The aim of this literature review is to explore factors that will determine whether race increases the frequency in diagnosis of schizophrenia or not and will look at factors that influence the diagnostic procedures. It will firstly provide the rationale of undertaking literature review.

1.2 Rationale

The researcher’s interest in the topic is personal as a person from Black African background and from her observations during clinical placements. The researcher observed that a high proportion of Black services users had diagnosis of schizophrenia. A day spent on PICU ward made her realise that indeed there was indeed an over presentation of black service users especially males. From the previous numerous studies about the disparities in mental …show more content…
In the UK, the frequency in diagnosis of schizophrenia in Black Caribbean is 6-8 times higher in comparison to the White population (Hickling 2005)
Previous research have indicated that African and Caribbean patients had less desirable route of access to psychiatric services than white patients and often are detained compulsory under the Mental Health Act (1983), (Davies et al 1996) this was confirmed by the Department of Health who also found out that not only were black people more likely to experience compulsory admission rates to hospital, but had greater involvement in legal and forensic settings, and higher rates of transfer to medium and high security facilities than their white counterparts (Department of Health, …show more content…
(See appendix 1) Over the years the unsatisfactory way that the complaints made against the police, of high profile deaths of many African Caribbean men while custody, is reported to have caused the Black community to lose faith in the ability of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) as an independent body, capable of investigating without racial bias.
There is common suggestion by the Black communities that police are openly racists and selectively pick out non-mentally ill black people in the streets and take them to a psychiatric hospital under section 136 of the Mental Health Act as an alternative to arrest. The provision of Section 136 of the Mental Health Act is meant to remove a person from a public place to a place of safety but often they are left feeling criminalised, vulnerable and distressed reinforcing their paranoia (Mind, 2007)
The over presentation of Black people on all types of Mental health Act Sections, not only from police but signed by General Practitioners, psychiatrists and courts would fit in with the conclusion that in a racist society it is left to psychiatry to act as the social moderator of conformity, patrolling the uncomfortable margin between illness and political conflict (Littlewood,