Subjects At the end of WWII, nearly 500 000 Jews survived the Holocaust. Of these, approximately 300 000 immigrated to Israel in two main periods: shortly after the establishment of the State of Israel, and between 1989 and 1992 when

large groups of Jews immigrated from the former USSR.28 It is estimated that 200 000 survivors are now living in Israel, most of whom are now selleck catalog elderly. In the 1950s, nearly 2000 Holocaust survivors were repeatedly or chronically hospitalized in psychiatric hospitals in Israel. The most common diagnosis then was that of schizophrenia. In 1998, there were 700 such patients hospitalized in #www.selleckchem.com/products/kpt-330.html keyword# long-stay wards. The Abarbanel Mental Health Center is Israel’s largest academic psychiatric

center. ‘Ihe center’s psychogeriatric division consists of three wards encompassing 110 inpatient beds. From January to June 1998, for the purpose of the present study, all aging Holocaust survivors Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical were interviewed. Holocaust survivors were defined as subjects that were in Eastern or Western Rurope under the Nazi regime during the years 1933 to 1945. Inclusion criteria Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical for the study were: (i) age ≥65 years; (ii) being a Holocaust survivor. Rxclusion criteria were: (i) DSM-IV diagnosis of dementia; (ii) inability (cognitive impairment or language difficulties) to endorse the Impact of Event Scale (IES)31; and (iii) patient’s refusal Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical to participate in the study. Methods All patients had previously been diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria as part of an ongoing study project (the data relevant to this project are detailed in reference 16). For purposes of the present study, the IES31 and revised PTSD inventory

(R-PTSD)32 were used. The IES comprises two subscales describing and quantifying intrusive and avoidance experiences. The RPTSD inventory is based on endorsement (by the interviewing researcher) of DSM criteria for the presence Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of PTSD. Both these instruments were previously used and validated in studies of Holocaust survivors and trauma victims.32,33 Data are presented as means ± standard deviation (SD) and ranges. We used these simple statistical measures as the aim of the study was to present a descriptive audit. Results During the period January to June 1998, 93 Holocaust survivors were being treated at the Abarbanel Cilengitide Mental Health Center psychogeriatric wards. Of these, 32 did not fulfill the criteria of the study, and were excluded. All 61 participating patients underwent a semistructured interview. After the interview all endorsed the IES. Our series comprised 41 women and 20 men. Mean age for the group was 77.1 years (± 6.8; range 65-91). Ihe majority of subjects were in Eastern Rurope during the Nazi regime (43 of 61; 70.5%). Axis I (DSM) psychiatric diagnoses for the group were as follows: 32 of 61 (52.