Factors Associated with Exclusive Breastfeeding at Hospital Discharge among Native-Born, Immigrant, and Refugee Women.

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended through six months as it supports infant growth and development. Yet, many mothers do not exclusively breastfeed in early postpartum. OBJECTIVES: To examine factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge among culturally diverse women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used data of women who gave birth at a major medical center in Israel in 2015-2017. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were conducted to examine maternal characteristics and associated breastfeeding outcomes by hospital discharge. RESULTS: Among 10,978 women, 17.8% (n=1958) exclusively breastfed, 57.9% (n=6357) partially breastfed, and 24.3% (n=2663) did not breastfeed. Among Israeli-born and former Soviet Union-born Jewish women, breastfeeding intention (odds ratio [OR] 19.59, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 10.27-37.35 and OR 15.92, 95%CI 5.79-43.80, respectively) and early breastfeeding (OR 2.415, 95%CI 1.91-3.05 and OR 2.04, 95%CI 1.57-2.64, respectively) were associated with exclusive breastfeeding. The only significant factor associated with exclusive breastfeeding among refugees and Israeli-born Muslim women was early breastfeeding (OR 1.61, 95%CI 1.20-2.16). For Ethiopian-born Jewish women, not married (OR 0.330, 95%CI 0.114-0.955) and cesarean delivery (OR 0.481, 95%CI 0.232-0.998) were negatively associated with exclusive breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Despite having access to the same hospital-based breastfeeding support, there were differences among ethno-culturally diverse women in Israel. In this study, we identified maternal characteristics associated with early breastfeeding among women of diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds. Study findings highlight the importance of ethno-cultural considerations in breastfeeding practices and inform health professionals of factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in early postpartum.

Myopia and Childhood Migration: A Study of 607 862 Adolescents.

PURPOSE: Immigration studies can shed light on myopia development and reveal high-risk populations. To this end, we investigated the association among immigration, age at immigration, and myopia occurrence during adolescence. DESIGN: Population-based, retrospective, cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred seven thousand eight hundred sixty-two adolescents, Israeli born and immigrants, with origins in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Ethiopia, or Israel, assessed for medical fitness for mandatory military service at 17 years of age between 1993 and 2016. METHODS: Myopia and high myopia were defined based on right eye refractive data. Age at immigration was categorized into 0 to 5 years of age, 6 to 11 years of age, and 12 to 19 years of age. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were created. Myopia odds ratios (ORs) were calculated according to immigration status, with Israeli-born natives as controls. Next, myopia ORs were calculated according to age at immigration, with Israeli-born of same origin as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Myopia prevalence and ORs. RESULTS: Myopia was less prevalent among immigrants than Israeli-born controls. When stratified according to age at immigration, a decrease in myopia prevalence and ORs with increasing age at migration were observed, most prominent in immigrants arriving after 11 years of age, who also showed lower high-myopia ORs. The immigrants from the USSR and Ethiopia arriving after 11 years of age showed a myopia OR of 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-0.67; P < 10-205) and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.46-0.58; P < 10-27) compared with the Israeli-born controls. Notably, Ethiopians arriving earlier than 5 years of age showed a 2-fold higher myopia OR than those migrating after 11 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Immigrants arriving after 11 years of age showed markedly lower ORs for myopia and high myopia relative to Israeli-born controls or those arriving during early childhood, likely because of environmental and lifestyle changes. Differences between immigrants arriving up to 5 years of age and those arriving between 6 and 11 years of age were relatively smaller, suggesting exposures at elementary school age play a greater role in this population.

Differences in caesarean delivery and neonatal outcomes among women of migrant origin in Finland: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: In Finland, limited information is available on neonatal disparities among women of migrant origin. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated differences in caesarean delivery and neonatal outcomes between women of migrant origin and Finnish women in Finland. METHODS: The study was based on nationwide data from the Medical Birth Register of Finland. Our study included information on the most recent singleton birth of women delivering between January 2004 and December 2014 (N = 382 233). Women were classified into nine regional categories based on their country of origin. Generalized linear models were used to describe associations between country of origin and pregnancy outcomes adjusted for maternal age, socio-economic status, pre-pregnancy body mass index, parity, marital status, smoking during pregnancy, and delivery year. Finnish women were the reference group. RESULTS: Among the study population, almost 92% of women were of Finnish origin; the remaining 8% were of migrant origin. Among the migrant women, those of Russian/former USSR origin were the largest group (n = 11 994); the smallest group was women of Latin American/Caribbean origin (n = 739). Compared with Finnish women, women of sub-Saharan African, South Asian, and East Asian origin were at greater risk of emergency caesarean delivery, preterm birth, low birthweight, and lower five-minute Apgar scores for newborns. Latin American/Caribbean-origin women were at increased risk of both elective and emergency caesarean delivery and lower five-minute Apgar scores compared with Finnish women. Women of Russian/former USSR origin overall had a lower risk of caesarean delivery and poor neonatal outcomes compared with Finnish women. CONCLUSIONS: We identified sub-Saharan African, South Asian, and East Asian women as higher-risk groups, and women from Russia/former USSR as a lower-risk group, for emergency caesarean delivery and poor neonatal outcome compared with Finnish women. More research is needed to identify the reasons for these differences by country of origin in Finland.

Health of refugees and migrants from former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation: a narrative review.

This narrative review was conducted to synthesize and summarize available up-to-date evidence on current health status, including both non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in the Russian Federation. Epidemiological and sociological studies with one or more determinants of the health, as well as relevant qualitative studies characterizing risk factors, well-being indicators, and lifestyles of migrants and refugees from the former Soviet Union countries in Russia published from 2004 to 2019 in Russian and English languages were included in the review. Despite significant limitations of the available research literature in the field, some patterns in migrants' health in Russia and issues that need to be addressed were identified. In particular, the syndemic epidemics of communicable and non-communicable diseases, additively increasing negative health consequences, including cardiovascular diseases and chronic digestive system diseases, high rates of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, respiratory diseases and a growing percentage of new tuberculosis cases among migrants from the former Soviet Union countries are all of great concern. Possibly, the burden of these co-occurring morbidities is linked to commonly reported issues among this population group, such as poor nutrition and living conditions, high prevalence of unskilled manual labour, non-compliance with sanitary norms, lack of basic vaccinations, lack of basic knowledge about safe sexual practices and risky sexual behaviour, low healthcare seeking behaviour and limited access to health care. Importantly, these findings may urge the government to increase efforts and promote international collaboration in combating the threat of infectious diseases. Additionally, it was found that migrants had higher levels of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and those who stayed in the receiving country 5 years or more had a higher level of somatic pathology than those whose stay was less than 5 years. In order to ensure an adequate health system response and fulfil the main Universal Health Coverage principle of "leaving no one behind", a robust monitoring system of the health status of refugees and migrants and an integrated legal framework for the standardized and more inclusive routine care for this population in Russia is urgently needed.

Patterns of informal family care during acute hospitalization of older adults from different ethno-cultural groups in Israel.

INTRODUCTION: Informal caregiving during hospitalization of older adults is significantly related to hospital processes and patient outcomes. Studies in home settings demonstrate that ethno-cultural background is related to various aspects of informal caregiving; however, this association in the hospital setting is insufficiently researched. OBJECTIVES: Our study explore potential differences between ethno-cultural groups in the amount and kind of informal support they provide for older adults during hospitalization. METHODS: This research is a secondary data analysis of two cohort studies conducted in Israeli hospitals. Hospitalized older adults are divided into three groups: Israeli-born and veteran immigrant Jews, Arabs, and Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Duration of caregiver visit, presence in hospital during night hours, type of support (using the Informal Caregiving for Hospitalized Older Adults scale) are assessed during hospitalization. Results are controlled by background parameters including functional Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and cognitive Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) status, chronic morbidity (Charlson), and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Informal caregivers of "FSU immigrants" stay fewer hours during the day in both cohorts, and provide less supervision of medical care in Study 2, than caregivers in the two other groups. Findings from Study 1 also suggest that informal caregivers of "Arab" older adults are more likely to stay during the night than caregivers in the two other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ethno-cultural groups differ in their patterns of caregiving of older adults during hospitalization. Health care professionals should be aware of these patterns and the cultural norms that are related to caregiving practices for better cooperation between informal and formal caregivers of older adults.

Breast cancer incidence and mammography screening among resettlers in Germany.

BACKGROUND: European studies showed that women with a migration background are less likely to participate in mammography screenings than autochthonous women. However, the participation in the German mammography screening programme (MSP) among ethnic German migrants from countries of the former Soviet Union (called resettlers) is unclear so far. The aim of this study was to identify possible differences regarding MSP participation between resettlers from the FSU and the general German population. METHODS: Data from two independent, complementary studies from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (a retrospective cohort study 1994-2013; a cross-sectional study 2013/14) were used for comparisons between resettlers and the general population: Odds Ratios (ORs) for MSP participation utilizing the cross-sectional data and time trends of breast cancer incidence rates as well as Chi-Square tests for breast cancer stages utilizing the cohort data. RESULTS: Resettlers showed higher Odds to participate in the MSP than the general population (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.08-5.42). Among resettlers, a large increase in incidence rates was observed during the MSP implementation (2005-2009), resulting in stable and comparable incidence rates after the implementation. Furthermore, pre-MSP implementation, the proportion of advanced breast cancer stages was higher among resettlers than in the German population, post-MSP implementation the proportion was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: MSP participating seems surprisingly high among resettlers. An explanation for the increased willingness to participate might be the structured invitation procedure of the MSP. However, the exact reasons remain unclear and future research is needed to confirm this hypothesis and rule out the possibility of selection bias in the cross-sectional study.

Migration experiences, life conditions, and drug use practices of Russian-speaking drug users who live in Paris: a mixed-method analysis from the ANRS-Coquelicot study.

BACKGROUND: After the collapse of the Soviet Union at the beginning of the 1990s, people who inject drugs spiked in Eastern Europe. Facing local repression and an array of factors encouraging emigration, some users have migrated to France. This population now make up to a third of the patient list of some harm reduction services in Paris. This article aims to present original data on the sociodemographic profiles of these users, on their migration trajectory, their life conditions, and on the evolution of their drug use practices since arriving in Paris. METHODS: Data were collected as part of the ANRS-Coquelicot Survey, an HIV and HCV seroprevalence study among French-speaking people who use drugs. A sub-sample of Russian-speaking drug users who had relocated from Eastern Europe to live in Paris completed a quantitative questionnaire (N = 150) and a qualitative semi-structured interview (N = 20). The survey aimed to describe participants' backgrounds, and a thematic analysis of interviews was conducted to explore participants' migration histories, their life conditions in Paris, and their drug use practices before and after arriving in France. RESULTS: This study highlights the great vulnerability of the participating population, often following a loss of social status after migrating to France. Another important finding is that participants had better access to harm reduction tools and reduced their risk of exposure to HIV and HCV infections linked to needle sharing. Although 60% said they had already shared a syringe in their lifetime (49.9% of them in their home country), the proportions shrank to 13.9% after they arrived in France and to 9.3% in the month before the study, a proportion that is lower than among French-speaking people who use drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Our main findings on the profiles and behaviors of the study population lead us to make two recommendations: to offer stronger global care to these users in Paris and to reform drug policy in their home countries by integrating it into a public health approach.

A Phenomenological Study of Immigrant Parents of Adolescents with Delinquent Behavior in Israel.

Scarce qualitative literature has focused on understanding the perspective of parents of adolescents involved in crime, and no prior literature has examined how the status of being a parent of an adolescent who is involved in delinquency intersects with being an immigrant parent. The current phenomenological study examined, through the eyes of immigrant parents, how they comprehend their children's involvement in delinquent behavior. This study examined in-depth semistructured interviews conducted with fourteen immigrant parents (10 mothers and 4 fathers) from the former Soviet Union in Israel of children treated in rehabilitation facilities for delinquent youth. Data analysis revealed a gradual decline in children's behavior ascribed to the developmental stage of adolescence, the pressures of immigration, and cultural conflict. These three factors are interwoven together to create a fabric within which they see their children turning to crime. Parents' gradual loss of control is balanced by attempts to idealize the parent-child relationship and to minimize the severity of the offenses committed. They describe various differing and even contradictory experiences of themselves as parents and their struggles to piece together incohesive, alternating experiences of themselves as parents. Despite the critical role they can play in their children's rehabilitation, as well as the distress that they themselves experience, parents of children involved in delinquent behavior have often been ignored in research. Acknowledging parents' perspectives and experiences can allow development of appropriate therapeutic strategies to support them and maximize their abilities to support their children.

Existe escasa bibliografía cualitativa centrada en comprender la perspectiva de los padres de adolescentes implicados en la delincuencia, y no existe bibliografía anterior que haya analizado cómo la situación de ser padre de un adolescente que está implicado en la delincuencia se conjuga con ser padre inmigrante. El presente estudio fenomenológico analizó, desde la óptica de padres inmigrantes, cómo ellos entienden la participación de sus hijos en conductas delictivas. Para ello, analizó entrevistas semiestructuradas detalladas realizadas con catorce padres inmigrantes (10 madres y 4 padres) de la antigua Unión Soviética en Israel de niños tratados en centros de rehabilitación para jóvenes delincuentes. Los análisis de datos revelaron una reducción gradual de la conducta de los niños atribuida a la etapa del desarrollo de la adolescencia, las presiones de la inmigración y el conflicto cultural. Estos tres factores se entrelazan para crear un tejido dentro del cual ellos ven a sus hijos recurriendo a la delincuencia. La pérdida de control gradual de los padres está equilibrada por intentos de idealizar la relación entre padres e hijos y de disminuir la gravedad de los delitos cometidos. Ellos describen varias experiencias diversas e incluso contradictorias de sí mismos como padres y sus luchas para armar experiencias incoherentes y alternadas de sí mismos como padres. A pesar del papel fundamental que pueden desempeñar en la rehabilitación de sus hijos, así como del distrés que ellos mismos sufren, los padres de niños implicados en conductas delictivas han sido ignorados con frecuencia en las investigaciones. El reconocimiento de las experiencias y los puntos de vista de los padres puede permitir el desarrollo de estrategias terapéuticas adecuadas que los apoyen y maximizar sus habilidades para que ayuden a sus hijos.

Association between Knowledge about How to Search for Mental Health Information and Emotional Distress among Older Adults: The Moderating Role of Immigration Status.

Mental health literacy (MHL) provides a framework to overcome barriers to service use and reduce mental health disparities through public education. Acquiring basic knowledge about mental health problems can guide subsequent help-seeking behavior. Improving knowledge about how to search for mental health information is a critical first step in improving MHL. In this study, we examined the association between knowledge about how to search for mental health information and emotional distress among older adults. We further examined the moderating role of immigration status in this association. A sample of 605 older adults participated in the study (N = 357 Native Israelis; N = 222 Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union). Participants completed self-report measures assessing MHL and emotional distress. Our findings show that Native Israelis reported significantly lower levels of emotional distress and higher levels of knowledge about how to search for mental health information compared to immigrants. Moreover, while among native older adults, increased knowledge about how to search for mental health information was associated with lower emotional distress, among immigrant seniors there was no significant association between these variables. Our findings suggest that differences among immigrant and native older adults can impact the effectiveness of the mental health knowledge that is accessed.

The effect of age at immigration on cervical cancer incidence: a population-based cohort study of 1 486 438 Israeli women.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the effect of mass migration from a high-risk area (former Soviet Union) to a low-risk area (Israel) on cervical cancer incidence and mortality in Israel and the modifying effect of age at immigration. METHODS: All women who immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 2000 (N=345 202) and all Jewish Israeli-born women who were 0-80 years old on January 1, 1990 (N=1 141 236) were included. Follow-up ended at December 31, 2010 or date of death or date of cervical cancer diagnosis, whatever occurred earlier. Crossing data from the computerized population registry of the Ministry of Interior, the Israel National Cancer Registry and the Central Bureau of Statistics, cervical cancer incidence and mortality and adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. RESULTS: 1595 new cases (crude incidence rate 29.71: 100 000 person years) of cervical cancer were diagnosed in immigrants as compared with 6159 cases (crude incidence rate 27.21: 100 000 person years) diagnosed in Israel-born Jewish women. Immigration at an age older than 12 years was hazardous (aHR 1.27, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.35; P<0.001) while immigration at a younger age was protective (aHR 0.62, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.75; P<0.001) for cervical cancer incidence compared with native Israeli women. Cervical cancer mortality was also significantly higher in immigrants compared with Israel-born women with incidence density rates of 1.15 and 0.35 per 100 person years, respectively (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Factors related to the acquired causes of the disease at the country of origin are probably at the root of the low incidence of cervical cancer in Israel. Adult immigrants from the former Soviet Union should be managed as a high-risk group.

Contact frequency and cognitive health among older adults in Israel.

Objectives: The current study set out to examine the links between contact frequency with one's social network and cognitive health in later life. It assessed both direct and indirect pathways and the possible role of ethnicity in the effect of the social network on cognitive function. Method: We used data from adults aged 50 and above, which was collected in Israel as part of the Survey of Ageing, Retirement and Health (SHARE). A moderated mediation analysis was conducted to test the direct and indirect associations between contact frequency and cognitive function, as well as the moderation of these associations by population group. Three population groups were examined - veteran-Jews, Arabs and immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Results: Contact frequency with the close social milieu was found to be directly positively related to cognitive function. The association was also mediated by depressive symptoms, such that frequent contacts were linked to cognitive health via reduced depressive symptoms. This indirect link differed, however, among the three population groups. Conclusion: Contact frequency is important for cognitive health in the second half of life, and it operates both directly and by decreasing depressive symptoms. However, these links are not found among all ethnic groups and may, therefore, depend on the culture and social norms of each group and the meaning attributed to social ties.

Ethno-cultural origins, health beliefs and mothers' behavior regarding infant vaccinations in Israel.

To compare the health beliefs and infant vaccination behavior of mothers of four different ethno-cultural backgrounds: Israeli-born Jewish and Arab-Bedouin and immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia; to examine the associations between initial and subsequent infant vaccination behaviors of mothers and to identify predictors of vaccination behaviors. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in selected community neighborhoods. A quota sample included 100 mothers with infants aged 18-24 months (N = 400) from each of the four ethno-cultural groups. Data were collected through questionnaires and examination of the infant vaccination cards. Both groups of immigrant mothers had the lowest adherence to the recommended vaccination regime. Our findings indicate that maternal behaviors regarding infant vaccinations were determined mainly by the behavior at the previous recommended vaccination stage. Different ethno-cultural groups presented different sociodemographic predictors of vaccination behaviors. These predictors only affected the vaccinations at the early stage of 2 months. Policy makers should be aware that mother's vaccination behaviors vary according to ethno-cultural groups to establish culturally tailored intervention programs.

Russian criminal culture among drug-addicted former soviet union immigrants in Israel.

This article explores the cultural context of substance abuse among drug-addicted Former Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants in Israel. Using a qualitative approach, it focuses on immigrant users' affiliation with the Russian criminal culture. The data analysis elicited a number of themes, including the key components of this culture, its attitude toward drug consumption, and its role in the users' lives and rehabilitation. It is argued that drug-addicted immigrants suffer multiple marginalization. Their affiliation with the ethnic criminal subculture serves as a defense reaction that protects their identities and grants them a sense of mastery not afforded in the wider society.

Stage of cancer diagnoses among migrants from the former Soviet Union in comparison to the German population - are diagnoses among migrants delayed?

BACKGROUND: In this study, we compared stage at diagnosis, standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of most frequent cancer diagnoses between re-settlers (Aussiedler) from the former Soviet Union and the general population in the Saarland in Germany to assess possible delays in diagnosis of cancer among this migrant group. METHODS: Lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, malignant melanoma of the skin and stomach cancer diagnoses among a cohort of 18,619 re-settlers living in the Saarland between 1990 and 2009 were identified by the federal state's cancer registry. Vital status was available for the respective time-period and used to calculate SIR and SMR in comparison to the autochthonous population. Tumor stages were condensed into local and advanced stages. Odds ratios (OR) for an advanced tumor stage were modeled in dependence of re-settler-status and relevant covariates by logistic regression. Missing values were addressed in a sensitivity analysis. The influence of duration of stay in Germany on advanced stage diagnosis was analyzed among re-settlers. RESULTS: SIR and SMR of lung and breast cancer were lower among female re-settlers, while SIR and SMR of colorectal and prostate cancer were lower among male re-settlers. SIR and SMR of stomach cancer were elevated among both sexes. Female re-settlers showed an elevated OR for being diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer. Both male and female re-settlers showed an elevated OR when observing all six sites combined (OR among males 1.47, p = 0.04; OR among females 1.37, p = 0.05). The result of elevated ORs was supported in the sensitivity analysis. Finally, male re-settlers showed a weak association between duration of stay in Germany and reduced risk for advanced stage diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Re-settlers were more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced tumor stage. These findings are in line with previous research having shown unfavorable health care utilization of re-settlers. Overall, low mortality rates despite an increased risk of advanced stage at diagnosis argue for a sufficient follow-up care, comparable to the autochthonous population.

Mother-Adolescent Dialogues and Adolescents' Behavior Problems in a Multicultural Sample: The Mediating Role of Representations.

This study examined whether the link between higher maternal sensitive guidance of emotional dialogues and fewer adolescent behavior problems is mediated by adolescents' more coherent representations of their mothers. The study also explored the consistency of this model across families from varied cultural backgrounds. Participants were 143 Jewish-Israeli mother-adolescent dyads from three cultural groups: immigrants from the Former Soviet Union, immigrants from Western countries, and native-born Israelis. Maternal sensitive guidance was observed during mother-adolescent dialogues about emotional experiences. Adolescents' representations were assessed via their narratives regarding their mother and their relationship. Examiners reported adolescents' behavior problems. Results indicated that across cultural groups adolescents' more coherent representations partially mediated the association between higher maternal sensitive guidance and fewer adolescent behavior problems.

With a little help from my child: A dyad approach to immigrant mothers' and adolescents' socio-cultural adaptation.

Intergenerational adjustment theories suggest that immigrant adolescents may be particularly influential in their families, as they take on family obligations and serve as language brokers. Empirical research in this regard is, however, scarce. One aim of this study was to test whether adolescents' linguistic competence in German adds to the explanation of maternal socio-cultural adaptation difficulties in Germany. Another aim was to investigate whether the association between adolescents' linguistic competence and maternal socio-cultural adaptation difficulties differs depending on adolescents' involvement in family obligations. The sample comprised 185 ethnic German immigrant mother-adolescent dyads from the former Soviet Union (15.7 years old; 60% female). Results of Actor-Partner Interdependence Models, which were developed for dyad data analysis, indicated that mothers of adolescents with a good command of German indeed report fewer socio-cultural adaptation difficulties. The transmission effect from adolescent to mother was particularly pronounced when the adolescent was heavily involved in family obligations.

Is Integration Always most Adaptive? The Role of Cultural Identity in Academic Achievement and in Psychological Adaptation of Immigrant Students in Germany.

Immigrant adaptation research views identification with the mainstream context as particularly beneficial for sociocultural adaptation, including academic achievement, and identification with the ethnic context as particularly beneficial for psychological adaptation. A strong identification with both contexts is considered most beneficial for both outcomes (integration hypothesis). However, it is unclear whether the integration hypothesis applies in assimilative contexts, across different outcomes, and across different immigrant groups. This study investigates the association of cultural identity with several indicators of academic achievement and psychological adaptation in immigrant adolescents (N = 3894, 51% female, M age= 16.24, SD age = 0.71) in Germany. Analyses support the integration hypothesis for aspects of psychological adaptation but not for academic achievement. Moreover, for some outcomes, findings vary across immigrant groups from Turkey (n = 809), the former Soviet Union (n = 712), and heterogeneous other countries (n = 2373). The results indicate that the adaptive potential of identity integration is limited in assimilative contexts, such as Germany, and that it may vary across different outcomes and groups. As each identification is positively associated with at least one outcome, however, both identification dimensions seem to be important for the adaptation of immigrant adolescents.

Aggression, attributional style, and locus of control among imprisoned migrants from the former Soviet Union.

BACKGROUND: In the 1990s, over two million migrants from the former Soviet Union with German ancestry came to Germany, a small number of whom committed offences. AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate aggression, locus of control, and attributional style in these (male) migrants imprisoned in Germany. METHODS: Three groups of men with German ancestry were compared: 1.36 prisoners migrating into Germany from the former Soviet Union (migrant-P), 2.31 migrating into Germany from the former Soviet Union without a history of offending (community sample; C), and 3.40 German prisoners with no migration experience (native-P). RESULTS: Aggression was high among all prisoners relative to nonoffending migrants. Prisoners tended to be under-achievers educationally compared with community living migrants. Imprisoned migrants had scores on locus of control and on attribution scales of feeling more influenced by fate and other external factors than had the community migrants, but in a regression model with aggression as the dependent variable and locus of control and attributional style measures as the independent variables, only external attributional style with respect to failure was significantly related to aggression. IMPLICATIONS: External attributional style appears to be linked to the probability of aggressive behaviours, leading to unlawful acts and imprisonment. Regardless of whether a person has a migration history or not, as attribution of failure among these relatively low-achieving prisoners was associated with aggression, loosening these attributional tendencies in therapy might help to reduce aggression. Migration per se was not problematic in these respects in this sample.

Emotional alienation as a mediator of the relationship between perceived discrimination and alcohol use among immigrant adolescents in Israel.

Perceived discrimination has been found to be a predictor of immigrant adolescent involvement in alcohol use, yet the psychological mechanism behind this relationship has not been well explored. Drawing on strain theory and the motivational model of alcohol use, the current study aimed to develop and test a concept of emotional alienation. In the proposed model, it is when experiences of discrimination are internalized into painful feelings of detachment, anger, rejection, and failure that the immigrant adolescent may turn to alcohol use. The study involved 365 at-risk immigrant adolescents, aged 15-19 (62% male, mean age 17.1) from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia in Israel, from low SES neighborhoods and community centers for youth at risk. The young people self-reported on experiences of discrimination, daily alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking (HED), and drunkenness, together with a new questionnaire examining emotional alienation developed for the study. Findings showed that experiences of alienation fully mediated the relationship between discrimination and problematic alcohol use (drunkenness and HED). In particular, feelings of self-detachment, failure, and rejection were strongly related to alcohol use. Results suggest an importance of understanding the way in which negative reactions from the host society may be internalized into destructive feelings of failure, shame, and rejection, which may lead a young person to involvement in alcohol use.

Mortality and causes of death among the migrant population of Finland in 2011-13.

Background: Lower mortality among migrants than in the general population has been found in many, but not in all, previous studies. The mortality of migrants has not been studied in Finland, which has a relatively small and recent migrant population. Methods: People who were born abroad and whose mother tongue is not Finnish were identified from the Finnish Central Population Register (n = 185 605). A Finnish-born control matched by age, sex and place of residence was identified for each case (n = 185 605). Information about deaths was collected from the Finnish Causes of Death Register. Cox proportional hazards model was used for assessing the association between migrant status and death in 2011­13. Results: The mortality risk was found to be significantly lower for migrants than for Finnish controls (adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.72­0.84), both for migrant men (aHR 0.80, 95% CI 0.73­0.89) and women (aHR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70­0.88). The difference was statistically significant only among people who were not married and among people who were not in employment. There was variation by country of birth, but no migrant group had higher mortality than Finnish controls. No differences in mortality were found by duration of residence in Finland. The higher mortality of Finnish controls was largely explained by alcohol-related conditions and external causes of death. Conclusions: The mortality risk of migrants is lower than of people who were born in Finland. Possible explanations include selection and differences in substance use and other health behaviour.