Immigration, Acculturation, and Drug Use

Abstract

This chapter focuses on acculturation as a factor related to drug use, infectious disease, and health among Soviet Union (FSU) immigrants who became addicted before or after immigration to Israel. Analyses from interviews and data show the typical FSU addict is male, single (71 %); 32 years old, living in Israel for 18 years with no close friends (65 %); poor health and a chronic disease (76%); fear, anxiety, and depression (72%); and having poor knowledge of Hebrew that is not used in everyday life. The average FSU addict has a profession (79 %), but is unemployed or underemployed (57 %) and has spent time in jail/prison (59 %). Since the mass immigration of Russian-speaking immigrants to Israel beginning in the late 1980s, research has been conducted evidencing the difficulty of leaving behind a familiar language, culture, and community and its connection with increased risk of psychosocial problems, acculturation, risk-taking behavior, and drug use. Policy and program decision-makers in Israel have talked about the need for special services to Russian-speaking addicts as well as separate services. However, little has been done to address the issue, and over time, there is growing evidence of acculturation and a diminished need for separate services based on group status. Specifically, there is little long-term evidence that separate programs for special populations are superior to mainstream efforts; but, that does not mean the special needs of immigrant populations, including those related to acculturation, should be ignored. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)