Singh, Swaran P., Greenwood, Nan, White, Sarah and Churchill, Rachel (2007) Ethnicity and the Mental Health Act 1983. British Journal of Psychiatry, Vol.191 (No.2). pp. 99-105. ISSN 0007-1250

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Abstract

Background Black and minority ethnic (BME) patients are disproportionately detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. There has been no systematic exploration of differences within and between ethnic groups, nor of the explanations put forward for this excess. Aims To systematically review detention and ethnicity, with meta-analyses of detention rates for BME groups, and to explore the explanations offered for ethnic differences in detention rates. Method Literature search and meta-analysis. Explanations offered were categorised, supporting literature was accessed and the strength of the evidence evaluated. Results In all, 49 studies met inclusion criteria; of these, 19 were included in the meta-analyses. Compared with White patients, Black patients were 3.83 times, BME patients 3.35 times and Asian patients 2.06 times more likely to be detained. The most common explanations related to misdiagnosis and discrimination against BME patients, higher incidence of psychosis and differences in illness expression. Many explanations, including that of racism within mental health services, were not supported by clear evidence. Conclusions Although BME status predicts psychiatric detention in the UK, most explanations offered for the excess detention of BME patients are largely unsupported.

Item Type:	Journal Item
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences
Journal or Publication Title:	British Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher:	Royal College of Psychiatrists
ISSN:	0007-1250
Date:	August 2007
Volume:	Vol.191
Number:	No.2
Number of Pages:	9
Page Range:	pp. 99-105
Identification Number:	10.1192/bjp.bp.106.030346
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/31415

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

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