Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118429

Sophia Brewer, MPH and Merce M. Gasco, MD. JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., George Calinescu 13, Bucharest, Romania, 011-4021-231-9687, merce.gasco@jsi.ro

In Romania, Roma constitute between 5-10% of the total population; however, they suffer disproportionately from poor reproductive health outcomes. Compared to their Romanian counterparts, Roma women have higher abortion and unintended pregnancy rates and lower rates of contraceptive use and utilization of available RH services. Implied in the poor health status of Roma is their relation to a complex set of social and economic problems that includes poverty, educational status, discrimination and exclusion, and a lack of constructive communication between Roma and non-Roma in the healthcare setting.

This presentation will provide an overview of a community health promoter program, the Roma Health Mediator (RHM) Program, which trains Roma women to provide outreach and education in Roma communities to increase linkages to health and social services. The presentation will focus on a project to support the already existing RHM through the addition of a reproductive health component and will highlight the successful collaboration between the MOH and both Roma and non Roma NGOs, including the successful utilization of limited resources. The presentation will include qualitative information gathered through focus groups with Roma that adds to the knowledge base on Roma health and helps provide needed direction to interventions that seek to address Roma health problems.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the socio-economic factors involved in defining the reproductive health status of Roma in Romania
• Recognize the challenges to integrating Roma into existing health structures in Romania
• Identify the key components of the RHM program in addressing the health RH needs of underserved ethnic minorities.

Keywords: Community Health Promoters, Ethnic Minorities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.