An examination of factors influencing the diagnosis and treatment of black patients in the mental health system.

The Civil Rights Movement, which began in the 1950s and lasted through the mid 1970s played a major role improving the quality of life for black Americans. Although much has changed since the 1950s the roots of racism are deep and change occurs slowly. Race exerts an overwhelming influence on popular ideology and medical thinking. Many researchers have speculated that a strong association exists between race and diagnosis. Understanding the sociocultural background of the patient would aid in the distinguishing culturally bound behavior from behavior that reflects actual psychopathology. This review examines the professional literature on racial and ethnic factors as they pertain to the diagnosis and treatment of black patients in the mental health system.