Consultation/liaison psychiatry utilization patterns in different cultural groups

This study examined the effect of cross-cultural factors on psychiatric consultations in a general hospital. Using a retrospective case review, 476 patients receiving a psychiatric consultation were contrasted with 14,620 who did not receive a psychiatric consultation. The rate of psychiatric referral was lower for Hispanics compared with Anglos, blacks, and Asians (p less than 0.001). The reason for requesting psychiatric consultation was also different across the ethnic groups. There were more requests for evaluation of depression and suicide in Hispanics and fewer such requests in blacks. More requests for evaluation of grossly abnormal mental status were found in blacks. The different cultural groups also had differences in psychiatric diagnosis. Hispanics were more frequently diagnosed with an adjustment disorder; blacks were more frequently diagnosed with a primary thought disorder and delirium; and Anglos were more frequently diagnosed with dementia.