Race not a factor

Race did not affect the quality of psychiatric care or clinical outcomes in a study of white and African-American patients who were homeless and mentally ill. The study, reported in the October issue of Psychiatric Services, also showed that the race of case managers made no difference, said author Robert A. Rosenheck, M.D., HS ’77, professor of psychiatry and public health. The findings depart from those of other studies showing that non-whites may have less access to medical care or poorer outcomes than white patients. “It is difficult to generalize from these findings to other areas of health care,” Rosenheck said. “The kinds of people who work with the homeless are generally those who have a special commitment to fairness and social justice, so these results don’t necessarily translate elsewhere.”