Table 3 Health-related behaviours quotes. Quotes illustrating our findings regarding local health-endangering settings and practices (primarily health-related behaviours related) and the local consultants’ related ethnically framed reasoning

‘Of course I believe it's true [that smoking causes cancer]. So what? Nobody will ever make me stop anyway. A Gypsy [sic] will always only want to live like a Gypsy… this is his life, to have a little smoke, to have a little fun, to drink a little.’ S., man, 31, medium social level [Jun 2005]

Smoking; alcohol consumption

‘This is what being a Gypsy means, if it rains, you get wet, you work away, you won't quit and change [your clothes]. When you're finished, only then you can change… This is what we are used to… Sure, you catch a cold - but you get healthy again! When you're in the middle of something, just do it, you wash, you change, you eat only afterwards.’ K., man, 27, medium social level [Sep 2005]

Ergonomic strain; risk perception

‘Secretly, most women will have their fun before their wedding… [Interviewer: ‘Don’t they fear getting pregnant… since, you know, condoms are not used around here’] …A fear of what, new children being born? And what’s bad about that? When there’s a child, there will be a family… Usually, the two youngsters would really mean it once they don’t fear taking it this far. There are lots of families like that here and they live happily.’ Z., woman, 25, medium social level [Sep 2005]

Promiscuity; contraception

‘What is she [talking about own daughter] a whore to smoke this young? […] And tell me where would they get money for that [talking about occasional smoking of young children in the settlement]?’ S., woman, 30, high social level [Sep 2005]

Smoking; SEP; social norms

‘Gypsies love meat, especially pork meat, everybody knows that. […] And we hate thin food with no taste. The soups you eat, pure water!’ M2, woman, 27, high social level [Sep 2008]

Diet