Health inequalities experienced by Roma people living in Europe presents a persisting challenge for health care programs. Research studies on Roma health conditions reveal that: (1) Roma people suffer from poorer health and unhealthier living conditions compared to majority populations, (2) better data are needed to explain the Roma health gap and design better interventions to reduce this gap, and (3) the poor health of Roma is closely linked to the social determinants of health.
This editorial published in the International Journal of Public Health discusses lessons learned from recent research findings and outlines a number of challenges in exploring and addressing the various mechanisms that contribute to the health gap between Roma and majority populations.
The editorial was authored by Alina Covaci of the Open Society Foundations' Roma Health Project and Maria Eva Foldes of the Tilburg Law and Economics Center in the Netherlands.
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