The Israel national health survey: Issues and methods

Objective: The Israel National Health Survey - World Mental Health Survey (INHS) was designed to collect data on (a) the prevalence of mental disorders; (b) the prevalence of impairments and disabilities; (c) chronic conditions, disability, physical health, health services utilization and out-of-pocket medical expenditure which might be associated with mental disorder; and (d) socioeconomic and demographic correlates of mental disorder. This paper presents an overview of the methods used in this survey. Method: The INHS was a cross-sectional survey based on a representative sample of 5,000 adults, 21 years or older, from the general population of Israel. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) was administered in face-to-face interviews at the respondents' homes between May, 2003, and April, 2004, using computer assisted personal interview (CAPI) technology. Results: The overall response rate was 72.6%. Conclusion: The methodology and the quality control procedures used have made the INHS database a unique source of information about the prevalence, disability burden and unmet health needs of people suffering from common mental disorders and substance disorders in Israel.