Mental health implications of migration: a review of mental health community studies on Russian-speaking immigrants in Israel
Mirsky, J.
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology 44(3): 179-187
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 1433-9285 PMID: 18726240 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-008-0430-1Document Number: 409606
Since late 1980s, 1,001,726 immigrants arrived in Israel from the former Soviet Union (FSU). A review of community studies on the mental health of these immigrants is presented. Israeli studies from the past two decades were reviewed. Presented are findings on the prevalence of psychological distress and psychiatric disorders as well as on a number of risk factors among FSU immigrants. Higher psychological distress and psychiatric morbidity were consistently found among FSU immigrants compared to the Israel-born. Social support was identified as a major stress-mitigating factor in migration. Most studies reveal the persistence of psychological distress among FSU immigrants during the first 5 years following migration, with a risk period around the second and third years following migration. Findings from Israel corroborate some findings on immigrants in other countries but as they are limited to a single immigrant population, replication of these studies is necessary.
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