Perceived Discrimination and Stigma in the Context of the Long-Term Care Insurance Law from the Perspectives of Arabs and the Jews in the North of Israel.

Liat Ayalon

doi:10.3390/ijerph16193511

Abstract

The Long-Term Care Insurance Law provides support to older Israelis who wish to remain in their home. The present study evaluated the experience of perceived discrimination and stigma in the context of the law among Arab older adults, their family members, and their paid home care workers. For triangulation purposes, we interviewed 15 National Insurance Institute workers (NII; responsible for implementing the law; 47% Arab), 31 older adults (81% Arab), 31 family members (87% Arab), and six paid home care workers (83% Arab) in the north of Israel. Respondents were queried about their home care experience and their encounter with the NII. Thematic analysis was conducted. Four main themes emerged: (a) a strong sense of perceived discrimination among Arab interviewees, (b) reports suggesting the internalization of stigma and the adoption of negative views regarding the Arab population by some Arab respondents, (c) implicit stigma manifested in claims concerning the Arab population (primarily) as “cheating” the system, and (d) the negation of discrimination of Arabs as reported by Jewish interviewees and NII workers. The findings show that a sense of perceived discrimination is common and colors the experience of service seeking among Arabs. On the other hand, the Jewish interviewees in this study completely negated any discrimination or stigma directed toward Arabs. The findings point to the importance of group affiliation (e.g., minority vs. majority) in interpreting the existence of discrimination. The findings likely have major implications for both service providers and policy-makers and legislators.

Highlights

Discrimination is defined as the differential treatment of people or groups of people on the basis of arbitrary characteristics, such as gender, race, or age
In the light of research conducted in other parts of the world, which documented the impact of perceived discrimination on the health and long-term care service use of minorities and the ongoing tension between Jews and Arabs in Israel, the present study examined the experience of perceived discrimination and stigma of the Arab population in the context of the Long-Term Care Insurance Law
A second theme addressed internalized stigma by Arabs; both National Insurance Institute workers (NII) workers and very few Arab older adults and family members argued that the Arab population prefers to be served by Jewish NII workers as they are seen as providing more adequate services

Summary

Introduction

Discrimination is defined as the differential treatment of people or groups of people on the basis of arbitrary characteristics, such as gender, race, or age. Discrimination can be both positive and negative [1]. In order to report perceived discrimination, one has to notice the event, interpret it as discriminatory, and report it as such. Any of these activities can be interrupted in the process [4,5]. The first theory argues that individuals who belong to a minority group, be it ethnic minorities, women, or older people, are more likely to perceive discrimination as they are exposed to a variety of institutional barriers throughout their lives

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Discussion

Conclusion