Discrimination and victimisation of minorities in Spain: The research potential of the EU-MIDIS project

This article highlights the research potential of the European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU-MIDIS), which the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights had conducted twice across Europe by 2021. It begins with an overview of the EU-MIDIS project before concentrating on the second survey (EU-MIDIS II) conducted in 2015 and 2016 (N=25,500), the database of which is available in open access. The paper focuses on the main findings of the EU-MIDIS II in Spain, where the sample was composed of migrants from North Africa and people of Roma ethnicity (N=1,563). The main findings of the survey provide helpful insights into a form of victimisation that is usually absent in official criminal statistics, yet the Spanish EU-MIDIS II database is a mine of information waiting to be exploited. This article proposes a series of analyses that could be performed, including logistic and ordinal regression, as well as mediation modelling, which could identify the variables that influence minorities’ discrimination and victimisation. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of the EU-MIDIS project are discussed.

Exposure to and Self-Perceptions of the Risk of Discrimination and Social Exclusion in Access to Public Goods, Media, Healthcare and Employment

This paper examines the dimensions of social exclusion and the elements of self-perception of discrimination in access to public goods, employment, and in the media, which is juxtaposed with the priorities of the Bulgarian National Roma Integration Strategy (NRIS). The findings are based on the "National representative sociological survey for identifying and elaborating profiles of groups and communities most affected by the risk of discrimination, such as the Roma" carried out in 2017 by "BG ASSIST LTD" and a group of scientific researchers commissioned by the Commission for Protection against Discrimination in Bulgaria. The sample consists of 3,600 individuals aged 18 or over. The ethnic distribution of the respondents is as follows: 2,985 persons of Bulgarian ethnicity, 299 of Turkish ethnicity, 246 of Roma ethnicity, and 69 of another ethnicity. The paper shows the contrast between a variety of quality indicators and the priorities of the NRIS. Based on the data obtained, the risk of discrimination among the Roma and other ethnic groups in Bulgaria is tracked in a comparative manner in major public spheres. The survey results demonstrate that the most vulnerable people in the country are those without health insurance, residing in hard-to-reach settlements, low-qualified and unemployed individuals, people with disabilities, multi-member families and single parents; these categories indisputably include a solid share of Roma. Nevertheless, as the results show, not all Roma and arguably not only Roma are the most disadvantaged and marginalized individuals in Bulgarian society. This study's outcomes are related particularly to profiling the groups at risk, allowing critical linkages between the empirical data and ways of improving equal opportunities and non-discrimination policies. On the part of the NRIS, the paper calls for identifying adequate measures and a balanced approach to political engagement with the planning process in the coming years.

Ethnicity as a category of imperial racialization: What do race and empire studies offer to Romanian studies?

This article argues that the category of indigenous Romanian, which was articulated at the end of the 18th century can be better understood as a product of imperial racialization. Building on Katherine Verdery’s work, I analyze the production of the Romanian indigeneity within the context of imperial rivalries in the Habsburg empire. In doing so, I critically investigate the impact of Benedict Anderson’s theory of nationalism in Romanian studies, given that it introduced a sharp distinction between ethnicity and race. My argument opens up two new conceptual routes. On the one hand, it suggests a line of investigation comparing the formation of Romanian ethnicity with debates about white racial identity in North America. On the other hand, it makes visible the exclusion of Roma ethnicity from narratives about the origin of Romanianness. I conclude by drawing on larger consequences regarding, not only the question of race and stereotypes, but also by looking at the global process of forming the distinction between the indigenous and the foreign migrant.

Roma Ethnicity and Sex-Specific Associations of Serum Uric Acid with Cardiometabolic and Hepatorenal Health Factors in Eastern Slovakian Population: The HepaMeta Study

Background: Health characteristics associated with uric acid (UA) in the Roma minority remain less well known. The study sought to determine the ethnicity- and sex-specific associations of serum UA with health factors in Eastern Slovakian Roma and non-Roma populations. Methods: Data from the comparative cross-sectional HepaMeta study conducted in Slovakia in 2011 were used. The study enrolled 452 Roma subjects (35.2% men) and 403 non-Roma individuals (45.9% men) aged 18–55 years. Results: All study parameters differed between the sexes in both the Roma and non-Roma participants (p < 0.05). UA was related to sex with odds ratio for female sex 0.873, 95% CI 0.853–0.893 (p < 0.0001) per 10-unit increase of UA. Average level of UA ± standard deviation was lower in Roma than in non-Roma (226.54 ± 79.8 vs. 259.11 ± 84.53 umol/L; p < 0.0001). The Roma population presented with greater levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (3.07 ± 4 mg/L vs. 1.98 ± 2.83 mg/L; p < 0.0001) and ferritin in Roma males (403.78 ± 391.84 vs. 302.67 ± 236.26 mg/L; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Serum UA is sex- and ethnicity specific. Elevated levels of hsCRP and ferritin particularly in Roma males can reflect low-grade systemic inflammation and thus serve as a marker of an increased cardiovascular risk.

Dietary Profile and Nutritional Status of the Roma Population Living in Segregated Colonies in Northeast Hungary

Nutrition studies among Roma are scarce and to date no quantified dietary data are available. This report provides, for the first time, quantified dietary data and comprehensive anthropometric information for the Hungarian Roma (HR) population, with Hungarian general (HG) adults as reference. Data were obtained from a complex comparative health survey, involving 387 and 410 subjects of HR and HG populations, respectively. Using corporal measurements, body composition indicators were constructed, while daily nutrient intakes were evaluated in comparison with internationally accepted guidelines on nutrient requirements and recommended intakes. Associations between Roma ethnicity and nutrient intakes, as well as odds of achieving dietary recommendations were explored using regression models, adjusted for relevant covariates (i.e., age, gender, education, marital status and perceived financial status). Results showed occasional differences for selected nutrient intakes between the groups, with HR’s intake being less favorable. Total fat intake, predominantly animal-sourced, exceeded recommendations among HR (36.1 g, 95% confidence interval (CI): 35.2–37.0) and was not dissimilar to HG group (37.1 g, 95% CI: 36.3–38.0). Sodium intake among HR was significantly lower (5094.4 mg, 95% CI: 4866.0–5322.8) compared to HG (5644.0 mg, 95% CI: 5351.9–5936.0), but significantly greater than recommended intake in both groups. HR had greater estimated body fatness (25.6–35.1%) and higher average body mass index (BMI, 27.7 kg/m2, 95% CI: 26.9–28.4), compared to HG. In addition, HR had lower odds of achieving dietary recommendations (odds ratio (OR) = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67–0.97, p < 0.05). Findings warrant further research, while highlighting the importance of establishing and integrating Roma nutrition into national surveillance and monitoring systems for key dietary risk factors.

External classification for ethnicity in health survey to monitor Roma vs non-Roma differences

Background The Roma population of European countries is characterized by a poor and poorly described health status. The lack of detailed data on health loss among Roma can be partly attributed to legal limitations based lack of reliable methodology to effectively identify them. On the other hand, it is among factors responsible for restricted effectiveness of policy to narrow gap between Roma and non-Roma health status. Objectives We aimed to compare directly results from population based health survey on Roma vs non-Roma differences based on self-declared and observer-reported Roma classification. Methods In a population based health interview survey of random sample of 1849 subjects aged 18-64 years representing 965680 adults, both self-reporting and observer-reporting on Roma was applied. Data collection covered 52 indicators of morbidity, functional loss, health behavior, social capital, and use of health services. Health status differences between the self-declared Roma (N = 124) and the non-Roma (N = 1725) as well as the observer-reported Roma (N = 179) and non-Roma populations (N = 1670) were described by logistic regression models controlled for age, sex, education and employment. Results There was no significant Roma vs non-Roma difference in the respect of 33 indicators, and 14 indicators showed significant difference by both Roma definitions. Differences between the observer- and self-reported Roma ethnicity in statistical inference were observed for 7 indicators. In ascertaining significant Roma vs non-Roma difference, self-reporting was more effective for 2, and observer-reporting was for 5 indicators. Conclusions The application of observer-reported ethnicity classification cannot increase the practical value of health survey on Roma to non-Roma differences, compared to the self-reporting based approach. Therefore, the use of observer-reported Roma ethnicity in health surveys to improve the reliability of Roma specific indicators seems to be not justified. Key messages Application of external classification for ethnicity cannot increase the effectiveness of population based health interview survey in monitoring Roma vs non-Roma differences. The use of observer-reported Roma ethnicity in health surveys to improve the reliability of Roma specific indicators seems to be not justified.

Mureş County Women’s Behaviour Associated with Pregnancy Risk Factors

The main objective was to identify pregnancy risk factors arising from the behaviour and lifestyle of Mureş county women during pregnancy. The postpartum women monitored in this study were from Mureş county and were interviewed by applying a questionnaire during the period they were in the hospital for postnatal care immediately after birth. The questions aimed at identifying prenatal risk factors and the unhealthy behaviour of women before and during pregnancy, referring to the socio-economic and cultural status (low family income or unemployment, less than high school studies, rural background and marital status), obesity during pregnancy, alcohol consumption, coffee consumption, no physical activity. We identified, among the three major ethnicities in Mureş county (Romanian, Hungarian, Roma), the behaviour and lifestyle components with risk in pregnancy and after comparing profiles of these groups we identified the Roma ethnicity as being at the highest perinatal risk.

Prevalence of Chronic Diseases and Activity-Limiting Disability among Roma and Non-Roma People: A Cross-Sectional, Census-Based Investigation

The lack of recommended design for Roma health-monitoring hinders the interventions to improve the health status of this ethnic minority. We aim to describe the riskiness of Roma ethnicity using census-derived data and to demonstrate the value of census for monitoring the Roma to non-Roma gap. This study investigated the self-declared occurrence of at least one chronic disease and the existence of activity limitations among subjects with chronic disease by the database of the 2011 Hungarian Census. Risks were assessed by odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) from logistic regression analyses controlled for sociodemographic factors. Roma ethnicity is a risk factor for chronic diseases (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.16–1.18) and for activity limitation in everyday life activities (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.17–1.23), learning-working (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.21–1.27), family life (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.16–1.28), and transport (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01–1.06). The population-level impact of Roma ethnicity was 0.39% (95% CI: 0.37–0.41) for chronic diseases and varied between 0 and 1.19% for activity limitations. Our investigations demonstrated that (1) the Roma ethnicity is a distinct risk factor with significant population level impact for chronic disease occurrence accompanied with prognosis worsening influence, and that (2) the census can improve the Roma health-monitoring system, primarily by assessing the population level impact.

Physical Activity as a Chance for Roma Children Living in Unfavorable Conditions // Fizička aktivnost kao šansa za romsku decu u nepovoljnim životnim uslovima

Until now no larger child sample of exclusively Roma ethnicity has been investigated concerning their basic somatic and motor performance attributes. The aim of the present comparison of Roma and non-Roma prepubertal and pubertal boys was to analyse if there were differences in some anthropometric measures and running performance to see if Roma children fall behind their non-Roma peers in growth and development, and if so, to what extent. Kinanthropometric data collection was carried out in 184 volunteer Roma boys aged 6.51 and 14.50 years. For a control group, exactly the same number of non-Roma subjects was selected randomly from each age group of the same region - Kanjiza and Novi Knezevac.