According to the survey data, 38% of the participants reported being physically injured in the war, one in five respondents thought the war had negatively affected their relationships, and almost one in four participants stated that the war had negatively affected their physical health. At the same time, more than 60 per cent said they felt the war had a positive impact on their sense of belonging to the country.
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Among those who reported being physically or mentally injured, only 25% are recognized by the Ministry of Defense, and of these, 6% are recognized solely for mental reasons.
Survey participants who shared their combat experience with a high number of people, and those who kept in touch with friends from the war, also reported low levels of post-traumatic symptoms, high satisfaction and quality of life, and high daily functioning.
Fighters in the Yom Kippur War, Photo: Digitization - The Comb (c)
Only 11% of former combatants surveyed reported not telling anyone about their combat experiences. About half (52%) shared comrades or friends who did not fight with them on Yom Kippur (48%). The most sharing took place in the immediate family framework – the couple (68%) and the children (56%).
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