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The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access published online on July 17, 2009
The European Journal of Public Health, doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckp097
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Environmental survey of segregated habitats of Roma in Hungary: a way to be empowering and reliable in minority research

Karolina Kósa1, László Daragó2,{dagger} and Róza Ádány3

1 Division of Health Promotion, Faculty of Public Health, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
2 Faculty of Health Care, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
3 Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary

Correspondence: Karolina Kósa, MD PhD, Division of Health Promotion, Faculty of Public Health, Medical and Health Science Centre, University of Debrecen, POB 2. Debrecen 4012, Hungary, tel: +36 52 460190 ext. 77430, fax: +36 52 460195, e-mail: k.kosa{at}sph.dote.hu

Received November 11, 2008 , accepted June 18, 2009

Background: Roma people, the largest minority in Europe live in segregated communites in several countries. The size of the Roma population is based on estimations deriving from various sources, whereas only narrative accounts of their living conditions have been available. Methods: A comprehensive environmental survey of all settlements in Hungary (n = 3145) was carried out employing Roma field workers in order to locate and characterize segregated parts (colonies) of human habitats. Based on the collected data on environmental conditions and aggregate population numbers of the colonies, ranking of colonies and maps on their characteristics were prepared for all counties of Hungary. Results: Seven hundred fifty-eight colonies were identified with approximately 134 000 inhabitants. Ninety-four percent of all colonies are populated dominantly by Roma. Most frequent environmental problems in the colonies were found to be lack of sewage and gas mains, garbage deposits, waterlogged soil and lack of water mains. Conclusion: Census data cannot be used for policy design aiming at those Roma who are in greatest need of help; that is, living in segregated settlements (colonies). Colonies constitute disadvantaged living conditions of varying severity which can be quantified by a composite score based on indicators of access to services and presence of environmental dangers. The proportion of colony-dwelling Roma is approximately one-fifth to one-quarter of the estimated number of Roma people in Hungary.

Keywords: environmental health, gypsies, living conditions, population estimate, Roma, segregated settlements.

{dagger} Present address: László Daragó, Department of Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1082 Budapest, VIII, Ülloi út 78/B, Budapest, Hungary


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