Psychological symptoms among an immigrant population: a prevalence study

A community survey evaluating the prevalence of psychological symptoms among 1,953 Russian immigrants living in Israel was conducted. Symptoms of psychological distress were measured using a self-administered questionnaire, the Talbieh Brief Distress Inventory (TBDI). Criterial thresholds for six symptoms--obsessiveness, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and paranoid ideation--were established. Respondents with four or more psychological symptoms met the criterion for psychological distress syndrome (PDS) with a likelihood greater than 73%. A total of 13% of the respondents reported no psychological symptoms, and 21% reported all six symptoms of distress in the last month. One-month prevalence figures for distress-free and distress-related symptoms are presented. The prevalence rate for distress-free symptoms is 9% to 20%, and for distress-related symptoms, 38% to 43%. Sex differences were found regarding most symptoms, with higher prevalence rates in women than in men. No age differences were found for distress-related symptoms, whereas distress-free symptoms generally tended to change with age. The findings of this survey emphasize the importance of using our suggested quantitative approach when assessing psychological symptoms in further epidemiological investigations of stress-related psychopathology.