Size and clustering of ethnic groups, and rates of psychiatric admission in England

G. Venkatesan, S. Weich, O. McBride, L Twigg, H Parsons, J Scott, K Bhui, P Keown

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Abstract

Aims and Methods: To compare rates of admission for different types of severemental illness between ethnic groups and to test the hypothesis that larger and moreclustered ethnic groups will have lower admission rates. This is a descriptive study ofroutinely collected data from the NHS in England.Results: There was an eightfold difference in admission rates between ethnicgroups for schizophreniform and mania admissions, and a fivefold variation indepression admissions. On average Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups hadhigher rates of admission for schizophreniform and mania admissions but not fordepression. This increased rate was greatest in teenage years and early adulthood.Larger ethnic group size was associated with lower admission rates. Howevergreater clustering was associated with higher admission rates.Clinical implications: Our findings support the hypothesis that larger ethnic groupshave lower rates of admission. This is a between group comparison rather thanwithin each group. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that more clusteredgroups have lower rates of admission. In fact they suggest the opposite: groups withlow clustering had lower admission rates. The BME population in the UK isincreasing in size and becoming less clustered. Our results suggest that both thesefactors should ameliorate the over-representation of BME groups amongstpsychiatric inpatients. However this over-representation continues and our resultssuggest a possible explanation namely changes in the delivery of mental healthservices, particularly the marked reduction in admissions for depression.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-9
JournalBJPsych Bulletin
Volumen/a
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 19 Feb 2018

Keywords

  • ethnicity
  • psychiatric admission

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