The Roma populations in Central and Eastern Europe are two to three times more likely
to have unmet health needs compared to non-Roma residents. The aim of the present
study was to investigate the disparity in screening attendance between Hungarian-speaking
Roma (R) and non-Roma (nR) women in Hungary (HU-R:322; nR:294), Romania (RO-R:258;
nR:183), and Slovakia (SK-R:146; nR:163), while also identifying the factors that
influence attendance at any kind of screening tests in both populations. In order
to examine these factors, a multiple binary logistic regression was conducted. The
findings revealed significant associations between attendance at any kind of screening
tests and certain factors among different groups. Among Hungarian Roma women, it was
found that having a chronic disease and smoking were linked to attendance at any kind
of screening tests ( p = 0.009). Specifically, having a chronic disease increased
the odds of attendance (OR = 1.71 [1.01, 2.90]), while smoking decreased the odds
(OR = 0.57[0.365, 0.91]). In Romania, the study found that not having health insurance
decreased the odds of attendance among Roma women (OR = 0.50 [0.27, 0.91]), whereas
having a chronic disease increased the odds (OR = 2.87 [1.44, 5.72]) ( p = 0.006).
Among non-Roma women in Romania, physical inactivity was associated with a decreased
likelihood of attendance at any kind of screening tests (OR = 0.48 [0.25, 0.95]).
Among Slovakian Roma women, not having health insurance (OR = 0.09[0.02, 0.36]) and
smoking (OR = 0.25[0.11, 0.61]) were found to decrease the odds of attendance ( p
< 0.001). On the other hand, non-Roma women in Slovakia with chronic diseases were
more likely to attend at any kind of screening tests (OR = 2.52[1.12, 5.66]). Our
research emphasizes the impact of lacking health insurance on screening attendance,
particularly among the Roma population. It also highlights the significance of health-related
behaviours such as smoking and physical inactivity in relation to missed screening
tests, which in turn contribute to the development of non-communicable diseases. Therefore,
promoting targeted screening programs for the Roma community is crucial to ensure
their access to screening tests, especially in cases of chronic illnesses.
