BACKGROUND: A follow-up of patients discharged from medium secure psychiatric units is used to compare outcome in patients of different ethnic origin. AIMS: To test the hypothesis that there are systematic differences in clinical outcome between ethnic groups. METHOD: A descriptive, longitudinal cohort study of discharges from a medium secure unit is used to compare the 125 patients of White/European ethnic origin and the 104 patients of Black/African-Caribbean origin. RESULTS: Patients of African-Caribbean origin were admitted at three times the rate of White patients, had a higher prevalence of psychosis and a lower prevalence of personality disorder. There was no difference in outcome as measured by location at follow-up, readmission or re-offending. CONCLUSIONS: The higher rate of admission of African-Caribbean patients is consistent with a higher level of demand. There is a need for studies of the pathways by which patients from ethnic minorities reach medium-security accommodation, with a view to early intervention.
BACKGROUND: A follow-up of patients discharged from medium secure psychiatric units is used to compare outcome in patients of different ethnic origin. AIMS: To test the hypothesis that there are systematic differences in clinical outcome between ethnic groups. METHOD: A descriptive, longitudinal cohort study of discharges from a medium secure unit is used to compare the 125 patients of White/European ethnic origin and the 104 patients of Black/African-Caribbean origin. RESULTS:Patients of African-Caribbean origin were admitted at three times the rate of White patients, had a higher prevalence of psychosis and a lower prevalence of personality disorder. There was no difference in outcome as measured by location at follow-up, readmission or re-offending. CONCLUSIONS: The higher rate of admission of African-Caribbean patients is consistent with a higher level of demand. There is a need for studies of the pathways by which patients from ethnic minorities reach medium-security accommodation, with a view to early intervention.