Skip to main content
Log in

Psychotropic medication and ethnicity: an inpatient survey

  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A survey of the catchment area psychiatric inpatient population of the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospitals showed that more black (Afro Caribbean) than non-black (white British) patients received anti-psychotic medication. This finding ceased to be significant after adjustment for diagnosis because a larger proportion of black than non black patients received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. However, after adjustment for diagnosis, black patients were significantly more likely to be receiving depot anti-psychotic medication, to be detained under a section and to have been involved in a violent incident during the present admission. There were no significant ethnic differences in total dose equivalents of anti-psychotic medication but doses of the depot form were significantly higher for black patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adembimpe V (1981) White norms and psychiatric diagnosis of black patients. Am J Psychiatry 138: 279–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr AC, Lader M (1978) Neuroleptic equilavence. Prescrib J 15: 88–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen EY, Harrison G, Standen PJ (1991) Management of first episode psychotic illness in Afro-Caribbean patients. Br J Psychiatry 158: 517–522

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole J, Pilisuk M (1976) Differences in the provision of mental health services by race. Am J Orthopsychiatry 46: 519–525

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis JM (1976) Dose equivalence of the anti psychotic drugs. J Psychiatr Res 11: 65–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis JM (1976) Comparative doses and costs of antipsychotio medications. Arch Gen Psychiatry 33: 858–861

    Google Scholar 

  • Donovan J (1986) Black peoples' health: a different approach. In: Rathwell T, Phillips D (eds) Health, race, and ethnicity. Croom Helm, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahy T, Bermingham D, Dunn J (1987) Police admissions to psychiatric hospitals: a challenge to community psychiatry. Med Sci Law 27: 263–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernando S (1988) Race and culture in psychiatry. Tavistock, London, pp 127–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Flaherty J, Meagher R (1980) Measuring racial bias in inpatient treatment. Am J Psychiatry 137:679–682

    Google Scholar 

  • Francis E et al. (1989) Black people and psychiatry in the UK an alternative to institutional care. Psychiatrie Bull 13: 482–485

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillam S (1990) Ethnicity and the use of health services. Postgrad Med J 66: 989–993

    Google Scholar 

  • Glover G, Malcom G (1988) The prevalence of neuroleptic treatment among West Indians and Asians in the London Borough of Newham. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 23: 281–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison G, Ineichen B, Smith J (1984) Psychiatric Hospital Admissions in Bristol: II. Social and clinical aspects of compulsory admission. Br J Psychiatry 145: 605–611

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison G, Owens D, Holton A, Neilson D, Boot D (1988) A prospective study of severe mental disorder in Afro-caribbean patients. Psychol Med 18: 643–657

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison G, Holton A, Neilson D et al. (1989) Severe mental disorder in Afro-Caribbean patients: some social, demographic and service factors. Psychol Med 19: 683–696

    Google Scholar 

  • Ineichin B, Harrison G, Morgan H (1984) Psychiatric hospital admissions in Bristol: I. georgraphical and ethnie factors. Br J Psychiatry 145: 600–604

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendell R (1975) The role of diagnosis in psychiatry. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinman A (1987) Anthropology and psychiatry: the role of culture in cross-cultural research on illness. Br J Psychiatry 151: 447–454

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawson WB (1986) Racial and ethnic factors in psychiatric research. Hosp Community Psychiatry 37: 50–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis G, Croft-Jeffreys C, David A (1990) Are British psychiatrists racits? Br J Psychiatry 157: 410–415

    Google Scholar 

  • Littlewood R, Lipsedge M (1981) Some social and phenomenological characteristics of psychotic immigrants. Psychol Med 11: 289–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Littlewood R, Lipsedge M (1988) Psychiatric illness among British Afro-Caribbeans. Br Med J 296: 950–951

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd K, Moodley P (1990) Psychiatry and ethnic groups. Br J Psychiatry 156: 907

    Google Scholar 

  • London Borough of Southwark (1989) Changing shape. Tables 6, 7 and Appendix table 2, LBS Chiltern House, Portlant Street, London

    Google Scholar 

  • McGovern D, Cope R (1987) The compulsory detention of males of different ethnic groups, with special reference to offender patients. Br J Psychiatry 150: 950–951

    Google Scholar 

  • McGovern D, Cope R (1991) Second generation Afro-caribbeans and young whites with a first admission diagnosis of schizophrenia. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 26: 95–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Moodley P (1987) The Fanon project: a day centre in Brixton. Psychiatr Bull 11: 417–418

    Google Scholar 

  • Moodley P, Perkins RE (1990) Blacks and psychiatry: a framework for understanding access to psychiatric services. Psychiatr Bull 14: 3–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Moodley P, Perkins RE (1991) Routes to psychiatric inpatient care in an inner London Borough. Social Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 26: 47–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Moodley P, Thornicroft G (1988) Ethnic groups and compulsory detention medicine science and the law 28: 324–328

  • Noble P, Rodger S (1989) Violence by psychiatric inpatients: a hospital survey. Br J Psychiatry 155: 384–390

    Google Scholar 

  • Office of population censuses and surveys (1981) Census 1981 Greater London County Report, Vol 1, HMSO, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Overall D (1969) Extrinsic factors influencing responses to psychotherapeutic drugs. Arch Gen Psychiatry 32: 643–649

    Google Scholar 

  • Pferrebaum A, Distosky N (1981) Racial intolerance in a correctional institution. An ecological view. Am J Psychiatry 138: 1057–1062

    Google Scholar 

  • Rathwell T (1984) General practice, ethnicity and health service delivery. Soc Sci Med 19: 123–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowlands L, Perkins R (1991) Personal communication

  • Rwegellera GGC (1977) Psychiatric morbidity among West Africans and West Indians living in London. Psychol Med 7: 317–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Rwegellera GGC (1980) Differential use of psychiatric services by West Indians, West Africans and English in London. Br J Psychiatry 137: 428–432

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas A, Sillen S (1975) Racism and Psychiatry. Brunner Mazel, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lloyd, K., Moodley, P. Psychotropic medication and ethnicity: an inpatient survey. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 27, 95–101 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00788512

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00788512

Keywords

Navigation