title: Faith-Based Hospitals and Variation in Psychiatric Inpatient Length of Stay in California, 2002-2011.
abstract: We examined current treatment patterns at faith-based hospitals. Psychiatric discharges from all community-based hospitals in California were obtained for 2002-2011 and a Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization approach used to study hospital religious affiliation and length of stay (LOS). During 10 years there were 1,976,893 psychiatric inpatient discharges, of which 14.3% were from faith-based nonprofit hospitals (eighteen Catholic, seven Seventh-day Adventist, and one Jewish hospital). Modest differences in patient characteristics and shorter LOS (7.5 vs. 8.3 days) were observed between faith-based and other hospitals. Multivariable negative binomial regression found shorter LOS at faith-based nonprofit hospitals (coefficient = -0.1169, p < 0.001, Wald χ (2) = 55) and greater LOS at all nonprofits (coefficient = 1.5909, p < 0.001, Wald χ (2) = 2755) as compared to local government-controlled hospitals. Faith-based hospitals provide a substantial and consistent amount of psychiatric care in California and may have slightly lower LOS after adjusting for patient and other hospital characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Loma Linda University School of Public Health, 24951 North Circle Drive, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA. jbanta@llu.edu.
authors.forename: Jim E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9717-7683
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Banta
authors.affiliation: California Baptist University, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ogbochi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: McKinney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization; Faith-based hospital; Inpatient length of stay; Psychiatric inpatient services