Wednesday April 3 2024: Survey shows deterioration of psychological well being of evacuees in Israel.
Many have been forced out of their homes and communities for almost six months being accommodated in tight living conditions with dispersed families and the destruction of Kibbutz life.
Dr. Eran Rothman, Head of Maccabi’s Health Division: "The deterioration in the physical and mental health of the evacuees is evident".
More than half a million Israelis were evacuated from their homes on the Southern and Northern fronts following the events of October 7. What were the plans and criteria for evacuation? Was the evacuation done in accordance with them?
The lengthy absence of residents from their communities, their homes, and their daily routine negatively affects their personal and communal functioning and resilience. This impact is particularly acute as there are no signs of a return on the horizon, evacuees being housed in hotels. There have been consistent reports of severe mental stress among the displaced families.
For example, in the Eshkol Regional Council, based on a local survey, about 40 percent of the families who were evacuated from the same communities have been separated and are currently living in different locations. Additionally, the distance from their original homes has made it difficult for some evacuees to retain their employment, causing financial strain. Furthermore, some displaced youngsters are struggling to keep up with their school routine, and consequently are engaging in negative behavior.
The displaced people are transparent victims. In hotels across the country, a significant number of displaced individuals, predominantly from the southern and northern regions, continues to reside. Many of them traverse the hotel lobbies like question marks (symbols of uncertainty). Unaware of what the future holds or how long their displacement will endure.
A third of the war’s evacuees reported a change in their health condition for the worse, and there was a 35% increase in the use of medications to treat depression or anxiety, a Maccabi Healthcare Services survey found. About two-thirds of the evacuees testified that their sleep was disturbed, and a third of the parents said there was a change for the worse in the children’s eating habits.
Maccabi Healthcare Services, the second largest health fund, surveyed its members to find out how being away from home or having lost their homes completely has affected their well-being. The survey was conducted in February 2024.
About a third of the evacuees reported a change for the worse in their health condition, with 59% perceiving it as moderate or bad today, compared to only 42% before the outbreak of the war. The survey also shows that 76% of the evacuees who had an appointment postponed or gave up on a doctor’s appointment or pre-arranged medical examination, and about half testified that they gave up screening tests.
According to the survey, 38% of the evacuees reported that their mental state was worse – almost three times their psychological condition before the war. About a third of the evacuees reported that they are bothered by emotional problems all the time or often.
In addition, 45% of the evacuees feel that they need psychological help from a professional. Fully 70% of those who requested such help are currently being treated, but 22% feel they need assistance but have not applied to receive it.Since the outbreak of the war, there has been a 45% increase in evacuees who testify that they are taking medication to treat depression or anxiety (prescription or over the counter), and 67% of the evacuees reported that there was a decrease in the quality of their sleep.
Also, among evacuees who performed regular physical activity before the war, about half said that they exercise less, and about a fifth said that they stopped completely. Among the smokers or ex-smokers, 43% reported that following the war they started or increased the frequency of smoking.
Dr. Eran Rothman, head of Maccabi’s health division, said: “It has been almost six months since large numbers of Israelis were evacuated from their homes. Many of them still face difficulties accompanied by uncertainty, distress, and anxiety. “The survey reveals particularly worrying findings and the deterioration in the physical and mental health of the evacuees is evident".
After the Hamas attack, Michal Nidam, a high school counselor from Kiryat Shmona, the largest city on the Lebanon border and her children bounced between rented apartments for a few months and they now live in difficult conditions a hotel in Tiberias. Her two teenage daughters have one room, while her two youngest daughters stay with her in another crammed with clothes, snacks and their small dog.
Families are struggling with the transitory living arrangements. Bored teenagers are tempted by drugs, alcohol and other acts of rebellion, while their parents are overwhelmed with the challenges of evacuation, Nidam said.
Another challenge: “Families have been broken up,” Nidam said. Nidam’s mother is in Jerusalem, while her 85-year-old father refuses to leave the city and — wearing army fatigues — volunteers for an emergency preparedness squad. Nidam’s husband and some of her brothers also remained to serve as emergency personnel. Other displaced siblings are spread across the country.
'Evacuating was a mistake': Israeli's push to return to border homes. Michael Piha, evacuated resident of Kibbutz Sasa: "Perhaps the biggest mistake was the evacuation because now people realize they can't go back."
Martin Blackham Israel First TV Program www.israelfirst.org