Discrimination and self-reported health for the Spanish Roma

Aisa, R. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Larramona, G. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Pueyo, F. (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: The health of the Roma population has begun to receive attention from the EU candidates, following the Copenhagen Criteria, a set of conditions requiring respect for and protection of minorities that must be followed by all candidates for entry to the European Union. Several papers conclude that there exist ethnic health gaps for the Roma population, although not all of these studies include the same variables when measuring health.In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease’. This open characterization expands the concept of health to include such pathological and clinical variables as chronic diseases, accidents, and disabilities, and subjective indicators.While Zeman et al. (2003)1 provide a broad review of the literature, focussing on the pathological and clinical differences in the Roma population, Koupilova et al. (2001)2 and Kolarcik et al. (2009)3 analyse health considering more dimensions: an individual''s physical condition, and self-reported health. This subjective variable, self-reported health, has been included in several studies as one important indicator. Koupilova et al. (2001)2 conclude that the health status of the Roma is inferior to that of the non-Roma in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Kolarcik et al. (2009)3 conclude that Slovakian Roma respondents reported poorer health and more accidents during the previous year than non-Roma respondents. The most common explanation for these health gaps is that minority groups have a socio-economic gap, as well as a lesser ability to purchase medications and medical procedures as required. While the former explanation can be applicable to the Spanish Roma population, the later cannot be a justification for lower self-reported health, because all Spanish residents have free access to the national health care services.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.01.013

Año: 2016

Publicado en: PUBLIC HEALTH 134 (2016), 105-108
ISSN: 0033-3506

Factor impacto JCR: 1.538 (2016)

Categ. JCR: PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH rank: 82 / 157 = 0.522 (2016) - Q3 - T2
Categ. JCR: PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH rank: 107 / 176 = 0.608 (2016) - Q3 - T2

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.758 - Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health (Q2) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q2)

Tipo y forma: Artículo (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Fund. Análisis Económico (Dpto. Análisis Económico)