Alcohol use and treatment among Former Soviet Union immigrants in Israel: review of publications July 2009-December 2011.

This article examines the current state of alcohol use among immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Israel, as an update to the 2 previous publications that reviewed studies published in the professional literature (mainly in Hebrew) and referred to earlier periods (from the early 1990s until 2006 and from 2007 through June 2009). This article reviews studies published primarily in Hebrew from mid-2009 throughout December 2011 and describes alcohol use patterns and treatment among FSU immigrants. As the third in the sequence of reviews aimed at English readers, it confirms the findings of the previous 2 reviews. Alcohol use among FSU immigrants continues to be more prevalent than among Israeli-born residents, and FSU immigrants continue to be overrepresented in treatment programs. Moreover, the review describes a severe worsening in alcohol use among FSU detached youth and no differences in alcohol use among early and recent immigrants between the ages of 18 and 40 years.

Review: alcohol use and problems among immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Israel.

This paper attempts to deal with multiple issues, provide data, and cover the current state of alcohol use among immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Israel. A comprehensive review of all studies published in the professional literature (mainly in Hebrew), as well as in reports and theses in Hebrew, is presented. This is an attempt to correct the lack of information among English readers about alcohol use patterns and problems in the Russian immigrant community in Israel. This paper is the first summary of findings in the alcohol use domain-epidemiology, treatment, and homelessness in relation to FSU immigrants in Israel. The review identifies alcohol use among recent FSU immigrants as more prevalent than among the Jewish-Israeli-absorbing society, and shows that FSU immigrants are overrepresented in treatment, and that most of the homeless persons in Israel are FSU immigrants and alcoholics. The paper also describes findings from other FSU immigrant studies in related fields such as genetics, workplace issues, pregnancy, emergency rooms and driving. Recommendations for future activities include the need for special analysis and focus on the FSU immigrants in national studies, as well as further investigations about cultural effects on FSU immigrants' drinking habits.

Use of caffeine-based products and tobacco in relation to the consumption of alcohol. An examination of putative relationships in a group of alcoholics in Israel.

The relations between the intake of alcohol and that of caffeinated beverages, as well as cigarette smoking, was examined in a group of chronic alcoholics in an Israeli treatment center. When data from the total sample was analyzed, relationships between alcohol and caffeinated beverages intake and between alcohol intake and smoking were observed. Caffeine use and smoking were also related. In addition, a subgroup of subjects with a family history of alcoholism revealed correlations between alcohol and caffeine consumption, between alcohol intake and smoking, as well as caffeine use and smoking. Subjects without a family history of alcoholism also showed relationships between alcohol and caffeine use and smoking. However, coffee intake and tobacco use was not related in this subgroup. The relevance of the findings to previous reports concerning alcohol drinking and smoking as well as the intake of coffee appear to be consistent with a notion of interaction between these respective behaviors occurring at a behavioral level rather than a genetic one.

The affinity for sweet substances and cigarette smoking in chronic alcoholism.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the possible relationship between the consumption of alcohol and the smoking of cigarettes and the intake of sweet tasting substances in a group of in-patient chronic alcoholics residing in the Israeli governmental treatment center. Patients were interviewed regarding their alcohol intake, cigarette use and consumption of sweetened substances prior to entry to the center. No relationship between alcohol consumption and intake of sweetened substances or between alcohol intake and cigarette smoking was observed for the total sample. However, high alcohol consumption did have a significant correlation with cigarette smoking but not with the consumption of sweets. In contrast, low alcohol consumption had a significant relationship with consumption of sweets but not with cigarette smoking. In addition, a sub-group with an apparent family history of alcoholism had a significant correlation between alcohol intake and smoking but not sweets consumption. The data argue against a common central substrate mediating all three consummatory behaviors. The phenomena examined in the present study seem to be behavioral and motivational in nature rather than reflecting the effects of a direct biological mechanism.

The Israel Society for the Prevention of Alcoholism.

This paper describes the profile of the Israel Society for the Prevention of Alcoholism (ISPA), which is a nation-wide, public, non-profit association. It portrays various aspects of ISPA treatment and rehabilitation facilities-the residential treatment center, the rehabilitative hostel and the 'warm home' for homeless alcoholics. It depicts ISPA prevention activities, prevention materials and its usage of the media, and deals with ISPA involvement in policy issues. The paper also addresses the research reality of ISPA and its scientific journal, and refers to the society's structure and its future.

Review of drinking patterns of rural Arab and Jewish youth in the north of Israel.

This article reviews four studies addressing alcohol drinking patterns among rural Arab and Jewish youth. Three religions, Moslem, Druze, and Christianity, were represented among the Arab population studied. The Arab adolescents come from villages, Arab towns, and mixed Arab-Jewish towns, while the Jewish youth come from kibbutzim and developing towns in the northern district of Israel. The first epidemiological study among rural adolescents was implemented in 1990. This study focused on frequency of drinking during the previous month, and amounts of alcohol consumed on a drinking occasion. The 1992 study focused on preferred sources of support after acquiring a drinking problem, reasons for drinking, and the social context of drinking in the previous year. The 1994 study focused on reasons for not drinking, preferred places of drinking, and ways of obtaining alcoholic beverages. The 1996 study dealt with frequency of drinking in the last year, and amounts of alcohol consumed on a drinking occasion. This review also includes urban-rural comparisons. Urban adolescents were drawn from Haifa, the largest city northern Israel.