Racial patterns in liaison psychiatry.

A study of 362 consecutive psychiatric referals from the general medical and surgical wards of a university hospital serving a large nonwhite community revealed an association between provision of active liaison and a higher rate of referral for whites than nonwhites. Once referral was made, however, there was no evidence of substantial bias in the consultation process with regard to reason for referral, diagnosis, or recommendations. The findings suggest the need for more systematic studies of need and demand for psychiatric care among nonpsychiatric inpatients, with special emphasis on racial patterns.