The decade of Roma Inclusion: did it make a difference to health and use of health care services?

János Sándor (), Zsigmond Kósa, Klára Boruzs, Julianna Boros, Ildikó Tokaji, Martin McKee and Róza Ádány
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János Sándor: University of Debrecen
Zsigmond Kósa: University of Debrecen
Klára Boruzs: University of Debrecen
Julianna Boros: Central Statistical Office
Ildikó Tokaji: Central Statistical Office
Martin McKee: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Róza Ádány: University of Debrecen

International Journal of Public Health, 2017, vol. 62, issue 7, No 12, 803-815

Abstract: Abstract Objectives We investigated whether the severely disadvantaged health of Hungarian Roma adults living in segregated settlements changed by the Decade of Roma Inclusion program. Methods We compared the results of two paired health interview surveys that we carried out using the same methodology before and after the Decade, on the general Hungarian and Roma populations. Results Self-perceived health status of younger Roma worsened, while it improved among older Roma. Reported experience of discrimination reduced considerably and health care utilization improved in general. Positive changes in smoking and nutrition, and negative changes in alcohol consumption and overweight were observed. Many of observed changes can plausibly be linked to various government policies, including a quadrupling of public works expenditure, banning smoking in public places, restricting marketing of tobacco products, increasing cigarette prices, and a new tax on unhealthy foods. Liberalization of rules on alcohol distillation coincided with worsening alcohol consumption. Conclusions We have shown that Roma remain severely disadvantaged and present an innovative sampling method which can be used to monitor changes in groups where identification is a challenge.

Keywords: Roma; Decade of Roma Inclusion; Health behaviour survey; Public policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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DOI: 10.1007/s00038-017-0954-9

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