title: Hand preference and length of psychiatric hospital stay by month of admission.
abstract: Length of psychiatric hospital stay is higher for patients admitted in the months of April and May. This effect was strongly associated with handedness and was greatest for left-handers. The duration of hospitalization of left-handed subjects admitted in April and May was, on average, 88.5% longer than for left-handed subjects admitted during any other period. In contrast, length of stay for right-handed patients differed by no more than 16% between any months compared.
authors.affiliation: McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Mirabile
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Teicher
mesh_terms: D007839:Functional Laterality; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons