PALESTINIAN SOCIETY - Fafo

define themselves as ill, they tend to consult health �ersonnel.
This is true for all subgroups, indicating that availability of
health services is good. The quality and appropriateness of the
health services offered cannot be evaluated in this survey.
* Utilization of maternal and child health care services shows the
same pattern. The utilization increases along with the educational
level of the mother, but is not dependent on the wealth
of the household. Geographical accessibility seems to be the
most important factor determining the use of these services.
* Utilization of primary health care services is much lower than
it is in the Jewish population in Israel, but well within the limits
of what is found in Western Europe.
Health insurance:
* Health insurance coverage rates a low 30%.
* Coverage does not seem to be determined by refugee status or
camp residency. In camps the rate is 27%.
* Important determinants of coverage rates are age, wealth,
residency in Arab Jerusalem, and full time employment. In
Arab Jerusalem the rate is 50%, in Gaza 26%, and in the West
Bank 29%.
Mental health
* On ly 20% of the population report no symptoms of distress.
50% report 1-3 symptoms, and 30% report a high degree of
distress (4-7 symptoms).
* Comparison with studies in other countries is difficult, but the
proportion of people who report symptoms of psychological
distress seems relatively high.
* Somatic illness is a strong determinant of psychological distress.
When corrected for illness, the degree of distress increases
slightly with age.
* Does the high degree of distress in the population indicate
stress caused by traumatic events? More symptoms of distress
are reported by individuals who have somebody in the household
that has been arrested during the intifada, or who have a
child that has been seriously injured during the last two months.
This may indicate that trauma is a possible reason for the very
high numbers of symptoms reported.
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