Reproductive Investment and Health Costs in Roma Women

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Jelena Čvorović, Kathryn Coe

Abstract

In this paper, we examine whether variation in reproductive investment affects the health of Roma women using a dataset collected through original anthropological fieldwork among Roma women in Serbia. Data were collected in 2014-2016 in several Roma semi-urban settlements in central Serbia. The sample consisted of 468 Roma women, averaging 44 years of age. We collected demographic data (age, school levels, socioeconomic status), risk behaviors (smoking and alcohol consumption), marital status, and reproductive history variables (the timing of reproduction, the intensity of reproduction, reproductive effort and investment after birth), in addition to self-reported health, height, and weight. Data analyses showed that somatic, short-term costs of reproduction were revealed in this population, while evolutionary, long-term costs were unobservable-contrariwise, Roma women in poor health contributed more to the gene pool of the next generation than their healthy counterparts. Our findings appear to be consistent with simple trade-off models that suggest inverse relationships between reproductive effort and health. Thus, personal sacrifice-poor health as an outcome-seems crucial for greater reproductive success.

References

Nov 24, 1977·Nature·T B Kirkwood
Apr 29, 1991·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·T B Kirkwood, M R Rose
May 27, 1993·The New England Journal of Medicine·R B NessR B D'Agostino
Jan 5, 1999·Nature·R G Westendorp, T B Kirkwood
Feb 12, 2000·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·J E LycettE Voland
Sep 27, 2000·Social Science & Medicine·E Grundy, G Holt
Apr 24, 2001·Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy·R M Nesse
Aug 2, 2001·Nature Medicine·R G WestendorpT W Huizinga
Dec 1, 1989·Journal of Family Issues·K Goldsteen, C E Ross
Apr 22, 2003·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Beverly I Strassmann, Brenda Gillespie
Aug 12, 2003·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Gabriele Doblhammer, Jim Oeppen
Nov 9, 2004·Preventive Medicine·Lori A BastianUNKNOWN Cache County Study on Memory, Health, and Aging
Apr 26, 2005·Social Science & Medicine·Emily Grundy, Cecilia Tomassini
Nov 10, 2005·Public Health Nutrition·Nancy F Butte, Janet C King
Apr 25, 2006·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Grazyna JasienskaMichal Jasienski
Oct 21, 2006·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·H Koski-RahikkalaA-L Hartikainen
Jan 27, 2007·International Journal of Epidemiology·Chris PowerStephen Stansfeld
Jan 4, 2008·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Thomas V Pollet, Daniel Nettle
Apr 2, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Michael A Cant, Rufus A Johnstone
Sep 10, 2008·Menopause : the Journal of the North American Menopause Society·Femke AtsmaYvonne T van der Schouw
Apr 16, 2009·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Grazyna Jasienska
Oct 31, 2009·Homo : internationale Zeitschrift für die vergleichende Forschung am Menschen·Andrew GallagherGoran Strkalj
Sep 17, 2010·Population Studies·Karsten Hank
Dec 21, 2010·Diabetic Medicine : a Journal of the British Diabetic Association·K V NaverP Ovesen
Jun 13, 2012·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Christina DarviriEvangelos C Alexopoulos
Aug 24, 2012·Ecology Letters·Mirkka LahdenperäAndrew F Russell
Apr 19, 2013·Maternal and Child Health Journal·Esa M DavisRalph I Horwitz
Sep 13, 2013·Journal of Health and Social Behavior·Kei Nomaguchi, Amanda N House
Oct 8, 2013·International Journal of Public Health·Benjamin CookEthan Yeh
Oct 11, 2013·Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention : a Publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology·Hong-Bo GuanTing-Ting Gong
Nov 6, 2013·Journal of Family Psychology : JFP : Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43)·Rosanneke A G EmmenNihal Yeniad
Jan 13, 2015·Health Economics·Giorgio BrunelloRudolf Winter-Ebmer
Mar 3, 2015·Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome·Pablo CureCarlos Cure-Cure
Mar 12, 2015·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·Naama SchwartzManfred S Green
May 3, 2015·Fertility and Sterility·Alain Gagnon
Dec 1, 2006·Human Nature : an Interdisciplinary Biosocial Perspective·Rebecca Sear
Nov 7, 2015·International Journal for Equity in Health·Katarina RosicovaJitse P van Dijk

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 18, 2019·Journal of Religion and Health·Jelena Čvorović

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.