Demographic and clinical characteristics as predictors of length of hospitalization and readmission

✍ Scribed by Patrick H. Munley; Nicholas Devone; Carl M. Einhorn; Ira A. Gash; Leon Hyer; Kenneth C. Kuhn

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1977
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 631 KB
• Volume: 33
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9762
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(197710)33:4<1093::aid-jclp2270330438>3.0.co;2-9

✦ Synopsis

The present study investigated demographic and clinical characteristics of psychiatric patients in relation to the two criterion variables of length of hospitalization and readmission within 3 months of discharge. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified five variables as the optimal set of predictors for length of hospitalization: age, history of commitment, number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations, recent employment history, and past history of suicidal behavior (R = .451). Regression analysis also identified six variables as the optimal set of predictors for readmission within 3 months of discharge: type of discharge, number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations, race, suicide attempt within 1 month prior to admission, subjective report of depression upon admission, and occupational level (R = .452). Implications of the findings for identifying short-term treatment candidates and factors related to readmission are discussed.