Background. We wanted to identify patient characteristics among non-western immigrants who received treatment at an outpatient psychiatric clinic in Oslo, and to compare their utilization pattern with that of ethnic Norwegian patients. Material and methods. The sample consisted of all the patients who received treatment at Tøyen outpatient psychiatric clinic (N=1095). Demographic characteristics, variables connected to clinical status and non-western immigrants' use of the services were compared with corresponding information for ethnic Norwegians. Severity of symptoms was measured with the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) rating scale. In addition, gender, ethnic background and self-reported mental health of the patients (data from the HUBRO-study) were compared with that for the total population in the clinic's catchment area. Results and interpretation. Average age, severity of symptoms, and number of treatment sessions were similar in the ethnic groups. The proportion of immigrant patients treated in the clinic was higher than the proportion living in the clinic's catchment area. However, if the different ethnic groups' use of psychiatric services is compared to their self-reported psychiatric symptoms, the results indicate that non-western immigrants use out-patient psychiatric services less than should be expected. © Opphavsrett Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening.

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refugee mental health service Norway psychological aspect sex ratio human Refugees statistics comparative study ethnology Mental Disorders mental disease Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female Community Mental Health Services Article migration Sex Distribution Utilization Review