The average life expectancy for Romani men is 57, and for Romani women 65, approximately 18 years lower than the average for the wider Czech population. The Saste Roma (Roma Health) project, launched by the International Center for Clinical Research at St. Ann’s University Hospital in Brno (FNUSA) this week, aims to improve health among the Roma population. Photo credit: Freepik / Illustrative Photo.
Brno, July 4 (BD) – Compared to the wider population, Roma people are twice as likely to experience multiple diagnoses (more than one serious disease). The problems are often caused by the lack of knowledge of how to take care of their health, lack of information and support for lifestyle changes, and reluctance to visit a doctor. The three-year project aims to increase health literacy and prevention of the most serious diseases, mostly in so-called excluded localities, which are most frequently inhabited by Roma. A number of leading Czech experts are involved in the project.
“The project will focus on the development, implementation and evaluation of a multi-year health campaign in excluded localities. We will cover the most serious diseases, whether cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, oncological or mental illness,” said Hana Maršálková, head of the Saste Roma project and the Public Health group within the Cerebrovascular research program that is implementing the project.
An expert team, now including about 40 experts, doctors, sociologists, educators, health marketing specialists and experts on excluded localities, is working on the outputs. “Online tools, applications and awareness-raising events will also be available and usable for the general public,” added Maršálková.
“The project will be complemented by a questionnaire survey in the target areas, which map the knowledge and attitudes of the population and also verify how effective the health intervention was,” said Professor Robert Mikulík, expert guarantor of the project at FNUSA and guarantor of the cerebrovascular diseases department. The Saste Roma project – Developing health in excluded localities is financed from the EEA funds.
