title: Demographic and clinical characteristics as predictors of length of hospitalization and readmission.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D004651:Employment; D005006:Ethnicity; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted