Management Intercultural (Dec 2021)
THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ROMA ETHNIC GROUP
Abstract
In the 21st century, when the patient is in front of the medical staff, even if the information may be correct or incorrect, the reminder of the importance of doctor-patient communication becomes vital. The Romani population has many problems in benefiting from medical services, lack of health insurance, lack of documents and lack of education make this category of population to become a group of patients difficult to manage and an increase in the quality of the relationship with the Romani population is necessary (Cristea, Lăte,a and Chelcea, 1997; Astărăstoae, Gavrilovici, Vicol, Gergely, and Ioan, 2011; Roman, Gramma, Enache, and Pârvu, 2012). Most studies show a lower life expectancy of the Roma population compared to the rest of the population at least 10 years, they also associate an increased risk for a variety of diseases and a higher infant mortality (Hanssens, Devisch, Lobbestael, Cottenie and Willems, 2016; Cahn and Guild, 2010; Hajioff, and McKee, 2000; Zeman, Depken, Senchina, 2003; Van Cleemput, Parry, Thomas, Peters, Cooper, 2007; Hajioff and McKee, 2000). Roma access to education and our willingness to understand their ethnic principles will turn the medical act better, so together we will be able to prevent more than treat, and treat forms of the disease in easier stages. For these reasons, we consider it useful to pay attention to the understanding and improvement of doctor-patient communication in general, and even more so in the case of Romani patients (Hanssens et al., 2016; Astărăstoae et al., 2011; Hajioff, and McKee, 2000).
