Living conditions of the Roma: Substandard housing and health

Housing-related problems faced by the Roma include high overcrowding rates, lack of access to improved forms of sanitation and high levels of urban segregation thus limiting access to healthcare services. These issues reinforce existing health inequalities among the Roma – increased risk of disability, chronic illness, being overweight. Moreover, these conditions worsen in the case of forced evictions. This report analyses the extent of the problem of substandard housing for the Roma in Europe and draws attention to the situation of Traveller groups, who often have difficulties finding a place in halting sites. Regarding the health status of the Roma, interestingly they report better subjective health than the majority population, perhaps because they have a different perception of health (seen as the absence of illness), use health services less frequently or are less aware of health issues.