Roma
Από Greece Wiki
The Roma population in Greece, according to official statistics, amounts to approximately 250.000 people, representing roughly 2,5% of the total population. In their majority Roma are Christian Orthodox and have a presence in Greece for more than 600 years. However they were only given Greek citizenship in mid-1970s. Before that they were considered 'aliens of gypsy origin'.
Roma as Greek citizens are entitled to the same access to health care as any Greek citizen. However their marginalization both in terms of social exclusion and employment results in low levels of social insurance among them as well as in very low of trust towards the health services personnel and the health services system in general.
According to a survey conducted by "Efxini Poli" the main reasons that lead Roma not to visit primary health care settings are: distrust towards health services, the unfriendly reception at the healh services, and the ignorance of their own social rights.
The same survey also shows that only a small proportion of Roma women undergoes prenatal health check. Moreover, only 60% of the interrogated women knew what PAP test is and only 10% have had a mammography at least once.
What is being brought up as a serious problem that creates difficulty in the access of members of the Roma community to the national health system is the low levels of social insurance coverage.
With regards to the relationship of Roma with the personel at the health services, while discriminating attitudes have not totally the situation has been improving.
Moreover, in the last years some progress has been made in terms of preventive services being offered to the Roma population, while it remains difficult to access the mobile parts of the population
The state of health of the Roma population is very poor compared to the general population. A research of the Ministry of Labor for 2000 showed that half of the members of the families that were surveyed faces a serious health problem. The most usual diseases are cardiovascular (18,1%), respiratory-especially asthma (13,9%), mental (12,1%) and neurological (6,8%). Moreover 70% had problems with their teeth while only 10% visited a dentist regularly. Hepatitis is also a major problem for the Roma.
Many of these problems originate from the poor hygiene conditions as well as to the social exclusion faced by this population.
Actions from the state have focused on vaccinations of children and initiatives to improve housing conditions for the Roma communities.
Sources:
Marina Tsafou,(2007) "Difficulties of access to health care services encountered by Roma ", 6th National Roundtable : "Problems of discrimination in the employment, health care and social welfare sectors", Wednesday 12 December 2007, Antigone Network
National Report on Social Exclusion and Migrant Health, Apostolis Kapsalis, 2003
