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This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2005.072173v1 97/5/853    most recent Submit a response View responses View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kósa, Z. Articles by Vokó, Z. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kósa, Z. Articles by Vokó, Z. Related Collections Community Health Health Promotion Access to Care Quality of Care Prevention Health Education Socioeconomic Factors Surveys

Zsigmond Kósa, MD, PhD, György Széles, MD, PhD, László Kardos, MD, PhD, Karolina Kósa, MD, PhD, Renáta Németh, MSc, Sándor Országh, MSc, Gabriella Fésüs, MSc, Martin McKee, MD, Róza Ádány, MD, PhD and Zoltán Vokó, MD, PhD

Zsigmond Kósa is the county chief medical officer of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, Hungary. György Széles, László Kardos, Karolina Kósa, Gabriella Fésüs, Róza Ádány, and Zoltán Vokó are with the School of Public Health, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Hungary. Renáta Németh and Sándor Országh are with the Johan Béla National Center for Epidemiology, Budapest, Hungary. Martin McKee is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Zoltán Vokó, MD, PhD, Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, H-4028 Debrecen, Kassai út 26/b, Hungary (e-mail: z.voko{at}sph.dote.hu).

Objectives. We compared the health of people living in Roma settlements with that of the general population in Hungary.

Methods. We performed comparative health interview surveys in 2003 to 2004 in representative samples of the Hungarian population and inhabitants of Roma settlements.

Results. In persons older than 44 years, 10% more of those living in Roma settlements reported their health as bad or very bad than did those in the lowest income quartile of the general population. Of those who used any health services, 35% of the Roma inhabitants and 4.4% of the general population experienced some discrimination. In Roma settlements, the proportion of persons who thought that they could do much for their own health was 13% to 15% lower, and heavy smoking and unhealthy diet were 1.5 to 3 times more prevalent, than in the lowest income quartile of the general population.

Conclusions. People living in Roma settlements experience severe social exclusion, which profoundly affects their health. Besides tackling the socioeconomic roots of the poor health of Roma people, specific public health interventions, including health education and health promotion programs, are needed.

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