Israel Ministry of Health

About: Israel Ministry of Health is a government organization based out in Jerusalem, Israel. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 1633 authors who have published 2108 publications receiving 65387 citations.

Differences in the prevalence of asthma and current wheeze between Jews and Arabs: results from a national survey of schoolchildren in Israel.

Abstract: Background There is evidence that the prevalence of asthma is higher in Jewish schoolchildren than in Arab schoolchildren. It is not clear to what extent other risk factors explain these differences. Objective To evaluate whether the population group differences in the prevalence of asthma and current wheeze remain after adjustment for several potential risk factors. Methods A national survey of 10,057 13- to 14-year-old schoolchildren was carried out in Israel in 1997. There were 7,436 Jewish children and 2,621 Arab children. Differences in the two population groups were examined while controlling for demographic and environmental factors such as: sex, parental education, parental smoking and asthma, crowding, and presence of older siblings. Results The prevalence of asthma and current wheeze was significantly higher in Jewish children compared with Arab children. The asthma prevalence was 7.8% for Jewish children and 4.9% for Arab children ( P = 0.001), and prevalence of current wheeze was 20.7 and 10.1%, respectively ( P = 0.001). After adjustment for demographic and environmental factors, the prevalence of asthma and current wheeze was still increased in the Jewish population (odds ratios: 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06 to 2.15; 2.15 95% CI=1.70 to 2.73, respectively). History of asthma in parents and residence in a rural area were significant risk factors for asthma and current wheeze. In addition, the presence of less than three older siblings was a significant risk factor for asthma, and female sex, ever having pets, and maternal smoking were significantly associated with current wheeze. Conclusions The differences between Jewish and Arab children were not explained by the studied factors. Genetic factors, different environmental exposure, and nutritional habits should be studied to further explain the differences between these populations.

An association between stress-induced disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and disordered glucose metabolism in an animal model of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Abstract: Retrospective clinical reports suggesting that traumatic stress populations display an increased propensity for glucose metabolism disorders were examined in a controlled prospective animal model. Stress-induced behavioural and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response patterns were correlated to central and peripheral parameters of glucose metabolism and signalling, and to body measurements in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to predator scent stress. Forty days post-exposure, fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, oral glucose tolerance test, body weight and white adipose tissue mass, systemic corticosterone levels and brain expression of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin-sensitive glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein levels were evaluated. In a second experiment inbred strains with hyper- (Fischer) and hypo- (Lewis) reactive HPA axes were employed to assess the association of metabolic data with behavioural phenomenology versus HPA axis response profile. For data analysis, animals were classified according to their individual behavioural response patterns (assessed at day 7) into extreme, partial and minimal response groups. The exposed Sprague-Dawley rats fulfilling criteria for extreme behavioural response (EBR) (20.55%) also exhibited significant increases in body weight, abdominal circumference and abdominal white adipose tissue mass; a hyperglycaemic oral glucose tolerance test; and fasting hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and hypercorticosteronemia, whereas minimal responders (MBR) and control animals displayed no such disturbances. Hippocampal and hypothalamic expression of IR and GLUT4 protein were significantly lower in EBR than in MBR and control rats. The inbred strains showed no metabolic differences at baseline. Exposed Fischer rats displayed hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia, whereas Lewis rats did not. A significant protracted disorder of glucose metabolism was induced by exposure to a stress paradigm. This metabolic response was associated with the characteristic pattern of HPA axis (corticosterone) response, which underlies the behavioural response to stress.

Religiosity as a protective factor against suicidal behaviour

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Data suggest that adherence to religious beliefs is associated with lower rates of suicide. A number of mediating factors have been hypothesized to explain this association, including enhanced social support, less substance abuse, and lower rates of psychopathology. METHOD: We utilized data from a two-phase population-based, epidemiological study of mental disorders among young Jewish Israel born in a 10-year birth-cohort conducted in the 1980s. This study included data on religiosity and suicidal behaviour. Twenty-five years thereafter, mortality data were obtained from a national vital statistics registry. RESULTS: Rates of suicidal ideation were similar among secular, partially observant, and religious subjects (9.4%, 6.7%, and 6.2%, respectively; adjusted OR for linear trend: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.58-1.09). Rates of suicide attempts were significantly lower among religious subjects (2.4%, 2.5%, and 0.4% for secular, partially observant, and religious, respectively; adjusted OR for linear trend: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43-0.88). Of the 4914 subjects, eight died by suicide: Seven of them were secular and one was partially observant (χ(2) = 2.52, P = 0.09). There were no differences in social functioning or rates of psychopathology among the study groups. CONCLUSION: Religiosity has a protective effect against suicide attempts, which is independent of social functioning, psychopathology, and substance use.© 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Language: en

The mortality risk among persons with psychiatric hospitalizations.

Abstract: Background Persons affected by severe mental disorders have a higher mortality risk than the general population. Objectives To investigate the overall mortality and selected natural and external causes of death by age, gender and mental health-related variables among persons who were ever admitted to psychiatric inpatient services. Methods This cohort study compared the mortality risk among Israeli Jews aged 18 and over who were ever hospitalized in psychiatric facilities until 2006, as recorded in the Psychiatric Case Register (PCR), with never- hospitalized subjects. The national database on causes of death was linked to the PCR. Analysis Mortality rates were computed by age, gender and psychiatric diagnosis, while proportions of deaths were computed by time from discharge. Rates were also analyzed by time-periods of date of death to check for possible association with mental health policy decisions. Age-adjusted and age-specific mortality rates and rate ratios (RR) were computed for persons in the PCR compared with those never hospitalized. Results The age-adjusted mortality rate of hospitalized psychiatric persons was double that of the nonhospitalized, RR = 1.98 (95% CI 1.96-2.00). The rate was higher in both genders and for persons of all age groups, particularly for the young. The highest RRs were found for external causes of death, in particular suicide (RR = 16.34, 95% CI 15.49-17.24). Natural causes also showed higher risk, except for malignancies (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.10- 1.16). The risk for death was highest for persons admitted for substance abuse, while it was almost equal for those diagnosed with either schizophrenic or affective disorders. The rate ratios were not observed to change as a result of policy decisions, e.g., dehospitalization and the introduction of the atypical antipsychotics. A third of all deaths and 62% of suicides occurred before discharge or within a year from discharge. Conclusions This study highlights the importance for advancing programs of both preventative and curative medical care among persons who had psychiatric inpatient care.