Diagnostic differences related to age and race of involuntarily committed psychiatric patients.

Diagnostic differences were found in a sample of 273 involuntarily committed psychiatric patients. 161 black patients were more often diagnosed with psychotic disorders than the 112 Caucasian ones, with the 112 white patients being more often diagnosed with an affective disorder than the 161 black patients. Personality disorders were less frequently diagnosed in 110 older than in the 163 younger patients.