Life events and perceptions of racism in patients with diagnoses of psychotic illness

ABSTRACT

One hundred and forty nine patients (35 white 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. Patients were interviewed at recruitment into the study (baseline), 12 months later (Year 1) and 24 months after recruitment (Year 2). All patients were administered a Racial Life Event Questionnaire (RLEQ) as part of their assessment. The RLEQ lists 72 events divided into twelve sections covering different areas of life, eg. financial, health, employment. Each event was read aloud to the patient and s/he was asked to indicate whether they had experienced the event in the last three months. At the end of each section if the patients had responded positively to an event having occurred, they were asked whether they believed their ethnicity played a part in the occurrence of the event, ie. whether the event happened because of racial prejudice or discrimination. Results indicate that at baseline non-white and non-British patients believed assault, and housing events were significantly related to racial prejudice and at Year 1 assault and financial events were significantly related to racial prejudices. At Year 2 patients were asked whether "generally speaking" they believed members of their ethnic group were discriminated against and likely to have problems in the areas covered. Results indicate that non-white or non-British patients believe people from their own ethnic group are likely to be discriminated against in the areas of finance, assault, health, housing and legal events. (AU)