title: Racial effects on the clinical presentation of alcoholics at a psychiatric hospital.
abstract: Despite the clinical importance of race effects on comorbidity and symptom patterns in recent community studies, little is known about such effects in various treatment facilities. This study evaluated the effect of race on the clinical profile of 604 alcoholics who presented for initial evaluation and treatment at a psychiatric hospital. The factor that most strongly distinguished the racial groups was socioeconomic status (SES). After controlling for SES and other factors, no significant difference was noted between ethnic groups in the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) or antisocial personality disorder. However, after controlling for SES and other factors, alcohol and drug use were more severe in African-American alcoholics, along with four symptoms associated with alcohol and drug use. In contrast, reversed neurovegetative symptoms, anxiety-related symptoms, and some personality-related symptoms were more severe in white alcoholics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cornelius
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fabrega
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cornelius
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mezzich
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Maher
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Salloum
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Thase
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Ulrich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*