[Predictors of treatment duration for inpatients with mental disorders--a systematic literature review].
OBJECTIVE
In a systematic literature review we examined patient-related predictors of inpatient treatment duration for mental disorders.


METHODS
The databases Medline, Embase, Psyndex, PsycINFO and EBMR were systematically reviewed for studies in the years 1990-2009 regarding treatment duration of inpatients with ICD-10 diagnoses F3-F6. Also, their methodological quality was evaluated.


RESULTS
Twenty-one studies examining 28 predictors (sociodemographic, clinical) were included. Longer treatment durations were found for patients living alone and with higher levels of initial symptom severity, duration of mental disorder, number of previous treatments, work absenteeism, and comorbidity. Obsessive-compulsive, eating and personality disorders were treated longer than depressive, anxiety, somatoform, and adjustment disorders. Results for age, gender, education, and profession were inconsistent.


CONCLUSIONS
The studies included heterogeneous analyses, treatments, and patients. Despite their sufficient methodical quality, these results are only tentative.
Dipl.-Psych. Hanne Melchior, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institut und Poliklinik fürMedizinische Psychologie, W26, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg. h.melchior@uke.de
Hanne
H
Melchior
Anika
A
Hergert
Kerstin
K
Hofreuter-Gätgens
Corinna
C
Bergelt
Matthias
M
Morfeld
Holger
H
Schulz
Uwe
U
Koch
Birgit
B
Watzke
D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*