CVD Risk Factors in the Ukrainian Roma and Meta-Analysis of Their Prevalence in Roma Populations Worldwide

The Roma population suffers from severe poverty, social exclusion, and some of the worst health conditions in the industrialized world. Herein, we report on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in the Ukrainian Roma and present a meta-analysis of the prevalence of CVD risk factors in 16 Roma populations worldwide. The meta-analyses of CVD risk factors in Roma (n = 16,552) vs. non-Roma majority population of the same country (n = 127,874) included publicly available data. Ukrainian field survey included 339 adults of both sexes and outcomes of interest were hypertension, body mass index (BMI), smoking, education, and employment status. Furthermore, 35.7% of the Ukrainian Roma were hypertensive, 69.3% unemployed, and 48.4% never went to school. Ukrainian Roma women were more likely to be underweight and more prone to be hypertensive, with odds of hypertension increasing with age, BMI, and positive smoking status. Meta-analyses showed that, in comparison with non-Roma worldwide, the Roma bear significantly higher risk factor loads related to smoking (OR = 2.850), diabetes (OR = 1.433), abdominal obesity (OR = 1.276), and metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.975), with lower loads for hypertension (OR = 0.607) and BMI & GE; 25 kg/m(2) (OR = 0.872). To conclude, the CVD risk factors which are more common in Roma than in the majority population may reflect their poor health-related behaviors and inadequate access to health education.

Automated summary

The Roma population in Ukraine has high prevalence rates of hypertension, unemployment, and lack of education, with women being more vulnerable to health conditions. Meta-analyses show that Roma globally have higher risk factors for smoking, diabetes, abdominal obesity, and metabolic syndrome compared to non-Roma populations, indicating potential poor health-related behaviors and limited access to health education.