Jewish Health

Overview

In this section you can find out about the experience of living with a health condition that is prevalent in the Ashkenazi Jewish population by seeing and hearing people share their personal stories on film. Researchers travelled all around the UK to talk to 40 people in their own homes. Find out what people said about issues such as diagnosis, treatment and telling others. We hope you find the information helpful and reassuring.

The genetic basis of some of these conditions, such as Tay Sachs and Familial Dysautonomia, has been identified, while others, such as Crohn’s disease and Factor X1 Deficiency have no identified genetic basis but are of a higher prevalence among Ashkenazi Jewish people. While at least 20 conditions have been found to be of particular relevance to people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, we anticipate that more disorders will be identified in the future.

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Linda: It's very debilitating inasmuch as it causes chronic diarrhoea, chronic weight loss, and all the things that go along with that.

Harvey: And he called me back after the X-ray was done and completed and said you've got Crohn's disease.

Caroline: I found out most of the information myself, and there isn't that much there. You can go on Macmillan's website or Breast Cancer Care or whatever, and it's very little. There's a bit of information but it's generally aimed at people who've had breast cancer.

Harriet: I think the best piece of advice or information I've ever been given is that you really have to be your own advocate at every stage of your process. And don’t just take it as given always understand and push and be sure that you're happy with what you're getting and that the quality of your care is this -, is what you expect and deserve.

This section is from research by the University of Oxford.

Supported by:
Sir Victor Blank
The Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust
Sir Trevor Chinn, CVO
Clare King Charitable Trust
The Clore Duffield Foundation
Mrs Janet Cohen
Christine Cohen Park
Finchley Reform Synagogue
Maurice Helfgott
Irwington Foundation
Long Tall Sally Ltd
Lloyds TSB Group Plc
Peter Mishcon
M.D. Moross
Rachel Charitable Trust
Rothschild Foundation
Rubin Foundation
The Sainsbury Trust
Howard Shore
Judy Silver

Publication date: September 2011
Last updated: September 2015