title: Ethnic and clinical characteristics of a Portuguese psychiatric inpatient population.
abstract: The present study examined the association between ethnicity and clinical characteristics of patients admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit in Portugal. The only ethnicity-related terms routinely recorded in the medical records were "Black" (mainly from the African Portuguese-speaking countries of Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea, Sao Tome and Mozambique) and "White." Black immigrants appeared to be over-represented, comprising 19.6% of inpatients; and were younger and more frequently male when compared with White inpatients. They were more frequently diagnosed with schizophrenia and acute or transient psychosis, and less frequently diagnosed with delusional and personality disorders than White inpatients. These results are consistent with previous studies in the US and UK, and highlight the need for more culturally sensitive care in mental health services.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Psiquiatria, Hospital Fernando Fonseca, Amadora, Portugal. joanaalexandre@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Graça
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology*; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D011174:Portugal; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*