The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health – IJERPH (ISSN 1660-4601, IF 2.035) is currently running a Special Issue entitled “Roma Health Disadvantage”. Our colleague, Assoc. Prof. Jitse P. van Dijk, of the Department of Community and Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, (The Netherlands), is serving as Guest Editor for this issue.

This Special Issue seeks papers on topics related to Roma health disadvantage, both historical and present, preferably including comparisons over time and with non-Roma; the prevalence of chronic disease/non-communicable diseases; associated determinants and interventions, e.g., whether unemployment worsens their health; their mortality; and their adherence to preventive measures such as vaccination.

By learning more about the opportunity presented by Roma health disadvantage, we can better target interventions to improve the lives of Roma.

For further reading, please follow the link to the Special Issue Website here.

The submission deadline is 31 December 2019. Manuscript might be sent now or up until the deadline. Submitted papers should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.

With aim to be inspired by top 10 Medical Faculty in Europe prof. Maria Marekova and prof. Andrea Madarasova Geckova visited on 29.10.-2.11. 2018 Faculty of  Health Sciences University of Groningen/ University Medical Centre in Groningen.

They meet  with colleagues responsible for curriculum development, visited several educational activities, and discuss medical education with various stakeholders.

Our colleagues Zuzana Dankulincova and Daniela Filakovska attended from 22. till 24. of October 2018 at Masaryk university workshop with prof. Ivo Cermak on use of qualitative methods for research mapping system of care for youth with emotional and behavioural problems.

Slovak national HBSC team met in Kosice on 19th of October planning for upcoming national report from the latest 2017/2018 data collection discussing content, format and dissemination activities!

Our colleague Jaroslava Mackova passed her dissertation exam on the 19th of October 2018 with research exploring healthy development of children in their psychosocial context from the perspective of Positive Youth Development theory. Congratulations!!!

Our colleague Laura Urbanova passed her dissertation exam on the 19th of October 2018 with research exploring risks and benefits of using the Internet and modern technologies and their impact on health of Slovak adolescents. Congratulations!!!

H2020 “SAFE AND HEALTHY ANTENATAL & POSTNATAL EXPERIENCES” (SHAPE) project proposal prepared in collaboration with our colleagues Daniela Filakovska and Andrej Belak was submitted to the European Commission.

Our team hosted assoc. prof. Alexandra Brazinova in Kosice from 17. till 19. October as a part of ongoing collaboration on ongoing teaching and research activities in the field of mental health problems in adolescent and adult population.

On the 13th of October our colleague Andrej Belak attended as an invited guest “Roma debate” in Kino Lumiere as a part of the “Jeden svet” international festival of documentary films.

What is Romipen and can it survive today? What does it mean to be a Roma in Slovakia living among the majority? Is our goal to integrate them all? Should in the ideal scenario settlements disappear and should the Roma live like us? What do they really want? Are the ideas that they really have a much happier life than we naive romaticism, or can we learn something from them too? About the Roma topic differently this time.

More informationa could be found here.

Our colleagues Andrej Belak and Daniela Filakovska organized on 11th of October 2018 workshop on methodology and questionnaire development for health needs assessment in marginalized Roma communities. Invited guests were also informed about preliminary results form qualitative phase of the project and discussed future possibilities for cooperation with various stakeholders on intervention activities concerning health and determinants of health in marginalized Roma communities.

These activities are part of the project in cooperation with contributory organization of Ministry of Health – Healthy regions where our role is to asses health needs in marginalized Roma communities and evaluate health mediation project Healthy Communities.