Self-reported health and health risky behaviour of Roma adolescents in Slovakia: a comparison with the non-Roma

PhD ceremony: Mr. P. Kolarcik, 11.00 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen

Dissertation: Self-reported health and health risky behaviour of Roma adolescents in Slovakia: a comparison with the non-Roma

Promotor(s): prof. S.A. Reijneveld

Faculty: Medical Sciences

Roma form one of the largest and oldest minorities in Europe. The health of Roma adults has been found to be worse than that of non-Roma, but systematic research on Roma adolescents’ health is almost entirely lacking. The aim of this study was to compare the health status and health behaviour of Roma adolescents, living in poor settlements in the Eastern part of Slovakia, with that of their non-Roma counterparts, and to assess the impact of socioeconomic status, social desirability and perceived discrimination on the results. We studied a sample of Roma adolescents (N=330; boys 48.5%; mean age=14.5, SD=1.03) and non-Roma adolescents (N=722; boys 53.2%; mean age=14.9, SD=0.63). In comparison with non-Roma adolescents, Roma adolescents reported poorer self-rated health, more accidents and injuries, and more frequent use of health care. Roma adolescents also reported fewer health complaints, higher social support from parents, higher life satisfaction and higher hopelessness rates. Further, they reported less delinquent behaviour and less physically aggressive behaviour, but more hostility. Our study supported the mediating role of socioeconomic status (parental education) in the pathway from ethnicity to health outcomes as proposed by previous research. Moreover, discrimination, hopelessness and social support seem to mediate this pathway. Social desirability in health assessment appears to be an important confounder in the assessment of psychosocial outcomes and antisocial behaviour of Roma adolescents. Our findings suggest that health-related interventions need to focus more on groups with increased health risk originating from low socioeconomic status.