Clinical, Social, and Service Use Characteristics of Fuzhounese Undocumented Immigrant Patients

This study was a chart review and clinician survey of social, clinical, and service use characteristics among all Fuzhounese patients at a mental health clinic in New York's Chinatown from 1998 through 2000. Of a total of 216 clinic patients, 63 (29 percent) were Fuzhounese, and 32 (51 percent) of them were undocumented immigrants. This group, relative to comparison groups of 31 documented Fuzhounese patients and 62 documented non-Fuzhounese Chinese patients, had higher rates of hospitalization and rehospitalization, lower treatment compliance and insight into illness, and many social disadvantages, indicating a strong association between undocumented status and poorer mental health outcome. The authors suggest potential changes in treatment and health policy.