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Outcome of admission to a medium secure psychiatric unit

2. Role of ethnic origin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

A. Maden ,
C. Friendship ,
T. McClintock  and
S. Rutter
A. Maden*
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
C. Friendship
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
T. McClintock
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
S. Rutter
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
Dr Anthony Maden, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
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Abstract

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.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 175 , Issue 4 , October 1999 , pp. 317 - 321
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

†

See pp. 313–316, this issue.

Declaration of interest

The project was funded by a grant from the Department of Health.

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