An Evaluation of Racial and Ethnic Health Differences in State Mental Health Inpatient Services: 2002–2005 Versus 2010–2011

This study analyzed racial-ethnic differences previously documented in the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services mental health inpatient system across two time periods (2002–2005 and 2010–2011). Comparisons of logistic regression analyses from the two time periods showed that, at time 1, significant racial-ethnic differences were found for referral by other sources (e.g., outpatient), length of stay, discharge against medical advice, and some diagnostic differences (e.g., schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, cluster B discharge diagnosis), but these differences were not significant at time 2. Other diagnostic differences remained significant at time 2 (e.g., mood disorders, substance use disorders, other axis I disorders, mental retardation) as well as racial-ethnic differences in self-referral. These results suggest that the multiple national and state cultural competence initiatives between time 1 and time 2 could have resulted in decreases in racial-ethnic differences. Targeted interventions to alleviate the remaining differences are needed.