ABSTRACT
The physicians’ interpretation of the symptomatology of a patient’s illness can affect not only the assignment of the psychiatric diagnosis but also the prescribing of psychotropic medications. Nearly all reports on the possible biological differences in response to psychotropic medications have been comparisons between Asian and white patients. During admission to the psychiatric hospital, 99% of the patients were prescribed psychotropic medications. The differences in psychotropic medication use between white and black females during hospitalization were statistically significant for antidepressants, anxiolytics, neuroleptics, sedatives/hypnotics, and anticholinergics. The differences in psychotropic medication use between white and black males were statistically significant for antidepressants, anxiolytics, neuroleptics, lithium, sedatives/hypnotics, and anticholinergics. The differences in psychotropic medication use between white and black schizophrenics prior to admissions were statistically significant for neuroleptics. There were no significant differences in the reported use of psychotropic medications by race for schizophrenics during hospitalization.
