A new
study published in the August issue of the British Journal
of Psychiatry concludes that the quality of antipsychotic
prescribing is no worse for black patients than for white
patients.
In the past, there have been suggestions of
institutional racism in UK mental health services. Several studies,
mainly American, indicate that black patients are more likely than
white patients to receive high doses of antipsychotics and depot
formulations (medication designed for gradual release in a
patient’s body over a period of weeks or months, thus removing the
need for a daily dose), and less likely to be treated with atypical
(or newer) antipsychotics.
In this study, researchers surveyed the
prescribing of antipsychotics for 255 in-patients in three south
London mental health trusts. 152 of the patients were white, and
103 were black. Mixed-race patients were excluded.
The study showed that prescribing quality was
similar for black and white patients. The median dose of
antipsychotic (percentage of licensed dose) was 58.3% for white
patients and 50.0% for black patients. High dose antipsychotics
were prescribed to 15.1% of white and 11.7% of black patients.
Antipsychotic polypharmacy (the taking of many antipsychotic drugs
at the same time) was recorded for 25.7% of white patients and
31.1% of black patients.
The researchers therefore concluded that
ethnicity was not significantly associated with dose of
antipsychotic, the prescribing of high-dose antipsychotics or the
use of atypical antipsychotics.
These findings are in contrast to studies
which suggest a higher likelihood of higher-dose prescribing in
black patients and a lower use of atypical drugs.
For further information, please contact Liz Fox or Deborah
Hart in the Communications Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127
References:
Connolly A and Taylor D (2008) Ethnicity and quality of antipsychotic prescribing among in-patients in south London, British Journal of Psychiatry, 193: 161-162