Psychological distress and its demographic associations in an immigrant population: findings from the Israeli National Health Survey.
OBJECTIVE
This study compared psychological distress and its sociodemographic correlates in immigrant and veteran Israeli populations using data from the Israel National Mental Health Survey, the first nationwide study designed to estimate the prevalence rates of psychological distress and mental disorders in the Israeli adult population, which was carried out in 2003-2004, in conjunction with the World Mental Health survey initiative.


METHODS
Personal interviews were held with 3906 veteran Israelis, 845 immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU) and 107 immigrants from other countries (all the immigrants immigrated after 1989). Psychological distress was measured on the General Health Questionnaire-12.


RESULTS
Psychological distress among FSU immigrants was significantly higher than among veteran Israelis and immigrants from elsewhere. FSU immigrants were almost twice as likely to report severe psychological distress. Factors associated with psychological distress were female gender, age above 50, being divorced/widowed, being secular, having higher education and being either unemployed or 'not in workforce'.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the acculturation stress hypothesis as an explanation for psychological distress in immigrants only in immigrants from the FSU, indicating that policymakers should plan services and prevention programmes differentially for different immigrant populations.
Ponizovsky
Alexander M
AM
Research Unit, Mental Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel. alexander.ponizovsky@moh.health.gov.il
Radomislensky
Ira
I
Grinshpoon
Alexander
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult