The impact of military actions on hospitalization and emergency room visits rates due to coronary heart disease and psychiatric disorders to the Barzilai University Medical Center, Ashkelon, Israel

International Conference on Neuro-Oncology and Psychiatry

September 14-15, 2018 Singapore

Svetlana Sirota

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Neurol Disord

Abstract :

Statement of the Problem: In recent years, the Israeli population has been exposed to three major military operations: Cast lead, pillar of defense and protective edge. These military operations may have had an effect on the publicâ??s physical and mental health especially in areas in close geographic proximity to the conflicts. According to the literature, status of emergency which results from military operations causes mental stress with both short- and long-term sequel. Aim: To assess the effects of the recent military operations cast lead, pillar of defense and protective edge on hospitalizations and emergency room visits in Israel, due to Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and Psychiatric Disorders (PD) at the Barzilai Medical Center (BMC) in Ashkelon as compared to peacetime hospitalizations and visits there. Method: A cross-sectional study utilizing hospitalization data of BMC in Ashkelon, meteorological data from the ministry of environmental protection and population data from the central bureau of statistics of Israel. We used logistic regression model and time series techniques to examine the association between ED visits due to PD, hospitalizations due to CHD and military operation periods. Findings: In the military operation periods there were more hospitalizations due to PD (depression, anxiety, mood disorders, personality disorders, etc.) compared to peacetime periods (OR=3.608, 95% CI=3.060-4.2540) with the highest risk for cast lead (OR=6.647, 95% CI=4.791-9.211). Conclusion: There is an association between exposure to military emergency and ED visits due to PD. No short-term associations were found between exposure to military emergency and hospitalization rates due to CHD in BMC. Recommendations are being made for hospitals in Israel to be more prepared both in terms of equipment and medical staff in times of military operation periods.

Biography :

E-mail: sirotas@post.bgu.ac.il