Pathways of low-income minority patients to outpatient psychiatric treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Low-income outpatients with scheduled appointments ("scheduled patients") were compared with those who sought treatment without appointments ("walk-ins").


METHODS
The charts of scheduled patients and walk-ins at an outpatient mental health clinic serving a low-income group were reviewed to determine sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and patients' pathways to treatment.


RESULTS
Walk-ins (N=241) outnumbered scheduled patients (N=141). The two groups differed significantly in type of presenting complaint and source of referral. A higher proportion of walk-ins sought help with social relationships, while more scheduled patients had complaints involving social performance. Self-referrals were more common among the scheduled patients, and family members were more likely to have motivated the walk-ins.


CONCLUSIONS
The two groups have more in common than might be expected. Scheduled patients are probably more motivated to seek treatment and therefore more likely to initiate appointments. Walk-ins appear to postpone asking for help until their families urge them to do so.
College of Business Administration, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA.
Heidi
H
Boerstler
John M
JM
de Figueiredo
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation