What is it about?
A large body of literature mostly from Europe has shown racial/ethnic disparities in the use of psychiatric civil commitment where patients of color and particularly Black patients are more likely to be involuntarily hospitalized. This single-site study adds to the literature by showing similar findings in the largest American sample investigated to this point. Further, by controlling for an array clinical and social factors, the study shows that disparities in civil commitment persist independent of factors such as diagnosis and housing status.
Why is it important?
This study highlights an issue which should be of significant concern to the psychiatric community -- racial/ethnic inequities in the use of coercive measures. Further, our work begins to clarify some of the factors that mediate these inequities, though there remains much work to be done in this area.