Emergency psychiatry, compulsory admissions and clinical presentation among immigrants to the Netherlands.
BACKGROUND
Black individuals in the UK have higher rates of contact with psychiatric emergency services than their White counterparts. It is unknown whether this is also the case in other European countries.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the risk of contact with psychiatric emergency services and of compulsory admission between immigrant groups to The Netherlands and Dutch natives, and to determine the unique contribution of ethnicity to compulsory admission.


METHODS
Study of 720 people referred to emergency psychiatric services in Greater Rotterdam, The Netherlands.


RESULTS
The relative risks (RRs) for contacts with psychiatric emergency services, for having a psychotic disorder and for compulsory admission were significantly higher in most immigrant groups. Moroccans, Surinamese and Dutch Antilleans had the highest risks of compulsory admission. After controlling for symptom severity, danger, motivation for treatment and level of social functioning, non-Western origin was no longer associated with compulsory admission.


CONCLUSIONS
Non-Western immigrant groups were overrepresented in psychiatric emergency care and were admitted compulsorily more frequently, possibly owing to a different clinical presentation.
Mental Health Group Europoort, PO Box 245, 2990 AE Barendrecht, The Netherlands. niels.clmulder@wxs.nl
Cornelis L
CL
Mulder
Gerrit T
GT
Koopmans
Jean-Paul
JP
Selten
D000328:Adult; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors