Salud sexual y reproductiva en mujeres gitanas: el programa de planificación familiar del Polígono Sur / Sexual and reproductive health in Roma women: the family planning programme of Polígono Sur in Seville (Spain)

Objetivo: Describir los desafíos, recursos y estrategias del equipo de planificación familiar del Centro de Salud Polígono Sur de Sevilla en su atención a mujeres gitanas. Método: Estudio cualitativo descriptivo en el que se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad y grupos de discusión con todas las profesionales del programa, así como una revisión documental de este. La información fue analizada a partir del Roma Health Integration Policy Index, una herramienta que evalúa la titularidad, accesibilidad, sensibilidad y capacidad de cambio de los programas de salud para población gitana. Resultados: Las profesionales encuentran numerosos desafíos para implementar el programa de planificación familiar con mujeres gitanas debido a las características de las usuarias, así como a la baja sensibilidad del programa hacia ellas. La ausencia de actuaciones específicas para mujeres gitanas dentro del programa de planificación familiar establecido por el distrito sanitario obliga a las profesionales a desarrollar adaptaciones y estrategias que aseguren servicios de salud sexual y reproductiva de calidad para sus usuarias. Conclusión: Es necesario adaptar los programas de salud sexual y reproductiva dirigidos a mujeres gitanas a partir de: a) la detección, evaluación, sistematización y difusión de buenas prácticas; b) el desarrollo de actuaciones que contemplen las múltiples vulnerabilidades de esta población; c) el reconocimiento de profesionales que aboguen por la salud de estas mujeres dentro de sus organizaciones; y d) la promoción de la justicia reproductiva como fin último de estos programas

Objective: To describe the challenges, resources and strategies of the staff of the family planning programme of the Polígono Sur Healthcare Centre in Seville (Spain) in their care of Roma women. Method: This is a descriptive study in which in-depth interviews and discussion groups were held with all programme professionals, including a documentary review of the programme. The information was analyzed based on the Roma Health Integration Policy Index, a tool that evaluates the entitlement, accessibility, sensitivity and capacity for change of health programmes for the Roma population. Results: The professionals encountered multiple challenges to implement the family planning programme with Roma women due to the characteristics of the users and the low sensitivity of the programme towards them. The absence of specific actions for Roma women within the family planning programme, agreed to by the healthcare district, obliges professionals to develop adaptations and strategies to ensure quality sexual and reproductive health services for their users. Conclusions: It is necessary to adapt sexual and reproductive health programmes targeted at Roma women by (a) detecting, evaluating, systematizing and disseminating good practices, (b) developing actions that address the multiple vulnerabilities of Roma women, (c) acknowledging professionals who advocate for the health of these women within their organizations, and (d) promoting reproductive justice as the goal of these programmes

[Sexual and reproductive health in Roma women: the family planning programme of Polígono Sur in Seville (Spain)]. / Salud sexual y reproductiva en mujeres gitanas: el programa de planificación familiar del Polígono Sur.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the challenges, resources and strategies of the staff of the family planning programme of the Polígono Sur Healthcare Centre in Seville (Spain) in their care of Roma women. METHOD: This is a descriptive study in which in-depth interviews and discussion groups were held with all programme professionals, including a documentary review of the programme. The information was analyzed based on the Roma Health Integration Policy Index, a tool that evaluates the entitlement, accessibility, sensitivity and capacity for change of health programmes for the Roma population. RESULTS: The professionals encountered multiple challenges to implement the family planning programme with Roma women due to the characteristics of the users and the low sensitivity of the programme towards them. The absence of specific actions for Roma women within the family planning programme, agreed to by the healthcare district, obliges professionals to develop adaptations and strategies to ensure quality sexual and reproductive health services for their users. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to adapt sexual and reproductive health programmes targeted at Roma women by (a) detecting, evaluating, systematizing and disseminating good practices, (b) developing actions that address the multiple vulnerabilities of Roma women, (c) acknowledging professionals who advocate for the health of these women within their organizations, and (d) promoting reproductive justice as the goal of these programmes.

Shedding light on governance for Roma health inequities.

The health inequities suffered by the Roma population in Europe represent an alarming and unacceptable source of injustice. As the main ethnic minority in Europe, the gap between the health conditions of the Roma and the rest of the population poses a challenge to human rights and public health. Many political efforts have been deployed in Europe to tackle these inequities. However, they have fallen short, even causing paradoxical consequences. In this paper, we argue that previous political efforts have failed because they were developed from a neoliberal perspective, which perceives Roma health inequities as isolated ethnic problems for which there is no political accountability. Hence, there is a need for transformative political change that results in the protection of rights and self-governance to address health inequities experienced by Roma people. We propose a framework of health governance guided by the following principles: (a) effective involvement of multiple stakeholders by building collaborative capacity; (b) infusion of health perspectives in all policies and multisectoral actions;