After 3 years of war: the profound health impact on evacuees from the north and south

Clalit Health Services publishes a health index for residents of the north and south who were evacuated during three years of war. A 45.5% increase in new anxiety diagnoses and a doubling of PTSD diagnoses were recorded. Among evacuees from the Gaza envelope, PTSD diagnoses surged 18-fold in the first year. Among children, there was a 121.3% spike in psychiatric emergency room visits in the third year.

Clalit Health Services published today (Sunday) the "Israel Health Index" for residents of the north and south who were evacuated during three years of war. The report presents the cumulative health and mental toll of the period. In mental health, there was a 45.5% increase in new anxiety diagnoses and a doubling (100%) of new PTSD diagnoses already in the first year. The most severe impact was recorded among evacuees from the Gaza envelope and the south: in the first year, PTSD diagnoses surged 18-fold, and in the third year they are still 6 times higher. Among southern evacuees, there was an abnormal increase of about 358% in sleep disorders in the first year. Among children and teenagers, there was a dramatic 121.3% spike in psychiatric emergency room visits in the third year. Among children of southern evacuees, there was a 47.8% increase in dispensing of the drug Minirin for treating nocturnal enuresis. In chronic diseases, among southern evacuees there was a 53.7% increase in the rate of those suffering from uncontrolled blood pressure. Among northern evacuees, there was an increase of about 60% in new diagnoses of hyperlipidemia. Conversely, no significant increase was observed in heart events or strokes, and there was a decrease of about 5.1% in emergency room visits. Clalit CEO Prof. Eitan Wirtheim said: "The war does not end when the security incident passes. It leaves a health mark."