Preferences for same race and same sex mental health workers in patients with diagnoses of psychotic illness

ABSTRACT

One hundred and forty nine patients (35 British, 114 non-white or non-British) with at least a two year history of psychotic illness, were recruited into a project designed to compare different levels of community care interventions. At recruitment into the study patients were allocated a case manager. Twelve months after recruitment patients were asked whether they had a preference for same race case managers and same race psychiatrists. Patients were also asked whether they had a preference for same sex case managers and same sex psychiatrists. Results indicate that 25.3 percent of the white British group have a preference for same race case managers, and 25.8 percent of the non-white or non-British group have a preference for same race case manager. When the non-white or non-British group is broken down it appears that second generation African-Caribbean patients are more likely than other ethnic groups to express a preference for same race case manager (p=.046). Results also indicate that 25 percent of the non-white or non-British sample have a preference for same race psychiatrist, this however, did not reach statistical significance. Although there was a trend for patients to express a preference for female case managers, this also did not reach statistical significance. Results will be discussed in terms of implications for service provision.(AU)