Race and the clinical diagnosis of depression in new primary care patients.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to determine whether the effects of new patient status on primary care depression diagnoses differ by patient race.

METHOD

Primary care visits (n=168,482) from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to evaluate main effects of new patient status on depression diagnoses and interactions with race.

RESULTS

Among Whites, approximately 2% of new visits and 3% of return visits resulted in depression diagnoses, whereas among African Americans, these corresponding proportions were 0.5% and 2%, respectively. The lower likelihood of receiving a depression diagnosis during new versus return primary care visits was significantly greater among African Americans than Whites (P=.04).

CONCLUSION

For African American primary care patients, first visits may be a high-risk period for missed diagnoses of depression.