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

Abstract

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.