Yuriy Nesterko

Depression und Angst bei älteren russischstämmigen Menschen mit jüdischem Hintergrund in Deutschland: Wie wirken sich Diskriminierung und Religiosität aus?

OBJECTIVE There is a lack of empirical studies focusing on mental health in Jews from former Soviet Union in Germany. The influence of discrimination and religiosity on symptoms of depression and anxiety was investigated. METHODS 110 elderly Jews living in Leipzig and Halle/Saale were asked to fill out a questionnaire including information about their immigration background (length of stay, age at migration, and country of origin), perceived discrimination, religiosity and level of integration. Depression and anxiety were assessed with PHQ-4. Linear regressions were applied as statistical tests. RESULTS Participants who live alone and report higher level of perceived discrimination indicate higher anxiety and depression scores. Length of stay is positively associated with anxiety, as well as religiosity with symptoms of depression. CONCLUSIONS Some results are similar to the findings of others international studies, some other findings underline the specificity of the target group. The influence of discrimination has been demonstrated, implications for further investigation, especially with attention to the integration of older Jews from former Soviet Union in Germany are given.

Kultursensible Aspekte während der Diagnostik von psychischen Belastungen bei Flüchtlingen – Zwei kommentierte Fallberichte

High levels of mental disorders, especially PTSD, are commonly known among groups of people forced to leave their homeland as a consequence of war-related experiences (e. g. armed conflict, torture or persecution). Depending on the cultural background the perceptions of illnesses vary, different symptom presentation and thereupon different coping strategies respectively expectations towards health care services exist. To minimize the danger of misdiagnosis by different experts working with refugees in the host countries, a culture-sensitive diagnostic approach is needed from the beginning. This article describes important aspects of culture-sensitive diagnostics by means of 2 commented case reports. Special focus is set on the aspect of linguistic and in a broader sense cultural comprehension between therapist, client and if necessary language mediator.

Health-related quality of life in Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union in Germany

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test a hypothesized structure of interrelations between pre-migration dispositional factors (cultural identity and optimism/pessimism) and immigration-related experiences (level of integration and perceived discrimination) in association with mental and physical components of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of Jewish people from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) who immigrated to Germany. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire in Russian, including items about the immigration background, level of integration, perceived discrimination as well as cultural identity, dispositional optimism/pessimism (Life Orientation Test-R) and HRQoL (SF-12) was handed out to Jewish immigrants from the FSU living in Germany. The data of 153 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Whereas no significant associations between Jewish identity and HRQoL could be found, both a positive association between optimism and level of integration with a link to physical and mental health, and an inverse relation between optimism and perceived discrimination with a link to mental health, were observed. Opposite associations were found for pessimism. Originality/value The results replicate prior research findings on Jews from the FSU living in Israel and the USA and suggest more detailed assessment methods for further investigations on integration processes and cultural identity in the selected group of immigrants. Additionally, HRQoL is significantly lower in the Jewish sample than in the general population. These findings underline the need for a better integration policy, especially for Jewish people from the FSU.

Zugewanderte Ärzte: Chancen und Herausforderungen im deutschen Klinikalltag

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE In the health care infrastructure of Germany a demand for physicians with immigrant background exists. The situation of immigrated physicians is largely unexplored so far. In the framework of a pilot study stressors and resources of physicians with immigrant background have been explored concerning their migration-related experiences at German hospitals, and within the medical team. METHODS As part of a qualitative analysis 8 physicians with immigrant background have been interviewed (problem-centered interview) from July to September 2014. The respondents stemmed from countries of the European Union and of non-EU countries. They have worked for 1-4,5 years in different German hospitals. RESULTS Stressors and challenges derived from a lack in German language skills, different medical skills, cooperation in the team, and from dealing with a new health care system. Perceived discrimination by colleagues and patients represented a particular burden. In the meantime physicians with immigrant background disposed resources on different levels as on communicational, medical, social and organizational levels. DISCUSSION The results highlight the particular demands that physicians with immigrant background face. Future research should explore potentials of stressors and resources for physicians with immigrant background by using quantitative methods; in terms of a multi-perspective approach German colleagues and patients should be included.

Do They Feel the Same Way? Health-Related Quality of Life and Satisfaction With Life in Jewish Immigrants From the Former Soviet Union in Germany and Israel

There is consensus that experiences gained during immigration have an impact on health status. However, studies comparing health-related outcomes in homogeneous groups of immigrants living in different host countries are rare. In a sample of Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in two different host countries, Germany and Israel, possible predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and satisfaction with life (SWL) were examined. In total, 359 Jewish immigrants from the FSU living in Germany (n = 180) and Israel (n = 179) completed the questionnaire measuring immigration-related and sociodemographic characteristics. HRQoL was assessed via Short Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2), and SWL via Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Hierarchical linear regression models were applied for analyzing immigration-related and sociodemographic predictors of HRQoL and SWL. Participants living in Israel scored higher on HRQoL, and no differences were found concerning SWL ratings. However, no direct influences of the host country were detected by predicting HRQoL and SWL scores. In both subgroups, immigration-related factors such as perceived discrimination or level of integration were found as significant predictors. In the face of different immigration waves in the host countries, Germany and Israel, the results display similarities rather than differences between the groups concerning the sociodemographic and immigration-related predictors on HRQoL and SWL. The findings using cross-cultural analysis level underscore the need of much more detailed future research on this issue.

Trajectories of health-related quality of life in immigrants and non-immigrants in Germany: a population-based longitudinal study

ObjectivesDue to a lack of longitudinal studies on health in immigrants, the purpose of the present study is to investigate trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in immigrants and non-immigrants in Germany by considering the impact of immigration-related factors.MethodsBased on longitudinal SOEP data from 2002 to 2012, the trajectories of the mental (MCS) and physical component (PCS) of HRQoL (assessed with SF-12v2) were analyzed in 8546 subjects, including 1064 immigrants by conducting hierarchical linear models.ResultsMCS remains stable over time, whereas PCS shows a decrease, influenced by increasing age. There were no differences between immigrants and non-immigrants concerning PCS trajectories as well as no influence of immigration-related factors on it. In contrast, MCS trajectories were influenced by immigration-related factors: 2nd-generation immigrants, participants from Turkey or Southern Europe and those who immigrated at young age show a slight decrease in MCS over time.ConclusionsThe results show negative association between MCS and time in different groups of immigrants. Future research is needed for better conceptualization of the complex interplay between health and migration over time to identify subgroups at greater risk for mental distress.