INTERRACIAL AND INTRARACIAL DIFFERENCES IN NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS,SOCIODEMOGRAPHY, AND TREATMENT AMONG NURSING-HOME PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA

Using an adaptation of George's (1989) social antecedent model of psyc hopathology, this article examines interracial and intraracial differe nces in neuropsychiatric symptoms, sociodemography, and treatment amon g nursing home patients with dementia. The final sample consisted of 1 64 U.S.-born African Americans, 54 African Caribbeans, and 68 Caucasia ns. Although there were appreciable interracial differences in sociode mographics, there were minimal clinical differences. This finding may reflect both racial differences in pathways to institutionalization an d the homogenization of clinical characteristics created by new govern mental standards for nursing homes. There were no substantial differen ces between African Americans and African Caribbeans. Use of medicatio n to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms was low, and may have reflected d ifficulties in diagnosis and concerns about the abuse of medications.