In the years 1970-1990 approximately half a million immigrants from the former USSR arrived in Israel. Experts predict that new waves of immigration are likely to happen. This paper presents an attempt to forecast the need for appropriate psychiatric services in future waves of immigration. The study compares hospitalization patterns of immigrants arriving in Israel between 1972-1980 with those arriving in 1990. The rates of admission were compared to the rates for Israelis in the specified periods and an estimate for the future need for psychiatric services was calculated. The central finding in this study was that former Soviet immigrants were admitted to psychiatric hospitals within the first year of their arrival at a higher rate than Israelis in the 1970s and in 1990. In the 1970s the admission rate for immigrants was 33 per 10,000, while the rate for Israelis was 27 per 10,000. In 1990 the admission rate for immigrants was 31 per 10,000, while the rate for Israelis was 20 per 10,000. The forecast for the next years is for 320 first admissions within a year after arrival for every 100,000 immigrants. Planning for new waves of immigrations from the former USSR should therefore include a serious consideration of the provision of appropriate psychiatric services.

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Russia hospital admission immigrant hospitalization mental health service Israel human immigration Stress, Psychological comparative study Aged USSR Mental Disorders male female Article major clinical study adult gender age Age Factors Patient Admission mental hospital Emigration and Immigration Middle Age Hospitals, Psychiatric