Use and costs of public-sector behavioral health services for african-american and white women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify differences between African-American and white women in the use of behavioral health services and factors associated with these differences.

Methods: In one large public behavioral health system, data on demographic characteristics, financial resources, clinical disorders, service use patterns, and costs of care were analyzed for 10,905 African-American and 19,069 white women between the ages of 18 and 59 years who received behavioral health services in 1997.

Results: The African-American women were more likely to be older, never married, unemployed, and eligible for Medicaid and to have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder or a substance use disorder.