Racial comparison of therapeutic support, service use, and satisfaction among male outpatients with severe mental illness.

This study examined racial differences among male outpatients with severe mental illness on therapeutic support, mental health service utilization, and service satisfaction. A total of 530 participants (289 white, 179 black, and 62 of another race) across three large mental health centers (two state funded and one federally funded) in Connecticut were examined cross-sectionally. No racial differences were found in therapeutic support, and there were essentially no racial differences in service satisfaction. Black clients reported greater use of substance abuse inpatient services than White clients and clients of other racial minorities reported greater use of mental health inpatient services than White clients, but differences were small. These findings suggest there are few racial differences in the reported quality of mental health care and service utilization among male outpatients with severe mental illness. More research is needed on where and under what circumstances health disparities exist.