This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Related articles in BJP
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tolmac, J.
Right arrow Articles by Hodes, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tolmac, J.
Right arrow Articles by Hodes, M.
The British Journal of Psychiatry (2004) 184: 428-431
© 2004 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Ethnic variation among adolescent psychiatric in-patients with psychotic disorders

Jovanka Tolmac, MD and Matthew Hodes, PhD

Academic Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Imperial College London

Correspondence: Dr Matthew Hodes, Academic Unit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Imperial College London, St Mary’s Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG. Tel: +44 (0)20 7886 1145; Fax: +44 (0)20 7886 6299; e-mail: m.hodes{at}imperial.ac.uk

Declaration of interest The study was funded by a grant from The Health Foundation.

Background There is strong evidence that the rates of psychiatric admission for psychosis in the UK are elevated for the Black adult population compared with the White population. Black adults also have a higher rate of involuntary psychiatric admissions. There have been no studies in this country investigating links between ethnic background and psychiatric admission in the adolescent population.

Aims To investigate whether Black compared with White adolescents from London are overrepresented in psychiatric in-patient settings and whether they are more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Method Cross-sectional survey of London adolescents aged 13–17 years, who were in-patients in psychiatric units.

Results Adolescents from the Black group (Black African, Black Caribbean, Black British) were overrepresented among those admitted with a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder when compared with adolescents from the White group (White British, White Irish, White Other): odds ratio=3.7, 95% CI 2.0–6.7. They were also more likely to be detained on admission and more likely to be born outside the UK and more likely to be born outside the UK and have refugee background.

Conclusions The possible impact of various background factors influencing admission is discussed.


Related articles in BJP:

Highlights of this issue

BJP 2004 184: 379-a19. [Full Text]  

Peter Tyrer
BJP 2004 184: 464. [Full Text]  



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Clin Child Psychol PsychiatryHome page
M. Hodes and J. Tolmac
Severely Impaired Young Refugees
Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, April 1, 2005; 10(2): 251 - 261.
[Abstract] [PDF]