Differences in the primary care management of patients with psychosis from two ethnic groups: a population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Ethnicity is an important dimension in many aspects of psychosis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate ethnic differences in the primary care management of patients with psychosis.

METHODS

Data were obtained from Lambeth DataNet, a database of computerized general practice case records derived from practices in an inner city London borough. We undertook a cross-sectional survey of patients with psychosis.

OUTCOME MEASURES: health screening, chronic disease management and prescribing data and differences between ethnic groups were expressed as odds ratios (ORs).

RESULTS

One thousand six hundred and ninety-four of 165,911 (1.02%) registered patients had a diagnosis of psychosis; 1090 (64%) had ethnicity recorded; 501 were White and 403 were Black or Black British. There were no significant ethnic differences for blood pressure, cholesterol or HbA1c monitoring or control; cervical or mammography screening; treatment with hypotensives, statins, antidepressants, lithium, antipsychotics or atypical antipsychotics. Depot injectable antipsychotics were more likely to be prescribed to Black patients than other delivery modes: OR 2.10 (95% CI: 1.20-3.67).

CONCLUSIONS

Measurable aspects of physical health care of patients with psychosis were similar, regardless of ethnicity. Increased use of the depot antipsychotic medication in black patients needs further exploration.