Attitudes of the Roma women towards reproductive health and their experience with gynaecological health service providers: a qualitative descriptive research

Introduction: Not a lot is known in Slovenia about the reproductive health of the Roma women, who live in their own communities and have a specific way of life. The objective of the study was to identify the attitudes of the Roma women towards reproductive health and the accessibility and attendance of available primaryhealthcare services.Methods: Qualitative research methodology was used. Purposive sampling was used. Out of 64 invited women, 44 of-age women decided to participate. The study was conducted between May 2014 and February 2015. Data were obtained using a semi-structured interview technique, and analysed with a qualitative content analysis.Results: 18 categories were identified and later developed into 7 topics: (1) Care for health, (2) Attitudes to reproductive health, (3) Attitudes to healthcare at a women’s clinic, (4) Factors that determine the accessibility of healthcare services, (5) Attitudes during treatments, (6) Prevention, (7) Reproductive health education programmes for the Roma women.Discussion and conclusion: The Roma women wish to be in contact with healthcare service providers, to receive equal treatment and to remain healthy. A need for education, professional advice, lectures and reproductive health workshops has been identified. The Roma women should be informed about how to access the reproductive healthcare services and treatments offered by healthcare service providers. They should also be included in healthcare educational programmes, giving special consideration to their culture and tradition.
Uvod: O reproduktivnem zdravju Rominj, žensk s svojstvenim načinom življenja v posebnih skupnostnih razmerah in z njim lastnimi navadami, je v Sloveniji malo znanega. Namen raziskave je bil prepoznati stališča Rominj do  reproduktivnega zdravja in okoliščine dostopnosti ter obiska ustreznih zdravstvenih služb na primarni ravni.Metode: Uporabljena je bila opisna kvalitativna metoda. Vzorec je bil namenski. Od 61 povabljenih je sodelovalo 44 polnoletnih Rominj, in sicer od maja 2014 do februarja 2015. Podatki so bili zbrani s tehniko delno strukturiranega intervjuja in analizirani s kvalitativno analizo vsebine.Rezultati: Izdvojenih je bilo 18 kategorij, združenih v 7 tem: (1) skrb za zdravje, (2) stališča o reproduktivnem zdravju, (3) stališča o zdravstveni oskrbi v dispanzerju za ženske, (4) dejavniki, ki vplivajo na dostopnost do zdravstvenih služb, (5) odnosi v zdravstvenih obravnavah, (6) preventiva, (7) izobraževalni programi za romske ženske na področju reproduktivnega zdravja.Diskusija in zaključek: Rominje si želijo stikov z zdravstvenimi službami, enakovrednega pristopa pri obravnavi in predvsem zdravja. Zaznana je potreba po izobraževanju, strokovnih nasvetih, predavanjih in delavnicah s področja reproduktivnega zdravja. Razvojne priložnosti se nakazujejo s pomočjo ozaveščanja o možnostih dostopa do reproduktivnih storitev in obravnave, ki jih ponujajo zdravstvene službe, vključevanja Rominj v zdravstvenovzgojne programe ob upoštevanju njihove kulture in tradicije.