title: Persecution-induced reduction in earning capacity of Holocaust victims: influence of psychiatric and somatic aspects.
abstract: The incidence of mental and somatic sequelae is very high in the group of persons damaged by the Holocaust. Based on the sociomedical criteria prevailing in Germany, the assessment of persecution-induced reduction in earning capacity of Holocaust victims (vMdE) is mainly orientated towards direct Holocaust-induced somatic and mental sequelae but must also take into account the interaction of direct Holocaust-induced damage with subsequently acquired physical, mental, and psychosocial factors. The current medical evaluation is focused on the question whether persecution-induced symptoms are exacerbated by endogenous factors like mental or somatic diseases and/or exogenous factors like life events. In that case the grade of vMdE could be increased. Based on the synopsis of 56 Holocaust victims, we ascertained in this study that newly acquired somatic diseases and psychic morbidities contribute to an increase in persecution-induced mental complaints.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. helge.mueller@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asemann
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: Juan-Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Maler
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sperling
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D017767:Holocaust / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013995:Time