Aspects of Roma on "Clean" and "Dirty" and their Relation to the Hospital

Introduction: Studies refer to the diversity of Roma communities, highlighting issues related to Roma stereotypes for non-Roma peoples and vice versa. Many studies are geared towards transcultural approach to Roma relations with non-Roma people. In this context, health issues are explored with biomedical terms as well as the Roma's views on health, illness, hospital and infection. Aim: It is attempted to present research on Roma health problems and their views on "clean" the "dirty" and hospital Review of Greek and foreign literature through the electronic databases PubMed, Wiley Online Library and Google Scholar. The key words used were "Health-Roma", "RomaHospital" "Roma-Infections". Material and Method: Review of Greek and foreign literature through the electronic databases PubMed, Wiley Online Library and Google Scholar. The key words used were "Health-Roma", "RomaHospital" "Roma-Infections". Results: Epidemiological studies report that Roma are among the least healthy people in Greece and other countries. A large list indicates factors that burden the health of the Roma. This includes, among other things, elements such as their long-standing exclusion from the enjoyment of their social rights and the mutual bias of gypsies and non-gypsies, as well as socio-economic factors. "Clean" and "dirty" are concepts that are important both in their daily habits and in relation to health and illness. Most Roma avoid hospitals. This is mainly due to the fact that they host non-Roma, people who are unpretentious in the traditional sense of purity and avoidance of marimé, that is, bodily and moral dirt. Conclusions: Most Roma studies investigate their health issues by looking for causes of a disease or disorder in a context of pathogenesis. Fewer are the qualitative research that highlights their own worldview for health, disease, infection and death. Ignorance of health classes and behaviors often leads to cultural conflicts between Roma and health professionals. We argue that the research lens should be shifted into exploration by qualitative studies of their views on health and disease, contamination and death from their own perspective.

Category: Volume 57, N 3
Hits: 855 Hits
Created Date: 15-09-2018
Authors: Theodosios Paralikas (fr. Sergios) , Styliani Kotrotsiou