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Violent mortality patterns in immigrants in Israel (1990-95)
D Karasik1, K Yakovenko, E Lipstein
1Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Medicine, Science, and the Law
|May 20, 1999
Summary
Mortality patterns among immigrants in Israel reveal that while violent deaths differed from their homelands, the overall incidence of unnatural deaths was lower than in their countries of origin. This study examined 1,000 immigrant deaths from 1990-1995.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Forensic Medicine
- Demography
Background:
- Israel experienced a significant influx of immigrants, primarily from the former Soviet Union, between 1989 and 1995.
- The health and mortality of this large immigrant population have been subjects of numerous studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the mortality patterns within a sample of 1,000 immigrants who died between 1990 and 1995.
- To compare the causes and patterns of death in this immigrant group with those of their countries of origin and the local Israeli population.
Main Methods:
- Examined a sample of 1,000 immigrant deaths at the L. Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine.
- Classified deaths into natural and unnatural subgroups.
- Analyzed demographic data, causes of death, and compared findings with origin country and local Israeli patterns.
Main Results:
- Accidents were the most frequent cause of death (44.1%), followed by suicide (12.6%) and homicide (7%).
- Violent death subgroup comprised 75% males, with mean ages of 44.6 for males and 52.7 for females.
- Mortality patterns from violent causes differed significantly from the country of origin, while unnatural death incidence resembled the Israeli pattern and was lower than in their homelands.
Conclusions:
- The mortality profile of immigrants in Israel, particularly regarding violent deaths, shows distinct differences compared to their countries of origin.
- The incidence of unnatural deaths among immigrants aligns more closely with the patterns observed in Israel, indicating a potential adaptation or influence of the new environment.