scholarly journals Unhealthy Immigrants: Sources for Health Gaps Between Immigrants and Natives in Israel

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keren Semyonov-Tal ◽  
Dina Maskileyson
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Nativity Status ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Female Immigrants ◽  
Interview Survey ◽  
Jewish Immigrants ◽  
Gender Groups

The study focuses on sources for health gaps between Jewish immigrants and native-born Israelis. Unlike traditional immigrant societies where immigration is viewed as economically motivated, immigrants returning to Israel are viewed as the “returning diaspora”. Because immigrants in Israel are entitled to the same health benefits and medical services as native-born, we expect Israel to attract unhealthy immigrants in disproportionate numbers. The data for the analysis are obtained from the Israeli National Health Interview Survey (2013–2015). The data set provides detailed information on health status and illness, sociodemographic attributes and origin of immigrants. Three major origin groups of immigrants are distinguished: the former Soviet Union, Western Europeans or the Americans (mostly Ashkenazim), and Asians or North Africans (mostly Sephardim). Our findings lend support to the expectations that the health status of all immigrant groups is poorer than that of native-born Israelis. The nativity–illness gap is most pronounced in the case of male immigrants (from Europe or the Americas or South Africa or Australia) and for female immigrants (from countries in the Middle East or North Africa) and least pronounced in the case of immigrants arriving from the former Soviet Union for both gender groups. Decomposition of the gaps into components reveals that some portion of the illness gap can be attributed to nativity status, but the largest portion of the gap is attributed to demographic characteristics. Neither socioeconomic status nor health-related behavior accounts for a substantial portion of the nativity–illness gap for all subgroups of immigrants.

Health-related quality of life in Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Germany

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuriy Nesterko ◽  
Michael Friedrich ◽  
Nadja Seidel ◽  
Heide Glaesmer
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Jewish People ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Jewish Immigrants

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test a hypothesized structure of interrelations between pre-migration dispositional factors (cultural identity and optimism/pessimism) and immigration-related experiences (level of integration and perceived discrimination) in association with mental and physical components of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of Jewish people from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) who immigrated to Germany. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire in Russian, including items about the immigration background, level of integration, perceived discrimination as well as cultural identity, dispositional optimism/pessimism (Life Orientation Test-R) and HRQoL (SF-12) was handed out to Jewish immigrants from the FSU living in Germany. The data of 153 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Whereas no significant associations between Jewish identity and HRQoL could be found, both a positive association between optimism and level of integration with a link to physical and mental health, and an inverse relation between optimism and perceived discrimination with a link to mental health, were observed. Opposite associations were found for pessimism. Originality/value The results replicate prior research findings on Jews from the FSU living in Israel and the USA and suggest more detailed assessment methods for further investigations on integration processes and cultural identity in the selected group of immigrants. Additionally, HRQoL is significantly lower in the Jewish sample than in the general population. These findings underline the need for a better integration policy, especially for Jewish people from the FSU.

Do They Feel the Same Way? Health-Related Quality of Life and Satisfaction With Life in Jewish Immigrants From the Former Soviet Union in Germany and Israel

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 618-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuriy Nesterko ◽  
Natalie Ulitsa ◽  
Michael Friedrich ◽  
Heide Glaesmer
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Jewish Immigrants

There is consensus that experiences gained during immigration have an impact on health status. However, studies comparing health-related outcomes in homogeneous groups of immigrants living in different host countries are rare. In a sample of Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in two different host countries, Germany and Israel, possible predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and satisfaction with life (SWL) were examined. In total, 359 Jewish immigrants from the FSU living in Germany ( n = 180) and Israel ( n = 179) completed the questionnaire measuring immigration-related and sociodemographic characteristics. HRQoL was assessed via Short Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2), and SWL via Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Hierarchical linear regression models were applied for analyzing immigration-related and sociodemographic predictors of HRQoL and SWL. Participants living in Israel scored higher on HRQoL, and no differences were found concerning SWL ratings. However, no direct influences of the host country were detected by predicting HRQoL and SWL scores. In both subgroups, immigration-related factors such as perceived discrimination or level of integration were found as significant predictors. In the face of different immigration waves in the host countries, Germany and Israel, the results display similarities rather than differences between the groups concerning the sociodemographic and immigration-related predictors on HRQoL and SWL. The findings using cross-cultural analysis level underscore the need of much more detailed future research on this issue.

Comparing health-issues of Russian-speaking immigrants, Germans and Russians

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktoria Bachmann ◽  
Katharina Teigeler ◽  
Oliver Hirsch ◽  
Stefan Bösner ◽  
Norbert Donner-Banzhoff
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Health Beliefs ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Cultural Psychology ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Related

Purpose – About three million Russian-speaking immigrants from the former Soviet Union live in Germany. However, little is known about their health status. The purpose of this paper is to investigate mental and physical complaints among this immigrant group through German primary care compared with native-born Germans and Russians. Design/methodology/approach – In the context of the quantitative part of our mixed-methods study Russian-speaking immigrants, native-born Germans and Russians completed self-rating questionnaires in their native languages comprising indicators of mental and somatic health. Included were two modules of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, PHQ-15), and the Hamburg Self-Care Questionnaire. Findings – No differences were found between the three groups regarding depressive and somatic symptoms. Germans had higher ratings of general health status compared to immigrants and native-born Russians and were more satisfied with their physical health than immigrants. Germans were more convinced that they can actively contribute to their health than immigrants and Russians. Germans and Russians have higher scores of self-care than immigrants. Immigrants have more subjective physical health-related complaints than non-immigrants. There are different health beliefs in the three groups which could differentially affect global well-being. Originality/value – As minorities are double socialized in the origin and host country, a minimum of three groups have to be compared to receive a reliable statement about migration- and culture-specific differences in health related aspects. These requirements of comparative cultural psychology are satisfied by our work.

Marital Stability Among Jewish and Mixed Couples Following Immigration to Israel From the Former Soviet Union

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoav Lavee ◽  
Ludmila Krivosh
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Marital Stability ◽  
Marital Instability ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Mixed Marriages ◽  
Marital Outcomes ◽  
Jewish Immigrants

This research aims to identify factors associated with marital instability among Jewish and mixed (Jewish and non-Jewish) couples following immigration from the former Soviet Union. Based on the Strangeness Theory and the Model of Acculturation, we predicted that non-Jewish immigrants would be less well adjusted personally and socially to Israeli society than Jewish immigrants and that endogamous Jewish couples would have better interpersonal congruence than mixed couples in terms of personal and social adjustment. The sample included 92 Jewish couples and 92 ethnically-mixed couples, of which 82 couples (40 Jewish, 42 mixed) divorced or separated after immigration and 102 couples (52 Jewish, 50 ethnically mixed) remained married. Significant differences were found between Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants in personal adjustment, and between endogamous and ethnically-mixed couples in the congruence between spouses in their personal and social adjustment. Marital instability was best explained by interpersonal disparity in cultural identity and in adjustment to life in Israel. The findings expand the knowledge on marital outcomes of immigration, in general, and immigration of mixed marriages, in particular.

scholarly journals Simple Assay for Detection of the Central Asia Outbreak Clade of theMycobacterium tuberculosisBeijing Genotype

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Egor Shitikov ◽  
Anna Vyazovaya ◽  
Maja Malakhova ◽  
Andrei Guliaev ◽  
Julia Bespyatykh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Molecular Marker ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Beijing Genotype ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mdr Tb

ABSTRACTThe Central Asia outbreak (CAO) clade is a branch of theMycobacterium tuberculosisBeijing genotype that is associated with multidrug resistance, increased transmissibility, and epidemic spread in parts of the former Soviet Union. Furthermore, migration flows bring these strains far beyond their areas of origin. We aimed to find a specific molecular marker of the Beijing CAO clade and develop a simple and affordable method for its detection. Based on the bioinformatics analysis of the largeM. tuberculosiswhole-genome sequencing (WGS) data set (n = 1,398), we identified an IS6110insertion in theRv1359-Rv1360intergenic region as a specific molecular marker of the CAO clade. We further designed and optimized a multiplex PCR method to detect this insertion. The method was validatedin silicowith the recently published WGS data set from Central Asia (n = 277) and experimentally withM. tuberculosisisolates from European and Asian parts of Russia, the former Soviet Union, and East Asia (n = 319). The developed molecular assay may be recommended for rapid screening of retrospective collections and for prospective surveillance when comprehensive but expensive WGS is not available or practical. The assay may be especially useful in high multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) burden countries of the former Soviet Union and in countries with respective immigrant communities.

scholarly journals Fifty Shades of Gray: Satisfaction with Life Among Jewish Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union to Israel

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 92-96
Author(s):  
E. Tartakovsky
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Jewish Immigrants ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Mixed Blessing ◽  
Two Populations

In the present study, we tested the morbidity and salutary hypotheses of immigration investigating satisfaction with life (SWL) among Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union to Israel. The study was conducted using a random representative sample of first-generation immigrants from the Former Soviet Union to Israel (N = 400) and a large geographically dispersed sample of Jews staying in Russia (N = 935). We applied three measures of SWL: general satisfaction with life (GSWL), multifaceted satisfaction with life (MSWL), and relative satisfaction with life (RSWL). The results demonstrated that immigrants were higher than stayers in GSWL. At the same time, the difference between the two populations was not significant in the average scores of MSWL. When comparing the two populations in ten domains of MSWL, immigrants reported higher satisfaction only in medical care. Stayers reported higher satisfaction in four domains: work, family relationships, relationships with friends, and entertainment and leisure. Immigrants assessed their standard of life as higher compared to the premigration period and to that presently existing in their country of origin. However, they assessed their standard of life as lower compared to the non-immigrant Israelis. Thus, immigration was a mixed blessing for the studied group of immigrants, salutary in some aspects and onerous in others.

scholarly journals Health of refugees and migrants from former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation: a narrative review

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataliia Bakunina ◽  
Artyom Gil ◽  
Vitaly Polushkin ◽  
Boris Sergeev ◽  
Margarita Flores ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
The Russian Federation

Abstract This narrative review was conducted to synthesize and summarize available up-to-date evidence on current health status, including both non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological and sociological studies with one or more determinants of the health, as well as relevant qualitative studies characterizing risk factors, well-being indicators, and lifestyles of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in Russia published from 2004 to 2019 in Russian and English languages were included in the review. Despite significant limitations of the available research literature in the field, some patterns in migrants’ health in Russia and issues that need to be addressed were identified. In particular, the syndemic epidemics of communicable and non-communicable diseases, additively increasing negative health consequences, including cardiovascular diseases and chronic digestive system diseases, high rates of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, respiratory diseases and a growing percentage of new tuberculosis cases among migrants from the former Soviet Union countries are all of great concern. Possibly, the burden of these co-occurring morbidities is linked to commonly reported issues among this population group, such as poor nutrition and living conditions, high prevalence of unskilled manual labour, non-compliance with sanitary norms, lack of basic vaccinations, lack of basic knowledge about safe sexual practices and risky sexual behaviour, low healthcare seeking behaviour and limited access to health care. Importantly, these findings may urge the government to increase efforts and promote international collaboration in combating the threat of infectious diseases. Additionally, it was found that migrants had higher levels of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and those who stayed in the receiving country 5 years or more had a higher level of somatic pathology than those whose stay was less than 5 years. In order to ensure an adequate health system response and fulfil the main Universal Health Coverage principle of “leaving no one behind”, a robust monitoring system of the health status of refugees and migrants and an integrated legal framework for the standardized and more inclusive routine care for this population in Russia is urgently needed.

From state care to self-care: cancer screening behaviours among Russian-speaking Australian women

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Team ◽  
Lenore H. Manderson ◽  
Milica Markovic
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Preventive Health Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Women's Participation ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Care Policies

In this article, we report on a small qualitative scale study with immigrant Russian-speaking Australian women, carers of dependent family members. Drawing on in-depth interviews, we explore women’s health-related behaviours, in particular their participation in breast and cervical cancer screening. Differences in preventive health care policies in country of origin and Australia explain their poor participation in cancer screening. Our participants had grown up in the former Soviet Union, where health checks were compulsory but where advice about frequency and timing was the responsibility of doctors. Following migration, women continued to believe that the responsibility for checks was their doctor’s, and they maintained that, compared with their experience of preventive medicine in the former Soviet Union, Australian practice was poor. Women argued that if reproductive health screening were important in cancer prevention, then health care providers would take a lead role to ensure that all women participated. Data suggest how women’s participation in screening may be improved.

Joining the Jewish People: Non-Jewish Immigrants from the Former USSR, Israeli Identity and Jewish Peoplehood

2010 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 218-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Yakobson
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Former Soviet Union ◽  
Religious Conversion ◽  
Jewish People ◽  
National Minority ◽  
Cultural Integration ◽  
Jewish Immigrants ◽  
The Right ◽  
Law Of Return ◽  
Former Ussr

The Law of Return grants every Jew the right to immigrate to Israel; this also applies to non-Jewish relatives of Jews. The Citizenship Law grants every such “returnee” automatic citizenship. The wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 90s brought a large number of immigrants not considered Jewish under the definition accepted in Israel. Is this large group of Israeli citizens—who do not, at least formally, belong to the Jewish people—an emerging second substantial national minority in Israel? This Article argues that regardless of formal definitions based on Orthodox religious law under which a religious conversion is the only way for a non-Jew to become Jewish, these immigrants, through their successful social and cultural integration in the Hebrew-speaking Jewish society in Israel, are joining, de facto, the Jewish people. It is no longer true that religious conversion is the only way to join the Jewish people.

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