Race as a factor in the perceived importance of the use of psychotropic medication

The importance of getting medication as a reason for contacting an outpatient psychiatric service was studied from the perspective of white (N = 265) and black (N = 42) patients, together with their white interviewers. Interviewers rated the importance of getting medication as greater among blacks than whites. However, the finding did not seem to reflect difference in patient demography or disturbance, nor did it seem due to racial bias. Largely, it reflected a greater importance ascribed to getting medication by black patients, themselves.