Aseptic meningitis: Frequency among Israeli ethnic groups

The relative frequency of aseptic meningoencephalitis (AME) was compared in populations of diverse origin, A countrywide search of Israel during 1969-1970 disclosed 1350 cases who fit strict diagnostic criteria. The average annual incidence was 21.6 per 100000 population. The total incidence was similar in Afro-Asian, Euro-American and Israeli Jewish groups but among Israeli Arabs, the incidence was apparently lower. Age-specific incidence showed a peak in infants under one year of age among Arabs and Afro-Asian Jews whereas Euro-Americans and Israeli Jews had a peak incidence at 5-9 years. Larger family size among Arabs and Afro-Asian Jews might account for the higher incidence in infants. Age-specific incidence may be a better index than total incidence of important differences in AME among various ethnic groups.     

Suicide in Israel: 1985-1997

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in suicide rates in Israel over a 13-year period. METHOD: All cases of autopsy-confirmed suicide in Israel from 1985 to 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: An overall annual increase in suicide rates, with rates in men 3 times higher than those in women, was observed. Suicide rates were highest in the second and third decades of life. Unlike Western countries where gunshot wounds are the most common method of suicide for men and poisoning is most common for women, asphyxiation by hanging was the most common method used by men in Israel, followed by firearm wounds and jumping from heights. In women, however, jumping from heights was the most common method, followed by hanging and poisoning. CONCLUSION: Increasing rates of suicide may be associated with waves of immigration to Israel, increased substance abuse and depression and the political and social climate. Further study to examine the precipitating factors is warranted.     

Suicide in Israel: crossnational comparisons

A comparison of rates of completed suicide is made among different national and religious groups in Israel. Rates are higher for Jews than for Arabs. Psychological and sociocultural hypotheses are used to attempt to explain these findings.     

The frequency of multiple sclerosis in jewish and arab populations in greater jerusalem

A comparison of the incidence rate (IR) and the prevalence rate (PR) of multiple sclerosis (MS) in subgroups of the same ethnic origin, but born and living in different geographical areas, may delineate the relationship between environmental and genetic risk factors for MS. Previous epidemiological studies of MS in Israel did not include the Arab population and used diagnostic criteria that did not include MRI findings. Therefore, we studied the age-adjusted IR and PR of MS in a more recent sample in different population groups, including Arabs, of Greater Jerusalem. We found that the PR of MS in Israeli Jews is higher than previously described. Furthermore, the PR was significantly lower among immigrant Jews from Asia/Africa (A/A) than among native-born Jews of Asian/African origin (I-A/A). Since these groups have similar genetic susceptibilities to MS, the higher PR in the latter is probably due to environmental factors. Our study does not support the effect of latitude on the risk of developing MS since no difference in the PR was found between immigrant Jews from Europe/America (E/A) and native-born Jews of European/American origin (I-E/A). Among Arabs, the PR was similar to that among A/A. Therefore, we hypothesized similarity in environmental etiologic factors for MS between the countries of origin of A/A immigrants and of Arabs communities in Greater Jerusalem. The IR of I-E/A was higher than that of I-A/A and Arabs, although this difference did not reach statistical significance.     

Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among immigrant adolescents from the former Soviet Union to Israel

OBJECTIVE: A community survey was conducted to examine suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, behavior problems, psychological distress, social support, and adjustment difficulties in a sample of adolescents. METHOD: Four hundred six Russian-born Jewish immigrants to Israel, aged 11 to 18 years, were selected to match the age and sex distribution of the total immigrant adolescent population. Two indigenous samples of Jewish adolescents in Russia (n = 203) and in Israel (n = 104) were matched with immigrants for comparison. Parameters of interest were measured with self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: The 6-month prevalence rate of suicidal ideation in the immigrant sample (10.9%) was significantly higher than that for Russian controls (3.5%) but not for Israeli natives (8.7%). There were few gender differences in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Older adolescents reported suicidal ideation 2 times more frequently than their younger counterparts. Suicide ideators scored significantly higher than nonideators on all scales of psychological distress and behavior problems. They rated higher sources of immigration difficulties concerning language, physical health, personality characteristics, and family problems but had less socioeconomic and intercultural problems of migration and lower social support from the family but not from other sources. CONCLUSIONS: Results clearly support the migration-convergence hypothesis of suicide risk among adolescents.     

Recent trends in elderly suicide rates in England and Wales

The proportion of elderly in the population is increasing due to increased life expectancy and falling birth rate, and suicide rates increase with age. This study examined the following in England and Wales: (i) recent trends in the elderly suicide rate; (ii) recent trends in method-specific elderly suicide rate; (iii) the relationship between elderly population size and elderly suicide rate in recent years; and (iv) the sex difference in overall and method-specific elderly suicide rate. Data on the various suicide variables were ascertained from the annually published mortality data for years 1985 to 1996. The main findings of this study were: (i) there is a trend towards decline in the overall pure and combined suicide rates for elderly men and women over the 12 year study period; (ii) the main contributors to this decline are suicides due to poisoning by solid and liquid substances (E950), hanging, strangulation and suffocation (E953), drowning (E954), firearms and explosives (E955), and jumping from high places (E957); (iii) the overall pure and combined suicide rates and that for most categories of suicide was higher in men compared to women; and (iv) suicide rates decreased with an increase in the elderly population size. Suicide rates can decline due to a number of reasons. The challenge now is to ensure further decline in suicide rates to meet the Our Healthier Nations target.     

Genetic risk factors for antiepileptic drug–induced hypersensitivity reactions in Israeli populations

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles B*15:02 and A*31:01 have been identified as predictive markers of adverse cutaneous effects of carbamazepine and phenytoin in Asian and North European populations, respectively. Our aim was to estimate the distribution of these alleles in Jewish and Arab populations in Israel. The HLA‐B*15:02 and HLA‐A*31:01 carrier rate was estimated based on data from the Hadassah Bone Marrow Registry. Data on Stevens‐Johnson syndrome (SJS)– and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)–related hospitalizations were obtained from the Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH) registries and from four Israeli medical centers. Of 83,705 Jewish and Arab‐Muslim donors, 81 individuals of known origin carried the HLA‐B*15:02. Among them, 66 were Jews of India‐Cochin descent. Of the Cochin Jewish donors, 12.7% were B*15:02 carriers. HLA‐A*31:01 carrier incidence among Arab and Jewish Israeli populations (3.5% and 2.2%, respectively) was within the range reported in other countries. We did not identify SJS‐ or TEN‐related hospitalizations of Jews of Indian descent. Yet, this population should be considered at greater risk for antiepileptic drug–induced SJS and TEN. Until further data on actual risk are available, such patients should be typed for HLA‐B before treatment with carbamazepine or phenytoin.     

Suicide in Greece 1980–1995: patterns and social factors

A nationwide study of suicide in Greece from 1980 through 1995 demonstrated: 1. A mean age-standardized suicide rate of 5.86/100,000 for males and 1.89/100,000 for females. 2. An increase in suicide rates with age, especially in males. 3. Significant rising trends of male suicides in the 45–54 age group. 4. Significant declining trends of female suicides in age groups 15–24, 75–84, and total. 5. The lowest suicide rates among married men and women. 6. Exceptionally high rates in young widowed men. 7. Rural suicide rates were twice as high as urban rates. 8. Suicide methods were mostly violent, especially in males. 9. Hanging was the most common method, employed in approximately 50% of all suicides. The low suicide rates and the trends observed can probably be attributed to a synthesis of social and cultural characteristics of the Greek people and ongoing changes in Greek lifestyle. Accepted: 10 February 1998     

Quantifying the contributions of age,sex, methods,and urbanicity to the changing suicide rate trends in South Korea, 2001–2016

Purpose

Suicide rates in South Korea have been one of the highest in the world. The aim of this study is to quantify the contributions of age, sex, method, and place of residence to the trends of the suicide rates between 2001 and 2016 in South Korea.

Methods

Using the suicide data obtained from the South Korean National Death Registration data set for the years 2001–2016, a Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to determine if there was a significant change in the trend of suicide rates. Next, a decomposition analysis method was used to quantify the contributions of age, sex, method, and places of residence to the changes in the suicide rates.

Results

Suicide rates increased between 2001 and 2010, and decreased between 2010 and 2016. Among all the age groups, the 65–79 age group contributed most to the rise (18% in men and 7% in women) and fall (− 15% in men and − 14% in women) of suicide rates. Men contributed much more than women to the increasing trend of suicide rate (63.0% vs. 37.0%). Hanging was the key method of suicide, dominating the ups and downs of the suicide rates. The rates of suicide by pesticide poisoning have been decreasing since 2005 and suicide by charcoal burning continued to increase against a decreasing trend of suicide rate during the period of 2010–2016. The gap of the metropolitan–city–rural suicide rates was narrowing during the period under study, although the rural areas remained to have the highest suicide rates.

Conclusion

The ups and downs of suicide rates in South Korea were not uniform across different sociodemographic groups. Age, sex, method, and place of residence contributed differently to the changes in suicide rates. Suicide prevention measures can be more focused on certain age–sex–method–region subgroups.

     

Religion and Psychological well-being and distress in israeli Jews: Findings from the Gallup World Poll

Background: This study investigates religious predictors of psychological well-being and psychological distress in a five-year national probability sample of Israeli Jews (N = 4,073). Data were taken from the 2006-2010 annual surveys of Israel as a part of the multinational Gallup World Poll. Methods: Analyses identified religious predictors of five-item scales of well-being and distress, adjusting for effects of several covariates, including health satisfaction. Additional analyses examined differences in religion, well-being and distress, and their interrelationships by categories of Jewish religious identity and observance (hiloni, masorti, dati, and haredi). Results: Levels of religiousness and of well-being increase as one moves "rightward" across Jewish observance. Selfratings of importance of religion and religious attendance are significantly associated with well-being, overall, and a religious harmony scale is associated with both wellbeing (positively) and distress (inversely), and with these measures' respective items, overall and across Jewish observance. Conclusions: Religious indicators are significant predictors of both psychological well-being and psychological distress in Israeli Jews, regardless of Jewish religious observance.     

Efforts to support special-needs soldiers serving in the Israeli defense forces

Providing treatment and support to special-needs populations can decrease psychopathology and suicide rates. Because service in the military is an important socializing force in Israeli society and most Israelis serve, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) makes special efforts to identify, treat, and support soldiers with emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems. This column describes the IDF's efforts for three groups of soldiers with special needs, with a focus on those with the most severe problems who receive support throughout their service to address psychopathology and suicidality. Suicide rates for the IDF population and for the three groups are reported.     

Suicide among New Zealand Maori: is history repeating itself?

Suicide rates for New Zealanders identified as Maori were analysed for the period 1957-91 and compared with those for non-Maori people. Overall, Maori men had about half the risk of suicide of non-Maori men, and Maori women one-third the risk of non-Maori women. Nevertheless, there was a sharp increase in suicide rates for Maori aged 15–24 years during the period studied, with rates for the 1987–91 time period of 35.2/100,000 for men and 6.0/100,000 for women. These were similar to the high suicide rates of young non-Maori New Zealanders. Suicide among Maori in pre-European times appears to have been embedded in traditional culture and may have occurred particularly among bereaved women; today the pattern is one of high rates in young men who are likely to have been from their culture.     

Torsion dystonia in israel

A country-wide search for idiopathic torsion dystonia (ITD) in Israel between 1969 and 1975 revealed 42 patients (41 Jewish and 1 Druze Arab). Prevalence of ITD per million population, age-adjusted to the United States population in 1970, was 10.8 in the total Jewish population (22.0 among Jews of European extraction contrasted with 1.5 among Jews with Afro-Asian forebears). Among Europeans, the highest prevalence was among Jews from Eastern Europe. The average age-adjusted annual incidence rates per million population were 0.43 in the total Jewish population, 0.98 in the Europeans, and 0.11 in the Afro-Asians. Among the 40 patients for whom familial data were available, the majority of cases (26) were sporadic. The other 14 belonged to four unrelated European families, all of Russian-Polish origin. The pattern of inheritance in these four families fits an autosomal dominant model with incomplete penetrance.     

Gender differences in medically serious suicide attempts: a study from south India

Studying gender differences in suicidal behaviour is important in developing specific need-based service provisions. We aimed to identify gender-specific characteristics associated with attempted suicide in a general hospital sample in south India. Two hundred and three patients admitted to medical wards following suicide attempts were assessed using a detailed clinical interview, measures of suicide intent (Suicide Intent Scale), lethality (Risk Rescue Rating), depression (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) and recent stress (Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale). The majority of men attempting suicide were single. Men were more likely to use organophosphate poisons in their attempt to kill themselves and had higher rates of mental illness than women. As compared with men, women were more likely to come from rural areas, had a lower educational status, and had lower rates of employment outside the home. In women, the most common method of suicide attempt was by using plant poisons. Suicide attempt by self-immolation was significantly higher among women. Men had higher suicidal intent than women, although lethality, depression and stress were comparable between the genders. Rural women were more disadvantaged in education; however, in urban areas, men had higher psychiatric morbidity. Our results emphasise the need for a gender-specific approach among people who have attempted suicide.     

Recent criminal offending and suicide attempts: a national sample

Purpose

Few studies have assessed the risk of suicide and suicidal behavior among the community-residing population with recent criminal justice involvement despite evidence of high rates of suicide in jails and prisons. This study assessed the association between recent arrest history and a suicide attempt in the previous year including multiple arrests and specific offense categories using a national representative sample of adults.

Methods

Data were derived from 2 years of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008 and 2010), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of non-institutionalized US adults. Suicide attempts in the previous year based on self-report were assessed in relation to recent arrest history while accounting for socio-demographic factors, mental and physical health status and substance use.

Results

Suicide attempts in the previous year are relatively common among those with recent arrests (2.3 %) compared to the general US population (0.4 %), with much higher prevalence among those with multiple recent arrests or charges (4.5 %). The prevalence of recent suicide attempts among those with multiple recent arrests was highest among adults aged 25–34 (5.7 %), with similar risks between men and women, and across racial and ethnic subgroups. There was no association between arrests prior to the most recent year and recent suicide attempts.

Conclusions

Suicide attempts are common among the non-institutionalized population of US adults with recent criminal justice involvement. Suicide prevention efforts in the criminal justice system should extend to clients who remain in the community both during and immediately following periods of court-processing. Future research is needed to better identify case and client characteristics indicating the highest suicide risk.     

Suicide mortality in Italy from 1980 to 2002

The aim of this study is to update age and sex mortality rates for suicide in Italy; to evaluate the methods of suicide; to consider the effect of under-reporting on mortality rate for suicide; to compare age-adjusted mortality rates for suicide; and to examine some possible causes for the misclassification of suicide. Temporal trends, from 1980 to 2002, were analyzed using joinpoint regression. Suicide rates decreased from 1980 to 2002 by 10.5% for men and by 44% for women. The change in suicide methods indicated an increasing use of highly lethal methods. The under-reporting of suicide seems to have no effect on temporal changes in mortality rates or on the geographical distribution. These data indicate that Italy is a country at low risk for suicide.     

Epidemiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome

From 1969 through 1972, a nationwide search for cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is Israel revealed 89 patients. The average annual age-adjusted incidence was 0.75 per 10(5) persons. Overall incidence of the syndrome was similar in Jewish groups of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Arabs had a lower overall incidence than Jews (0.46 per 10(5) persons), perhaps attributable to fewer Arabs at risk in older age groups. Peaks of incidence occurred among individuals over 60 and under 4 years of age when all cases were combined. No clear seasonal or geographic clustering of GBS was evident in Israel during the 4 years of this study. The incidence of GBS in the present study agrees with previous population-based estimates.     

Country of birth and suicide: a follow-up study of a national cohort in Sweden.

The aim of this study was to examine whether the hypothesized association between country of birth and suicide rates remains after adjustment for age, marital status, socioeconomic status, and hospitalization due to psychiatric disorders or substance abuse. A Swedish cohort of 4.4 million individuals aged 25-64 years was followed from January 1, 1994, to December 31, 1999 for suicide. Suicide rates varied according to country of birth. Among men the highest risk of suicide was found among men from Finland. Among women the highest risk of suicide was found among women from Finland, Poland, and Eastern Europe. Key factors to prevent suicide include early detection and treatment of psychiatric disorders and/or substance abuse, especially among certain population groups.     

The readiness of health profession students to comply with a hypothetical program of forced migration of a minority population

The readiness of Jewish Israeli medical, psychology, and social work students to cooperate in a hypothetical government program involving expulsion of Arabs from Israel was explored via research scenarios that pointedly used terms reminiscent of Holocaust events. Strong moral sensitivity was expected on the part of the study subjects as both Jewish Israelis and vocationally committed to human welfare. The authors argue that the readiness of as many as one-third of the sample to "follow orders" is a disturbing sign, calling for greater vigilance in defense of human rights and values.