SUICIDE IDEATION AMONG RECENT IMMIGRANTS - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY

This paper reports preliminary results of an epidemiological survey of suicide ideation among recent adult immigrants from the former Soviet Union to Israel. The study presents one-month prevalence rates of sui cide ideation, and the relationship of suicide ideation with demograph ics, self-rated psychological distress, depression, emotional isolatio n and social support. Results show that the one-month prevalence rate of suicide ideation in the population is 16.9%. Suicide ideation was m ost frequent among socially and emotionally isolated immigrants with l ower social support. The strongest predictor of suicide ideation for b oth sexes was level of psychological distress, whereas the severity of depression predicted suicide ideation only in females. The findings c an be used as a point of departure for the development of suicide prev ention programs.