COMPARISON OF ASIAN AND ENGLISH NONATTENDERS AT A HOSPITAL OUTPATIENTDEPARTMENT

Failure to attend the outpatient department for a clinic appointment w as studied separately among white (English) and Asian patients, with p articular emphasis on the reasons for non-attendance among the Muslims . Overall, Asian patients Bailed to attend more than the English ones (p<0.001). (Follow up) and new Asian patients had significantly higher Fates of nonattendance than follow up and new English patients (p<0.0 01 hi both cases respectively). Muslim boys defaulted more than Muslim girls (p<0.001), but no such difference was noted among Sikhs, Hindus , or English patients. During the study period (January-December 1995) nearly half (47%) the Muslims did not attend due to religious reasons (for example, fasting during the month of Ramadan), communication dif ficulties, and the child being on holiday abroad. Failure to attend th e outpatient department is significantly higher; for ward generated ou tpatient appointments compared with appointments after previous outpat ient attendance for the English and the Asians (p<0.001 and p<0.001 re spectively). Recommendations for improving outpatient attendance are m ade for Muslim patients in the hope that these principles can be extra polated to other ethnic minority groups.