Israeli Central Bureau Of Statistics Research Articles

Labor Market Integration of Skilled Immigrants

This study examined the labor market integration of skilled immigrants in Israel. It delineated the main dimensions of labor market integration in terms of income from work, employment conditions, and work autonomy. A new measure of labor market performance was developed, and the reliability of this measure was supported for different population groups. The study developed a path model of immigrants’ integration explaining how social adaptation affects labor market integration of skilled immigrants of different origin. Based on data from the 2016 Social Survey administered by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, labor market integration of immigrants from Europe and America, and the Former Soviet Union (FSU) was examined. A structural equation model was estimated. The study found that all dimensions of labor market performance were positively related to one another. Social adaptation contributed to labor market integration of immigrants, but its effects differed across the groups. Immigrants fully integrated after 25 years of living in Israel regardless of their origin; immigrants from Europe and America integrated quicker in terms of both pecuniary and non-pecuniary dimensions of labor market performance than FSU immigrants did.

Is low Weight Disorder (Anorexia Nervosa) Correlated with Gender, Socio Demographic and Psychological Features?

The objective of the current study is to examine the economics, socio-demographic and psychological determinants of the probability to suffer from low-weight disorder or anorexia nervosa. Unlike the vast literature on obesity, fewer studies have investigated the opposite phenomena, namely, low-weight disorder or anorexia. Given the extra difficulty to diagnose anorexia via Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) validated questionnaires, the advantage of our study lies in the simple quantitative measure we use of BMI≤18. This criterion might be a suitable measure to a western developed country like Israel, in which the probability that BMI<=18 reflects chronic energy deficiency due to circumstances of poverty and/or lack of access to food is small. We make use of an extensive set of questions concerning the economic and socio-demographic features, health and housing conditions of each respondent asked within the framework of the 2015-2016 longitudinal survey conducted by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The survey also includes information regarding the weight, height, gender and age of each household member. Results indicate a significant decrease in the projected probability of having BMI≤18 with age. Compared with the 21-67 year old cohorts, the relative frequency of BMI≤18 rises to 10.68%-16.83% for the 10-20 year-old cohorts. For the female (male) respondents, projected probability drops consistently from 50% (75%) at the 10-year-old cohort to about 0% at the 62- (67-) year-old cohort. These figures imply that low-weight disorder or anorexia is a typical around the projected probability of having BMI≤18. While this spread ranges between 30.67% and 68.64% for 10-year-old females (a range of 37.97%), the same spread ranges between 67.10% and 82.79% for 10-year-old males (a range of only 15.69%). For both gender, this spread around the projected probability drops with the age variable. For female respondents, projected probability of having BMI≤18 significantly drops with age, homeownership and European-American immigration status, and significantly rises with residence in a standard apartment in multi-story structure. For male respondents, projected probability of BMI≤18 drops significantly with age and with having a home library that includes at least one book, and rises significantly with the household size, and European-American immigration status. Interestingly, for female cohorts of 10-20 years, projected probability of BMI≤18 rises significantly from 4.4157% to 16.6627% with reported good health conditions. This outcome may be interpreted as self-denial of young female respondents regarding their realistic health conditions, and might support the definition of BMI≤18 as anorexia nervosa.

Unemployment following breast cancer diagnosis: A population-based study

ObjectivesThe population of breast cancer survivors is growing. In Western societies, many of these women are working age, and therefore, potentially desire to return to the work force. We aimed to evaluate the unemployment risk for up to 8 years following a breast cancer diagnosis and identify contributing socio-economic factors. MethodsThis historical prospective study included baseline measurements from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics 1995 National Census, with follow-up to 2011. We retrieved data on employment from the Israeli Tax Authority database and cancer status from the National Cancer Registry. A control group without cancer was selected to match the patients. Analyses were controlled for socio-economic factors and the baseline employment status 2 years prior to diagnosis. ResultsWe retrieved data for 2341 patients with breast cancer and 6837 age-matched women without cancer. We found an elevated risk of unemployment during the 8 years after breast cancer diagnosis (2-year OR 1.82, 95%CI: 1.59–2.075; 8-year OR 1.26, 95%CI: 1.07–1.47). Age and all examined socio-economic variables were correlated to increased risk of unemployment. The strongest predictor was pre-diagnosis unemployment (2-year OR 18.95, 95%CI: 16.68–21.52; 8-year OR 4.92, 95%CI: 4.07–5.96). Surprisingly, patients with axillary involvement were associated with less risk of unemployment than other patients. ConclusionsBreast cancer survivorship was associated with long-term risk of unemployment. Older patients and patients with lower socio-economic status were at increased risk of unemployment.

Does the Housing Unit's Type and Size Affect Health?

Recent medical studies have examined ways to offer more spatial planning opportunities to increase a person's level of physical activity. These studies demonstrate a decreasing prevalence of obesity in denser and less car-oriented communities with mixed land uses. Yet, apart from these environmental effects, the impact of characteristics of the housing unit itself (e.g., type and size), combined with socio-demographic variables (e.g., the number of children, marital status, place of birth, country of origin, and gender) on the body mass index (BMI) has not been examined previously. Based on a two-year longitudinal survey of the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the current study examines this potential implication based on the BMI measure. Stratification by gender indicates opposite effects of suburbanization on projected BMI of women and men, who move from smaller condominiums in multi-family buildings to single family units and to larger apartments.

Cognitive function in adolescence and the risk for premature diabetes and cardiovascular mortality in adulthood

BackgroundEpidemiological studies have demonstrated a relationship between cognitive function in youth and the future risk of death. Less is known regarding the relationship with diabetes related death. This study assessed the relationship between cognitive function in late adolescence and the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular- (CVD) and all-cause mortality in adulthood.MethodsThis retrospective study linked data from 2,277,188 16–19 year olds who had general intelligence tests (GIT) conducted during pre-military recruitment assessment with cause of death as coded by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. The associations between cognitive function and cause-specific mortality were assessed using Cox models.ResultsThere were 31,268 deaths that were recorded during 41,916,603 person-years of follow-up, with a median follow-up of 19.2 (IQR 10.7, 29.5) years. 3068, 1443, 514 and 457 deaths were attributed to CVD, CHD, stroke, and diabetes, respectively. Individuals in the lowest GIT vs. highest GIT quintiles in unadjusted models had the highest risk for all-cause mortality (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.78, 1.91), total CVD (HR 3.32, 95% CI 2.93, 3.75), CHD (HR 3.49 95% CI 2.92, 4.18), stroke (HR 3.96 95% CI 2.85, 5.5) and diabetes-related (HR 6.96 95% CI 4.68, 10.36) mortality. These HRs were attenuated following adjustment for age, sex, birth year, body-mass index, residential socioeconomic status, education and country of origin for all-cause (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.17, 1.28), CVD (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.52, 2.04), CHD (HR 1.7 95% CI 1.37, 2.11), stroke (HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.39, 2.98) and diabetes-related (HR 3.14 95% CI 2.00, 4.94) mortality. Results persisted in a sensitivity analyses limited to participants with unimpaired health at baseline and that accounted competing risk.ConclusionsThis analysis of over 2 million demonstrates a strong relationship between cognitive function at youth and the risk for diabetes, all-cause and CVD-related mortality independent of adolescent obesity.

Breast cancer among older women: The influence of age and cancer stage on survival

Purpose of studyTo describe the association between increasing age and survival among women aged over 65 years, diagnosed with breast cancer. Materials and methodsA historical prospective cohort study, comparing 3270 breast cancer patients to 13,163 non cancer age matched controls. Baseline characteristics and cancer data gathered from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics (1995), the Israel Cancer Registry (2000–2010). Baseline measurements included age, socioeconomic status. Cancer stage at diagnosis was clustered as stage I, stage II–III and metastatic. Cox Proportional Hazards regression models were used to determine Hazards Ratios (HR) for mortality. ResultsBetween ages 65–69 and ≥85, metastatic disease rose from 3.9% to 23.4% and stage I disease declined from 58.6% to 30.1%. At age 80–84, 50% life expectancy among controls, stage I, and stage II–III disease was 95,92 and 90 months respectively, compared to 2 months for metastatic disease. Compared to controls, between the age 65–69 to ≥85, adjusted HR’s progressively decreased among subjects with stage I from HR 0.96 (95% CI 0.69–1.33) to 0.60 (95%CI 0.36–1.01), stage II–III from HR 3.26 (95%CI2.58–4.12) to HR 1.60 (95%CI 1.22–2.09), and metastatic disease from HR 57.40 (95%CI 39.56–83.29) to HR 20.76 (95%CI 14.73–29.24). ConclusionsThis study describes the increasingly poor prognosis and short life expectancy observed among women aged ≥80 diagnosed with metastatic breast. In contrast, our findings confirm the positive prognosis associated with rising age, among older women presenting with stage I breast cancer, among whom survival was similar, if not slightly better, than non-cancer age matched controls.

Dimensions of life satisfaction: Immigrant and ethnic minorities

AbstractThe article investigates the dimensions of life satisfaction of immigrant and ethnic minorities comparing them with the majority population. It constructs a theoretical framework, taking into account both pecuniary and non‐pecuniary dimensions of welfare. This study is based on the data of the Social Survey, administered by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. Immigrants in this study are regarded as a migrant minority and Israeli‐born Arab citizens as an ethnic minority. The results reveal significant life satisfaction gaps between the groups, which can be partially explained by the value of work per se and the value of leisure activities. Applying the Blinder‐Oaxaca decomposition technique, the study revealed that the gap in life satisfaction could be attributed both to the differences in pecuniary and non‐pecuniary resources for each group, and to different returns on resources. Policy targeted on increasing the economic possibilities of minority groups would decrease the life satisfaction gaps.

Sense of Belonging and Life Satisfaction among Post‐1990 Immigrants in Israel

AbstractIn this paper we contribute to the study of immigrants’ integration into the host society by focusing on two subjective indicators of integration: life satisfaction and sense of belonging. The analysis is performed on post‐1990 immigrants in Israel with data obtained from the ‘Immigrant Survey’ conducted by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. The findings show that while life satisfaction is affected by all forms of incorporation (structural, acculturation, identificational), immigrants’ sense of belonging to Israeli society seems mainly related to processes of identity re‐definition in the host society, and mostly determined by strength of Jewish identity, ideological motives for going to Israel, and the ways by which immigrants perceive they are defined by Israelis (as a member of the majority group or as a member of an ethnic group). The results also reveal that when utilizing SEM procedure for estimating simultaneous effects of both subjective measures of assimilation, sense of belonging to the new society strongly affects immigrants’ life satisfaction but not the other way around. We discuss the findings and their meaning in light of theory and within the context of Israeli society.

Effectiveness of child restraints and booster legislation in Israel

96 countries in the world have enacted child restraints and booster legislation (CRBL). Yet, findings regarding the effectiveness of CRBLs are mixed. The current study is the first to examine the association between Israel's CRBL, implemented in November 2004, and the traffic injury and fatality rates among children aged 0-9 years. We extend on previous studies by accounting for risk exposure and by comparing populations of children affected by the legislation to those who were not. We used an interrupted time series design of kilometre driven-based traffic injury rates for children aged 0-4 years and children aged 5-9 years using childred aged 10-14 years as a comparison group. We estimated the effects of Israel's CRBL using monthly injury and fatality count data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. The sample includes all child vehicle occupants injured and killed in crashes in Israel between January 2003 and December 2011. Children aged 0-4 years experienced a 5.17% yearly reduction in traffic injury rate (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.94(95% CI 0.92 to 0.96); p=0.000), and the injury rate for children aged 5-9 years was associated with a 4.10% yearly reduction (IRR: 0.95(95% CI 0.93 to 0.98); p=0.001). The comprehensive CRBL implemented in Israel was associated with a 6.3% (95% CI -7.2% to5.5%; p=0.001) reduction in traffic injuries and fatalities for children aged 0-9 years. This is the first study comparing traffic injury rates per kilometre driven for motor vehicle-occupant children before and after the implementation of the CRBL in Israel.

Perceived health status in a comparative perspective: Methodological limitations and policy implications for Israel

BackgroundThe perceived health status indicator included in the OECD Health Statistics suffers from severe methodological limitations related to data collection. Furthermore, this indicator is also included in the OECD's Better Life Index, thus distorting the total health score of some OECD countries, among them Israel. The purpose of this paper is to explore the erroneous use of OECD health data in Israel and to warn of its implications.MethodsAnalysis of data from the OECD Health Database, Better Life Index and the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, review of media reports and governmental documents concerning health measures, conversations and correspondence held with officials in the relevant organizations.ResultsOECD's perceived health status outcomes for Israel are biased upwards, resulting also in an upward bias of the Israeli overall health grade in the Better Life Index. This is due to the methodological differences between the OECD's standard survey questionnaire and the Israeli one. Yet, erroneous comparisons constantly appear in governmental documents and media reports, presenting health status in Israel in an excessive positive light.ConclusionsData from the OECD Health Statistics and the Better Life Index are reaching policy makers and the public in a manner that potentially distorts professional and political discourse on health. This may lead to a decrease in the resources allocated to health based on a flawed comparison. In the long run, and no less serious, the systematic imprecision may detract from the reliability of authority reports in the eyes of the public. Caution is essential in dealing with health indices and international comparisons. The OECD and relevant national agencies should invest greater efforts in the consolidation of definitions and methodologies.

Double-Edged Sword: Women with Breast Cancer Caring for a Spouse with Cancer.

Experiences in caregiving may affect further coping with illness. The aim of this study was to assess mortality risk among women diagnosed with breast cancer while caring for a male spouse who had been diagnosed with cancer before or at the time of their own diagnosis. We used a historical prospective study of a nationally representative cohort that was assessed by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics 1995 census and followed until 2011. The study population was divided into 2 × 2 groups (according to a positive/negative cancer history of the male spouse before the time of breast cancer diagnosis of the women X spouse alive/dead). The analyses were adjusted for age, ethnicity, breast cancer staging, and time of diagnosis. A total of 14,429 cases of breast cancer and 3,400 deaths were reported during the study period. Mortality was not mediated by the spouse's survival at the time of breast cancer diagnosis of the women. However, decreased risk of death was seen in women with a positive spouse history of cancer when the spouse was alive at the time of diagnosis in women who were diagnosed with breast cancer stages II and III (hazard ratio = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59-0.98). Among a subset of women diagnosed with breast cancer, there is evidence of a significant protective association between a history of caregiving for cancer of a spouse who is alive at the time of self-diagnosis and subsequent survival. Our findings support hypotheses concerning a positive experience of caregiving and emphasize the need to define the patient and the caregiver as an integrative "unit of care."

Complying with the framework convention for tobacco control: an application of the Abridged SimSmoke model to Israel.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) established the MPOWER policy package to provide practical country-level guidance on implementing effective policies to reduce smoking rates. The Abridged SimSmoke tobacco control policy simulation model is applied to Israel to estimate the effects on reducing smoking-attributable mortality resulting from full implementation of MPOWER policies.MethodsSmoking prevalence from the 2014 Israel National Health Interview Survey 3 and population data from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics were used to calculate the number of current smokers. The status of current Israeli policy was determined using information from MPOWER 2015 and from local sources. Based on existing knowledge that between 50 % and 65 % of smokers will die prematurely from smoking, the model is used to determine mortality reductions among current smokers from full implementation of MPOWER policies.ResultsWe estimate that between 550 and 710 thousand smokers of the current 1.1 million Israeli smokers will prematurely die due to smoking. Within 40 years, complete implementation of MPOWER policies is projected to reduce smoking prevalence among current smokers by 34 % and avert between 188 and 245 thousand deaths among current smokers. Taxes, smoke-free air laws, marketing restrictions and media campaigns each reduce smoking by about 5 % within 5 years. Improved cessation treatment and health warnings each have smaller effects in the next five years, but their effects grow rapidly over time.ConclusionsIsrael Abridged SimSmoke shows that complete implementation of the MPOWER strategies has the potential to substantially reduce smoking prevalence, and avert premature deaths due to smoking. Additional benefits are also expected from reduced morbidity, reduced initiation among nonsmokers, and reduction in exposure of nonsmokers to tobacco smoke.

Unemployment risk 2years and 4years following gastric cancer diagnosis: a population-based study.

The needs of gastric cancer survivors have received limited attention. Returning to work after gastric cancer has not yet been described in a population-based study. We aimed to examine the unemployment risk at 2 and 4years after gastric cancer. The present historical prospective cohort study included baseline measurements from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics 1995 National Census, with follow-up until 2011. A group with gastric cancer and an age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched control group were sampled from the census population. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to assess odds ratios (ORs) for the study outcomes, controlling for socioeconomic factors, and employment status at 2years before diagnosis. Data for 152 gastric cancer cases and 464 matched controls were analyzed. Those who died during the study period were excluded. Two years after diagnosis, 53.3% of gastric cancer survivors and 43.8% of controls were unemployed (p=0.04); 4years after diagnosis, 53.9% of survivors, and 47.2% of controls were unemployed (p=0.15). In the adjusted models, gastric cancer was only associated with unemployment 2years after diagnosis (OR=1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.02-2.12). This association weakened and lost significance 4years after diagnosis (OR=1.42, 95% CI=0.89-2.28). Gastric cancer was not associated with decreased income at 2 (OR=1.48, 95% CI=0.91-1.48) or 4years (OR=1.65, 95% CI=0.99-2.74) after diagnosis. Gastric cancer survivorship was associated with unemployment 2years after diagnosis. Longer-term survivors may have the prospect of returning to work. For patients with cancer, returning to work may be an indicator for returning to a normal lifestyle after serious illness. This study highlights the need for early social support in gastric cancer survivors to promote faster recovery.

Unemployment Risk and Decreased Income Two and Four Years After Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis: A Population-Based Study.

Thyroid cancer (TC) often occurs in relatively young patients and has a high cure rate. However, decreased psychological and physical well-being may reduce the work capability of patients with TC. This study aimed to compare the risk for unemployment and decreased income in TC survivors with a matched non-cancer group at two and four years after diagnosis. The study also aimed to predict unemployment and income changes at two and four years after diagnosis. A historical prospective study design was used, with cohort inception and baseline measurements drawn from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics 1995 National Census, with follow-up until 2011. Cancer incidence was obtained from the Israel Cancer Registry, and employment status from the Tax Authority. A matched group was sampled from the census population. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to assess odds ratios (OR) for the study outcomes, controlled for age, sex, ethnicity, education years, socioeconomic position, and employment status at two years before diagnosis. In total, 417 cases of TC and 1277 non-cancer matched subjects were included in the study. People who died during the study period were excluded. The mean age at the time of cancer diagnosis was 43.5 years in the TC group and 43.8 years in the control group (p = 0.6). After adjusting for potential confounders, a positive association was found between TC and risk of unemployment two years after diagnosis (OR = 1.46 [confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.95]), and decreased income two years after diagnosis (OR = 1.61 [CI 1.23-2.01]) and four years after diagnosis (OR = 1.63 [CI 1.25-2.13]). The association between TC and unemployment at four years after diagnosis weakened and lost significance (OR = 1.30 [CI 0.98-1.72]). TC survivorship was associated with unemployment at two years and decreased income at two and four years after diagnosis. Decreased income may be a marker for a shift to part-time work rather than a return to full-time work. The findings suggest that interventions to enhance the return to full-time work are needed in this population.

The effect of population-scale human activity patterns on exposure to air pollution

Introduction. Exposure is often estimated only at the patient home address, inherently suggesting that subjects stay near their residence throughout the day. Methods. We studied exposure to nitrogen oxides of large groups of individuals by anonymously tracking their location during the day. Differences in exposure at the home address and while accounting for the time spend at work/school were studied. Geocoded residence and school addresses of 1.5 million schoolchildren age 6-18 and of the workplace of 400,000 adults were obtained from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. Air pollution levels for 2008 were obtained using two models: a stationary nationwide land use regression model for NOx concentrations (250 m grid resolution), and a dynamic optimization dispersion model that provides half-hourly NO2 concentrations (500 m grid resolution) over smaller spatial extent but accounts for the spatiotemporally varying emissions and wind field. Results. (1) Due to daily varying NO2 concentrations, differences of 6-20 ppb were evident between the residence place and the workplace/school microenvironments. For example, in the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area about 50% of the adults and 66% of the children were exposed to higher concentrations at home than at work/school. (2) Using annual average NOx exposure estimates (to isolate the spatial commute contribution from the temporal daily variation contribution), about 58% of the adults and 70% of children experienced only small (&lt;5 ppb) differences in exposure between the residence and work/school. (3) Commuters (defined as adults (children) that live more than 10 (5) km away from their residence place) and non-commuters had a similar distribution of differences in exposure to NOx between the two microenvironments. Conclusions. Reliable exposure estimation requires accurate information on (a) time-activity patterns (here in terms of spatiotemporal location), and (b) the pollutant spatiotemporal variation.

Abstract P205: Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Long-term Incidence of Cancer After Myocardial Infarction

Background: Higher cancer incidence rates in patients with cardiovascular disease compared with the general population were recently documented in several European and North American settings. While different mechanisms were proposed to account for the association, the possibility of differential detection cannot be ruled out. We evaluated cancer incidence and case-fatality according to neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) in a cohort of myocardial infarction (MI) survivors. Methods: Patients aged ≤65 years admitted to hospital in central Israel with first MI in 1992-1993 were followed up for cancer (via the National Cancer Registry) and death (via the Population Registry) through 2011. NSES was estimated at baseline through a composite census-derived index (measured on a 1-20 scale) developed by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, along with other socio-demographic and clinical variables. Fine and Gray subdistribution hazard regression models were used to assess the hazard ratio (HR) for cancer associated with NSES, with death considered a competing event; Cox models were then used to assess the association with case fatality among incident cancer cases. Results: Among 1380 cancer-free patients at baseline (mean age, 54 years; 81% men), 230 developed cancer during a mean (SD) follow-up of 14 (6) years. The age-adjusted HR for cancer was 1.24 (95% CI: 1.08-1.41) per 1 SD increase in NSES. Further adjustment for individual SES measures and clinical variables (including smoking) did not weaken the association (HR=1.26, 95% CI: 1.09-1.46). Conversely, among patients diagnosed with cancer, NSES was associated with reduced mortality risk (age-adjusted HR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.65-0.93; multivariable-adjusted HR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.64-0.99). Conclusions: Residing in an affluent neighborhood was associated with higher incidence and lower case fatality rate of cancer post-MI, which, to some extent, may reflect detection bias due to increased medical surveillance.

Linguistic and Economic Adjustment Among Immigrants in Israel

This paper analyzes the Hebrew language proficiency, probability of employment, and labor market earnings of immigrants in Israel. It uses the 2010/11 Immigrant Absorption Survey conducted by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. Unique features of the analysis include the study of long-duration immigrants (3 to 20 years), and analyses for: males and females, primary reasons for immigration, the subsidized intensive Hebrew language training program (ulpan), Ethiopian Jews, and Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU), in addition to immigration, demographic, and human capital variables.Results from multivariate analyses largely accord with the standard theoretical model of language proficiency regarding the mechanisms of exposure, efficiency, and economic incentives. Acquaintance with the local language, on its part, increases the likelihood of being employed, and it has positive earnings outcomes. We discuss implications of the findings for public policy which can improve the adjustment of these new immigrants into their new society hence also moderate inter-group tensions.

Risk of completed suicide in 89,049 young males assessed by a mental health professional

In an individual who seeks help or is referred to a mental health professional it is common sense and clinical practice to assume that suicidal thoughts and previous attempts constitute risk factors for imminent suicide. However, this assumption has not been supported by large, population-based longitudinal studies. The current study investigated whether reports of current suicidal ideation and a history of suicide attempts indeed increase risk for later completed suicide in a historical prospective study design. Sequential records on 89,049 young males assessed by mental health professionals were screened for suicidal ideation and a history of suicide attempts. The data were linked with death records from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. Over a follow-up period ranging from 2 months to 9.8 years, 54 individuals died by suicide, constituting an average suicide rate of 6.48 per 100,000 person-years. Overall, neither reporting current suicidal ideation (without a history of suicide attempts; HR=1.29, 95% CI=0.57–2.90) nor reporting a history of suicide attempts (with or without current suicidal ideation; HR=1.67, 95% CI=0.71–3.97) were significantly associated with increased risk for later completed suicide. However, young males with a previously diagnosed psychiatric disorder who reported current suicidal ideation (HR=4.52, 95% CI=1.08–18.91) or a history of suicide attempts (HR=6.43, 95% CI=1.54–26.90) were at increased risk of death by suicide. These findings indicate that in this particular population reports of current suicidal ideation or of a history of suicide attempts are helpful in predicting future suicide only among those with a previous diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder.

Relative longevity among retired military personnel: a historical-cohort study.

BackgroundOccupation is a significant factor affecting life, health and well-being. Long-term military service is a unique career path that may have an influence on life expectancy, even after excluding obvious risks such as battlefield mortality. However, it remains unclear what the effects of a military career are on the life trajectory of personnel after retiring from service. This study compared life expectancy among retired military personnel (RMP) to their sex and birth cohort-specific reference populations.MethodsFor this historical cohort study, we collected data on the sex, year of birth, year of death, time in service, and rank at end of service for 4862 Israeli RMPs. Data on reference populations were provided by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics by birth decade from 1900 to 1989. We calculated the difference between each individual RMP’s age at death and the “expected” age at death, based on sex and birth cohort-specific means in the reference populations.ResultsOverall, 67.9 % of RMPs lived longer than average relative to their sex-specific birth cohort. This difference in life expectancy was more pronounced among women than among men. There was a significant trend of increasing differences between RMP males and reference males over time (P < 0.002), whereas no significant trend was identified among females. Length of service and rank were not associated with relative longevity for RMPs.ConclusionsThe mechanism of the protective effect of military service on life expectancy remains unknown, but our findings indicate that it affects men and women differently, with women being more likely to benefit from the potential protective effect of military service. The healthy worker effect is known to vary from one occupation to another, and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to quantify the magnitude of the healthy worker effect among career military servicemen and women.

Immigration and the cost of ethnic subordination: the case of Israeli society

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on earnings disadvantages experienced by three ethnic groups of Jewish immigrants in Israel. Data were obtained from the 2011 Income Survey gathered by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. The findings reveal that when compared to Israeli-born, all ethnic groups are disadvantaged in earnings attainment in the first generation. The earnings disadvantages of immigrants as compared to Israeli-born decrease with the passage of time and become negligible in the second generation. To disentangle the impact on earnings penalty of ethnic origin from that of immigrant status, a procedure for decomposing mean differences between groups is introduced. The analysis reveals that earnings disadvantage among Ashkenazim and Soviet immigrants can be attributed to immigrant status but not to ethnicity. By contrast, earnings penalties among Sephardim immigrants can be attributed to both ethnicity and immigrant status. The implications of the long-lasting effect of ethnicity versus the short-term effect of immigrant status are discussed.