Immigrant mortality in
Israel
Jon Anson
Dept.of Social Work
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
84105 Beer Sheva, Israel.
BSPS, September 2004, Leicester
Session 5: Health and Ethnicity
Analysis made possible by a grant from the Israel Science Foundation
Data provided by Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel
Population Pyramid, Israel, Census 1995
Jews (m) born in Israel
90
Jews (f) born in Israel
80
Arabs (Palestinians) Male
Arabs (Palestinians) Female
70
Jews (m) born abroad
Age Group
60
Jews (f) born abroad
50
40
30
20
10
0
6
4
2
0
Population percentages
2
4
6
Distribution of immigrants to Israel,
by period and origin, 1948 – 1995
Period
Unknown
America
Europe
Africa
Asia
Total
Avg / Year
Pre-State
1948-1951 1952-1967 1968-1989
1990-1995
10.9
1.6
78.2
0.8
8.5
482,857
3.5
0.7
47.5
13.7
34.5
687,624
196,464
0.1
3.1
90.8
4.9
1.0
685,683
114,281
0.8
5.5
35.1
47.6
11.1
587,472
36,717
0.3
24.5
55.2
10.0
10.0
558,907
25,405
Population groups, Israeli population at census, 1995
Origin Group
Med Age
Exposure
Deaths
CDR
13.4
37.5
443,911
2,493
5.62
Israel
35.4
37.5
1,181,206
2,415
2.04
Asia
6.7
57.5
216,278
2,860
13.2
N. Africa
9.3
52.5
300,888
3,503
11.6
Ethiopia
0.7
42.5
23,809
107
4.49
Balkans
2.1
62.5
64,998
1,335
20.5
E. Eur.
8.2
67.5
253,799
7,239
28.5
W. Eur.
6.3
47.5
203,597
2,465
12.1
FSU Eur
14.8
47.5
472,366
6,600
14.0
FSU As.
3.1
47.5
101,757
1,027
3.1
546,294
42.5
3,262,611
30,044
9.21
Arab
Jews
Born In:
Percent
Total
Population 25 and above; Age in 5 year categories; Exposure
4/11/95 – 31/12/2001
Survivorship Analysis, Control Variables, Ages 25+
Exp(coefficient)
Control Entered
Sex
0.683
0.683
0.611
0.561
Age
1.102
1.102
1.090
1.087
1.126
1.099
1.054
Working
0.522
0.518
High School
0.806
0.808
University
0.687
0.689
Immigrant
Certificate
(base: none)
Divorced
Marital
Status
Widowed
(base: married)
Single
1.242
1.236
1.249
Householder
LR Gain (df)
0.884
70231 (11)
24 (1)
2146 (3)
N = 564,294, all coefficients significant at p < 0.05
344 (4)
Relative Risks: Population Groups, Ages 25 and above,
by Control Variables introduced
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
ily
l
ia
m
Fa
c
So
x
se
nt
ra
ig
&
m
Im
ge
A
s
Ethiopia
E.Europe
Africa
W.Europ
Balkans
Arab
Asia
FSU Eur
FSU Asia
Survivorship Analysis, Control Variables, Ages 15 -34
Exp(coefficient)
Control Entered
Sex
0.369***
0.369***
0.347***
0.372***
Age
1.017***
1.017***
1.029***
1.063***
1.505 **
1.486
1.525 **
Immigrant
Certificate
(base: none)
**
Working
0.592***
0.620***
High School
0.740***
0.740***
University
0.608***
0.588***
Divorced
Marital
Status
Widowed
(base: married)
Single
3.242***
1.066
1.824***
Householder
LR Gain (df)
0.917
256 (11)
7 (1)
N = 314,867, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001
85 (3)
81 (4)
Relative Risks: Population Groups, Ages 15 -- 34,
by Control Variables introduced
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
ily
l
ia
m
Fa
c
So
x
se
nt
ra
ig
&
m
Im
ge
A
s
Ethiopia
E.Europe
Africa
W.Europ
Balkans
Arab
Asia
FSU Eur
FSU Asia
Survivorship Analysis, Control Variables, Ages 35 -59
Exp(coefficient)
Control Entered
Sex
0.605***
0.604***
0.461***
0.445***
Age
1.109***
1.109***
1.097***
1.098***
1.246***
1.037
1.012
Working
0.426***
0.440***
High School
0.787***
0.790***
University
0.655***
0.651***
Immigrant
Certificate
(base: none)
Divorced
Marital
Status
Widowed
(base: married)
Single
1.566***
1.326***
1.966***
Householder
LR Gain (df)
1.108
2764 (11)
N = 273,496, *** p < 0.001
11 (1)
786 (3)
153 (4)
Relative Risks: Population Groups, Ages 35 -- 59,
by Control Variables introduced
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
ily
l
ia
m
Fa
c
So
x
se
nt
ra
ig
&
m
Im
ge
A
s
Ethiopia
E.Europe
Africa
W.Europ
Balkans
Arab
Asia
FSU Eur
FSU Asia
Survivorship Analysis, Control Variables, Ages 60-64
Exp(coefficient)
Control Entered
Sex
0.702***
0.702***
0.643***
0.592***
Age
1.099***
1.100***
1.093***
1.089***
1.098***
1.094***
1.052
Working
0.546***
0.544***
High School
0.808***
0.811***
University
0.695***
0.698***
Immigrant
Certificate
(base: none)
Divorced
Marital
Status
Widowed
(base: married)
Single
1.106 **
1.191***
0.982
Householder
LR Gain (df)
0.871***
15160 (11)
12 (1)
N = 131,880, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001
1350 (3)
198 (4)
Relative Risks: Population Groups, Ages 60 and up,
by Control Variables introduced
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
ily
l
ia
m
Fa
c
So
x
se
nt
ra
ig
&
m
Im
ge
A
s
Ethiopia
E.Europe
Africa
W.Europ
Balkans
Arab
Asia
FSU Eur
FSU Asia
Explanations
•Non-selective
migration?
•Society of migrants?
•Origins of migrants?
•Quality of data?
Conclusions
• Need theory, not just
empirical generalisations
• Theory needs to look at
migrant – resident relations
• Be wary of data – socially
generated