title: Challenges in sexual and reproductive health of Roma people who live in settlements in Serbia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the differences in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) between Roma women of reproductive age who live in settlements and the general population of women of the same age in Serbia who do not live in settlements.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 4 (MICS4) was administered to Roma and Serbian women and the results were compared between the two groups. In order to get a qualitative perspective, a specifically designed, short open-ended questionnaire about Roma women was given to Roma Health Mediators (RHMs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Roma women have a higher total fertility rate and adolescent birth rate, and early marriage is much more common among them. Differences are less clear regarding antenatal care and assistance during delivery from skilled personnel. Roma women more frequently rely on traditional contraception, and are less likely to use modern contraceptives than the general female population. Problems in the socio-economic sphere, poor school enrolment and maintenance of traditional patterns in Roma people living in settlements contribute to the disparities observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although data on the SRH of the general population of women in Serbia are far from being satisfactory, those for women who live in Roma settlements are much worse. Political actions aimed at the empowerment of Roma women in the spheres of education, employment and health promotion have been implemented with the hope that they might improve the SRH of this vulnerable population group.
authors.affiliation: * Institute for Mother and Child Health Care of Serbia, Family Planning Centre , Belgrade , Serbia.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sedlecky
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rašević
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate / Q000208:ethnology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D043762:Reproductive Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D006178:Romani People; D055771:Serbia / Q000208:ethnology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Antenatal care; Childbearing; Contraceptive prevalence; Family planning health indicators; Roma women; Sexual and reproductive health