title: Attitudes of the Prekmurje Roma towards health and healthcare.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge of the culture, traditions and values of the Roma is important for understanding their relationship to health and the health system. The Roma in Prekmurje, the far northeastern part of Slovenia, are a unique ethnic group and in many respects different from other Roma. The aim of the study was to determine their attitudes towards health and the healthcare system.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted 25 interviews in Roma settlements. The participants were between 18 and 64 years of age, with the average age being 23.46 years old; 48 % were men and 52 % women. We used qualitative content analysis as the data analysis technique. As a tool to facilitate the qualitative data analysis, we used the software Atlas.ti. In the study, we used a data-driving coding scheme. Two independent coders carried out the coding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We determined eight logical categories that explain the attitudes of the Roma towards health, satisfaction, problems and prospects and the functioning of the health system at the local level. These are experiences with the healthcare system, personal healthcare, the perception of health and illness, suggestions for improvement, common diseases as perceived by the Roma, poverty and socioeconomic status of the Roma, discrimination and the need for a better understanding of the Roma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Roma culture and their customs affect the Roma's relationship with health and the healthcare services in Prekmurje. The Roma are willing to participate in health status improvement, but require special attention within the national healthcare system.
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Family Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia. zelko.e@siol.net.|, Otroska ulica 29, Crensovci, Slovenia. zelko.e@siol.net.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zelko
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Poljanski nasip 58, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Švab
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva ploscad 5, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Alem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maksuti
authors.affiliation: Medical Faculty, Department of Family Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia.|Medical Faculty, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Poljanski nasip 58, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Zalika
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Klemenc-Ketiš
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty; D006178:Romani People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017524:Slovenia / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Discrimination; Health; Healthcare system; Prekmurje; Roma; Slovenia
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