To examine how functional, medical and psychosocial factors influence the differences in use of community and residential services by Australian‐born and ethnic aged persons, all persons (n= 31 737) assessed by aged care assessment teams in Queensland in 1992 and 1993 were surveyed. Subjects were classified as Australian‐born, overseas‐born in countries where English is the primary language, or overseas‐born in countries where English is not the primary language. Factors compared included use of services and residential care both prior to assessment and following assessment, and functional, medical and psychosocial factors. The group with non‐English‐speaking background were more likely to be both younger and underreferred compared to their proportion in the community. They were more likely to be referred for, and more likely to be recommended for, nursing home placement than the English‐speaking groups. They were more commonly referred for assessment because of mental deficit problems, carer stress and/or social isolation, more likely to be diagnosed with dementia and diabetes, and less likely to be diagnosed with respiratory disease and vision disorders. That clients of non‐English‐speaking background are more likely to be recommended for nursing home placement is probably largely because of more advanced disease at the time of referral and therefore more functional dependence. Aged care assessment teams should increase ethnic communities' awareness of their services, particularly of the benefits of earlier referral.
