Factors Associated with Length of Stay in Psychiatric Inpatient Services in London, UK

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify factors associated with lengthy stays in psychiatric hospital in a UK mental health trust. A multiple regression using a multiple imputation method to deal with missing data was performed on inpatient admissions data over a four-year period for 7653 individuals. Factors associated with a longer length of stay included gender (being male), ethnicity (being Asian/Asian British, Black/Black British, or having a mixed background compared to being White/White British), accommodation status (being homeless, or in accommodation with support), primary diagnostic group of psychosis (F20-29), and number of care coordinators. Marital status was not found to be associated with length of stay in this sample. Length of stay is likely to be multifactorially determined, and more similar studies examining factors associated with length of hospital stay are needed to understand the operation of psychiatric services.

Patient and Service-Level Factors Affecting Length of Inpatient Stay in an Acute Mental Health Service: A Retrospective Case Cohort Study

“…Unlike other studies, we did not nd an association between homelessness and length of stay [13,14] but we did nd a similarly signi cant impact of the requirement for referral to accommodation on discharge. In keeping with the con icting data surrounding age and length of stay, we were unable to demonstrate any signi cant association [12] .…”

Length of Stay of Psychiatric Admissions in a Tertiary Care Hospital

“…3 Newman et al also reported having diagnosis of psychosis, being male and unemployed/retired were associated with longer LoS compared to reference groups. 17 Presence of medical co-morbidity not only demands for better co-ordination among different treating teams but also hinders in more aggressive in-patient treatment as these patients are likely to have more side effects with psychotropics. They are also more likely to have more severe illness.…”

Die psychiatrische Intensivstation an einer Klinik der Supramaximalversorgung – Analyse der Behandlungsvariablen aus der Therapie Psychiatrischer und Komorbider Somatischer Erkrankungen

“…Die durchschnittliche Verweildauer liegt beim untersuchten Patientenkollektiv bei 63 Tagen. In der Literatur finden sich für psychiatrische Behandlungen Angaben zwischen 19 [12] bis 24 [13] Der Befund, dass Patienten mit somatischen Komorbiditäten eine im Schnitt um 2,4 Wochen kürzere stationäre Behandlungsdauer aufwiesen, verwundert zunächst, da man davon ausgehen könnte, dass körperliche Begleiterkrankungen stationäre psychiatrische Behandlungen grundsätzlich erschweren und somit verlängern. Patienten mit einer überwiegend auf ein körperliches Problem fokussierten Behandlung mussten jedoch oft nur zeitlich begrenzt auf der psychiatrischen Intensivstation verbleiben und wurden auch häufig (42% aller Patienten mit somatischen Komorbiditäten) an nachgeordnete somatische therapeutische Einrichtungen weiterverlegt, sodass hier die psychiatrische Behandlung gegenüber der Akuttherapie der körperlichen Problematik zurückstehen musste.…”