The influence of immigration on the mental health of those seeking psychiatric care in southern Israel: a comparison of new immigrants to veteran residents

Abstract

Objective: The wave of immigration from the countries of the former Soviet Union from 1990 to 2006 brought to Israel over 1,000,000 people. Many of them suffer from different diseases including mental disorders. Although the majority of older persons are free of serious psychopathology, 15-20% of the elderly people may be in need of psychiatric services. The aim of the study is to compare the mental health parameters of two elderly groups living in the southern part of Israel who suffer from severe mental problems: new immigrants from the former USSR (NI) in contrast to veteran Israelis (VR).

Method: In this retrospective study we compare two groups of aged inhabitants (NI and VR) from the southern region of Israel who sought psychiatric services (both outpatient and inpatient). The comparison concerns socio-demographic characteristics of people in care in a mental health center, rate of use of these services and diagnoses of the patients.

Results: One hundred and fifty-six (1.2%) NI sought psychiatric help versus 584 (2.1%) VR. The major findings include the significantly increased number of adjustment disorders and the significantly lower number of organo-mental diagnoses among psychiatrically hospitalized NI in comparison to VR. No differences were found in the frequency of mood or psychotic disorders between the two groups.

Conclusions: Immigration is acknowledged to be a major stressor which may increase the emotional distress of an immigrant and in some cases may even lead to psychopathological reactions. NI are prone not to seek medical aid in outpatient facilities until a real worsening of mental health status compels them to be hospitalized.