Characteristics of inpatients with a history of recurrent psychiatric hospitalizations: a matched-control study.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the association between patient characteristics and inpatient hospitalization among patients with a history of recurrent psychiatric hospitalizations (two or more hospitalizations in the 18 months before the index hospitalization) (N=75) and patients without such a history (N=75).


METHODS
Characteristics at the time of the index hospitalization and 48-month inpatient utilization rates (24 months before and 24 months after the index hospitalization) were extracted from medical records. Backwards stepwise regression models were used to identify characteristics independently associated with inpatient utilization.


RESULTS
Psychotic disorder and unemployment at the time of index hospitalization were independently associated with higher inpatient utilization over the 48 months. Only the number of hospitalizations in the prior 24 months predicted the number of readmissions after the index hospitalization.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychosis and unemployment seem to have an independent effect on the number of hospitalizations.
Schmutte
Timothy
T
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Dunn
Christine
C
Sledge
William
W
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003237:Connecticut; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data