The pattern of substance misuse among ethnic minorities in a community drug setting

The objective of this study was to examine the pattern of substance misuse among ethnic minorities compared with British group. A retrospective record reviews all patients assessed by a consultant psychiatrist in 3 years. A hundred and seventy nine patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. 140 Caucasian patients were studied, comprising 119 British, 18 Irish, and 3 other Europeans, 24 Asian patients were studied, and 15 African-Caribbeans. The pattern of substance misuse was evidently different when comparing each ethnic minority with the British group. The Asian sample reported significant high rate of using opiates compared with the British group. The African-Caribbean group reported a significantly high rate of using crack cocaine. The Irish group reported a significantly high rate of using opiates and 100% shared needles when compared with British group. These findings show evidence of different patterns of substance misuse among ethnic minorities. Even among the same race groups e.g. Caucasian, the pattern was different. There is a need for a service oriented towards the ethnic differences in substance misuse.