Health of the world's Roma population.

摘要

We endorse Kent Sepkowitz's conclusions about the poor health status of the world's Roma (May 27, p 1707). However, we would like to clarify his comment on the Irish Roma. The study data he cites do not come from Irish Roma, but a separate population: the Irish Travellers.Irish Travellers are an indigenous minority of at least 30 000 people, documented as being partof Irish society for centuries. They are distinct from the Roma, but have similar traditions such as nomadism, extended family networks, and increased frequency of first cousin marriage. Additionally, Irish Travellers have increased health needs, with life expectancy between 10 and 12 years lower than that of the settled Irish population.A report from the west of Ireland4 noted that 28% of Irish Traveller parents had suffered the death of a child. Chronic childhood disorders were common: 2% of the children had Hurler's syndrome, 2% had galactosaemia, 1% had autosomal recessive osteogenesis imperfecta, 3% had deafness, and 1% had early blindness. A further 5% had a "disability". We have diagnosed five children in this region with Cohen's syndrome-a rare autosomal recessive disorder. We believe that Cohen's syndrome could account for a substantial proportion of the children classified as being disabled.