Antidepressant prescribing to Hispanic and non-Hispanic white patients in primary care

OBJECTIVE: TO examine whether there was a difference in the prescribing of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and non-SSRI antidepressant s to Hispanic and non-Hispanic white patients in primary care. METHODS: Twenty-seven family practice and internal medicine resident physic ians and 407 of their Hispanic and non-Hispanic white who were fluent in En glish or Spanish participated in the study. The medical records of all pati ents were reviewed and information about patient diagnoses and antidepressa nt prescriptions was abstracted. Logistic regression was used to-examine wh ether Hispanic ethnicity influenced physician prescribing of SSRI and non-S SRI antidepressants while controlling for other patient characteristics and diagnoses. For patients with a diagnosis of depression, logistic regressio n:was used to:examine whether Hispanic ethnicity influenced whether patient s received antidepressant treatment while controlling for Other patient cha racteristics. RESULTS: Twenty-seven percent of patients received a prescription for one o r more antidepressants. Hispanic and non-Hispanic white patients were equal ly likely to be prescribed SSRI and non-SSRI antidepressant medications. Ha ving a diagnosis of depression and having a diagnosis of chronic pain was s ignificantly correlated with the prescribing of a non-SSRI antidepressant ( p < 0.001; p < 0.01, respectively). Having a diagnosis of depression was si gnificantly correlated with the prescribing of an SSRI antidepressant (p < 0.001). Hispanic and non-Hispanic white patients with a diagnosis of depres sion were equally likely to be prescribed antidepressant treatment. Patient s with a diagnosis of depression in the general medicine clinic were signif icantly less likely to receive antidepressant therapy than patients in the family practice clinic., CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic ethnicity did not influence antidepressant prescribin g. Future research in other settings is needed to:further determine whether Hispanic ethnicity influences antidepressant prescribing.