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

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care,Volume 13, Issue 2, June 2017. Purpose In the present study 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) was tested in association with mental and physical components of health-related quality of life in a sample of Jewish people from the Former Soviet Union 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 (LOT-R) and health-related quality of life (SF-12) was handed out to Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union living in Germany. The data of 153 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings Whereas no significant associations between Jewish identity and health-related quality of life 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 Former Soviet Union living in Israel and the United States and suggest ...
Source: International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care - Category: Global & Universal Source Type: research