Israel Ministry of Health

Mental health service utilisation following reform among Arab, Ultra-Orthodox Jewish and general populations in Israel

BACKGROUND: Israel's 2015 mental health reform transferred responsibility for mental health services from the government to community health maintenance organisations (HMOs), aiming to improve accessibility and equity and reduce stigma. However, its implications for different pop...

The effect of ambient temperature on sperm quality in a desert climate

Background The global decline in sperm quality remains poorly understood. As climate change intensifies, extreme temperatures are increasingly recognized as potential threats to reproductive health. This study examined the association between ambient temperature and sperm quality...

Health-related interpretation of human biomonitoring results – new and updated human biomonitoring guidance values from PARC and HBM4EU

During the first three years of the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), we derived health-based human biomonitoring guidance values (HBM-GVs) for 11 substances to enable the direct health-related interpretation of human biomonitoring (HBM) results. HBM-...

Did Nationwide Mental Health Insurance Reform in Israel Increase Access to Community-Based Care?

Israel's nationwide mental health reform (July 1, 2015) transferred responsibility and funding for mental healthcare from the Ministry of Health to Israel's four Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), aiming to improve access and availability, integrate mental health into gener...

Carbapenemase-producing Kluyvera spp.: epidemiology of an evolving species

Abstract Background Kluyvera spp. are increasingly recognised as significant pathogens in humans. Recent reports of carbapenemase-producing (CP) Kluyvera spp. raise a concern that they may be disseminating carbapenemases to other species undetected. Research on CP-Kluyvera spp. i...

First detection of Leishmania infantum DNA in Phlebotomus (Larroussius) syriacus and its epidemiological implications in Israel

Abstract Background Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are the primary vectors of Leishmania parasites, the causative agents of leishmaniasis, one of the most important vector-borne diseases worldwide. In the eastern Mediterranean basin, Leishmania infantum is transmi...

Factors affecting family consent to corneal donation at a hospital-based eye bank in a tertiary Israeli medical center

Purpose To identify clinical, demographic, and situational factors associated with family consent to corneal donation in a culturally diverse Israeli medical center operating under an opt-in system. Methods This retrospective observational study included 824 deceased individuals...

Herpesviridae Reactivation and Therapeutic Outcomes in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis Treated with Tofacitinib

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Historically, anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) agents have been the mainstay of biological therapy. Recently, Janus kinase inhibitors (JAK-I) have emerged as oral alternatives. However, despite their ac...

National HBsAb serosurvey and HBsAg/Hepatitis D coinfection prevalence across sociodemographic and immigrant populations in Israel

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a global health burden despite widespread vaccination efforts. This nationwide serosurvey aimed to assess Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) seropositivity in Israel and HBV/ Hepatitis D virus (HDV) prevalence among immigrant...