An Evaluation of Racial and Ethnic Health Differences in State Mental Health Inpatient Services: 2002-2005 Versus 2010-2011.

Abstract

This study analyzed racial-ethnic differences previously documented in the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services mental health inpatient system across two time periods (2002-2005 and 2010-2011). Comparisons of logistic regression analyses from the two time periods showed that, at time 1, significant racial-ethnic differences were found for referral by other sources (e.g., outpatient), length of stay, discharge against medical advice, and some diagnostic differences (e.g., schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, cluster B discharge diagnosis), but these differences were not significant at time 2. Other diagnostic differences remained significant at time 2 (e.g., mood disorders, substance use disorders, other axis I disorders, mental retardation) as well as racial-ethnic differences in self-referral. These results suggest that the multiple national and state cultural competence initiatives between time 1 and time 2 could have resulted in decreases in racial-ethnic differences. Targeted interventions to alleviate the remaining differences are needed.