The influence of the patients' ethnicity, socio-demographic conditions and strain on psychiatric diagnoses given at an outpatient clinic

Although psychiatric diagnoses are influenced by cultural and social conditions, with large global variations, the ICD and DSM systems are applied worldwide. The aims of this study were to describe the distribution of different ethnic patient groups in psychiatric outpatient services and the influence of ethnicity, demographic conditions and social strain on psychiatric diagnoses. An entire year's cohort of psychiatric outpatients (n =839) in an outpatient register was divided into nine groups, according to country of birth. The proportion of each group in the outpatient population was compared with its corresponding proportion in the catchment area. In order to examine the relationship between socio-demographic variables and strain on the one hand, and DSM-III-R diagnoses on the other, stepwise logistic regression analyses were carried out. Swedes were the only group under-represented as outpatients (P <0.001). Africans ran a higher risk (OR =5.55, 95% CI =2.56-12.04) than other ethnic groups of receiving a diagnosis of psychotic disorder - except schizophrenia - and Greek patients were more likely to receive a diagnosis of somatoform disorder (OR =8.81, 95% CI =4.41-17.59). Swedes were twice as likely to receive a diagnosis of personality disorder (OR =2.16, 95% Cl =1.55-3.15). Schizophrenia was related to male gender (OR =1.75, 95% CI =1.04-2.94) and affective disorders to age >40 years (OR =1.71, 95% CI =1.22-2.40). Ethnicity has a strong impact on how diagnoses are given in cross-cultural settings. We could not confirm earlier findings of under-representation of ethnic minorities in outpatient services.