Health status of Romanies (Gypsies) in the Slovak Republic and in the neighbouring countries

Romanies belong to Indo-European race. The ethnography and anthropology locate their original home to Central Northern India. The highest concentration of Romanies in Europe is in the Balkan and Carpathian regions and they are the second most numerous minority in the Slovak Republic. The inner structure of Romanies shows clear marks former ancestry creation, which they brought from India. Their natural increase of population is 21-33 per mile, but their reproductive health is worse than in majority of Slovak population. Among Romany children there is generally a higher prevalence of infectious diseases, injuries, poisoning and burns caused by environmental hazards, to which they are often exposed. Total premature mortality in the Romanies are probably three times higher than in the total Slovak population. The main causality of a bad health status consists in long-term bad economical situation, low educational level and incorrect lifestyle of the Romany minority. Western authors and politicians claim that at the beginning of 21st Century it is not conceivable for European governments to ignore health needs of a great number of their citizens. The aim of this review is to react to this notice with an analysis of present situation and with presentation of data of our epidemiological investigation on health status, nutrition and lifestyle of Romanies. (Fig. 4, Ref. 35.)