title: [Health of gypsy children: medical perinatal care until 6-year-old in Lille].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated the health of gypsy children, aged 0-6 years. We focused on pregnancy, birth, medical care, growth, and vaccinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted between May and December 2004, comparing a gypsy population group (GP) to a sedentary control group with a relatively low socioeconomic level. Both groups were covered by the CMU (French universal health coverage). This study was based on an oral investigation and each child's health records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The population consisted of 241 children: 120 GP children and 121 CMU children. In the GP children, pregnancy care was lacking, whereas the CMU group received consistent care at regional university hospital centers. For both populations, 85% of births occurred after a mean 38 weeks and 5 days of amenorrhea by ordinary delivery. GP infants were more often transferred to neonatology centers. They were born and were shorter and weighed less than the CMU infants until 6 years of age. They were breast fed more often. They were hospitalized more often, usually for ORL and gastrointestinal infections. Siblings were more numerous. GP child medical care was deemed satisfactory in 40% of cases vs. 70% for CMU children. The vaccinations status was insufficient, particularly in the GP children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Follow-up of GP should be improved.
authors.affiliation: Université Nord de France, 59000 Lille, France. moukagni.marie@ghicl.net
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pelzer Moukagni
authors.forename: M-L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Charkaluk
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalach
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huc
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: M-A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Testard
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kremp
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D054525:Minority Health; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006178:Romani People