RT Journal Article
T1 Mental Health of the Roma Population in Spain: A Scoping Review
A1 Pais, Lara
A1 Río Casanova, Lucía del
A1 García Vázquez, Yolanda
A1 Ferrás Sexto, Carlos
K1 Mental health
K1 Psychiatry
K1 Psychology
K1 Social work in health
K1 Demography
K1 Roma population
AB Objectives The Roma population in Spain faces multiple known risk factors and shows indicators of a worse mental health status than the general population. A few studies consider them a vulnerable population and found higher rates of mental health issues. This review aims to analyze the mental health status of the Roma population in Spain through existing literature. As a secondary objective, we have considered studying the degree of development of this research feld in the Spanish context.Design Due to the lack of clarity about the availability and quality of the existing information, a scoping review on the mental health status of the Roma population in Spain was performed. The databases included Medline, PsycInfo, Google Scholar, and Dialnet, covering the period 1993–2023. Experimental or quasi-experimental studies and observational studies, cohort studies, case-controls, cross-sectional studies, and case series were selected using PRISMA methodology. The results were analyzed from inductive thematic categorization.Results Higher rates of depression and anxiety have been reported in Roma Spanish people, while drug and alcohol use might be increased in Roma men. The study of other psychiatric and psychological conditions is limited and biased. Some protective sociocultural factors have also been described such as ethnic identity, community self-esteem, or social organization based on the extended family. The research methodologies applied are heterogeneous in approach and sampling and deficient in experimental studies. The variability in topics and study designs makes the results neither replicable nor comparable.Conclusions The mental health of the Spanish Roma population has been scarcely and vaguely studied. Preliminary research points at a worse mental health state in some areas but the feld needs further development. There is also a lack of quality and standardization in the studies, and there is also a need for greater involvement of the Roma community itself. Research on the mental health of the Roma population in Spain should be perceived as a necessity and an opportunity for managers and professionals of health services and social services.
PB Springer
SN 2197-3792
YR 2025
FD 2025-04-14
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/42445
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/42445
LA eng
NO Pais, L., del Río-Casanova, L., García, Y. et al. Mental Health of the Roma Population in Spain: A Scoping Review. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-025-02415-8
NO Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature.
DS Minerva
RD 6 may 2026