Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(Supplement):S22-S27

Does the Population Living in Roma Settlements Differ in Physical Activity, Smoking and Alcohol Consumption from the Majority Population in Slovakia?

Ingrid Babinská1, Andrea Madarasová Gecková1,2, Peter Jarčuška3, Daniel Pella3, Mária Mareková4, Gabriela Štefková5, Zuzana Dankulincová Veselská1
1 Health Psychology Unit, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
2 Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
3 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
4 Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry and LABMED, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
5 Department of Nursing Care, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia

Background: Several studies have revealed a high prevalence of risk factors associated with unhealthy lifestyle among individuals with lower socioeconomic status. In Slovakia, one of the most socially and health-disadvantaged groups is the Roma minority. The aim of this study is to explore differences in physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption between the population living in Roma settlements and the majority population in Slovakia.

Methods: Data from the cross-sectional epidemiological HepaMeta study conducted in Slovakia in 2011 were used. The sample consisted of 452 Roma (mean age = 34.7; 35.2% men) and 403 non-Roma (mean age = 33.5; 45.9% men) respondents. The differences in health-related behaviour between the population living in Roma settlements and the majority population were analysed using logistic models separately for males and females.

Results: These data show a clear difference between the population living in Roma settlements and the majority population with regard to leisure-time physical activity (only in women) and smoking, although not alcohol consumption. The prevalence of leisure-time physical activities such as walking or some other type of sport was significantly lower among Roma women than among non-Roma women. Men and women living in Roma settlements are more likely to smoke on a daily basis and they are heavier smokers in comparison with the majority population. HepaMeta study did not find differences in alcohol consumption between the Roma and non-Roma men. However, Roma women reported less frequent recent drinking and binge-drinking of 6 or more doses of alcohol on a single occasion.

Conclusion: The higher prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle activities among Roma seem to contribute to these inequalities in cardiovascular diseases morbidity and mortality in comparison with the majority population.

Keywords: Roma, lifestyle, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption

Published: March 1, 2014  Show citation

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Babinská I, Madarasová Gecková A, Jarčuška P, Pella D, Mareková M, Štefková G, Dankulincová Veselská Z. Does the Population Living in Roma Settlements Differ in Physical Activity, Smoking and Alcohol Consumption from the Majority Population in Slovakia? Cent Eur J Public Health. 2014;22(Supplement):S22-27. PubMed PMID: 24847610.
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