, 1995), resulting in a situation of high dependency and low average household income levels.

Levels of deprivation in North Belfast have been compounded by the heavy burden suffered by the area from the Northern Ireland troubles and Ardoyne has, according to The Hidden Troubles (Mallet, 1997), experienced some of the highest numbers of deaths in the province. This combination of violence and deprivation has had a crucial impact on health and the quality of life in the area. The association between poverty and ill health is well established, so it comes as no surprise that the health profile of Ardoyne residents is poor. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all causes of death under 65 is 164; there are particularly high rates of respiratory disease (SMR 156), heart disease (SMR 154), cancers (SMR 153) and injury (SMR 213). The area has a younger population structure than other wards in Northern Ireland, and has the highest proportion of births to teenage and single mothers, as well as one of the highest rates of infant mortality. It has some of the lowest rates of immunization and a high rate of community members suffering from long-term illness (Haycock and Henscher, 1995).

REF: http://her.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/5/567