Demography, morbidity and mortality in Israel: changes over 30 years.

The last 30 years have seen vast changes in the size and composition of the Jewish and Arab populations of Israel. The Jewish population has increased 4 1/2 times but the proportion of aged has increased 10-fold. Infant mortality has decreased considerably and life expectancy has increased for both sexes and both populations. Patterns of morbidity and mortality have changed from those characteristic of the Middle East to those commonly seen in developed countries, with ischemic heart disease, cancer and stroke the leading causes of death.