Factors Associated with the Length of First Time Hospitalization in a Referral Psychiatric Hospital in North of Iran

Background: Length of hospitalization is an important indicator for optimal management and to reduce and save the costs. Objective: Considering the limited hospital capacity as a referral center for psychiatric patients, the high prevalence of the disease, and the high expense of the treatment, this study aimed to identify the factors associated with psychiatric patients’ length of hospitalization. Methods: The data were obtained from the records of all patients hospitalized for the first time since the April 2007 to the March 2012. The data collection tool was a checklist comprising of demographic variables, variables related to the socioeconomic status, psychiatric disorders, and the related variables such as length of hospitalization and a previous history. Results: In the present study, 2397 (72.8% males and 27.2% females) medical documentations were investigated. Median length of stay was 25 days. Using the Cox model, the variables including age, educational level, material status, employment, the insurance status, the history of hospitalization at psychiatric center, type of treatment and disorder, duration of disorder, the referral source , and hospitalization during religious months (Ramadan and Muharram) and agricultural seasons had a significant relationship with the length of hospitalization (P value < 0.05). Conclusions: The patients with anxiety disorders and substance dependence and also patients with the comorbid anxiety disorders and substance dependence had a higher hospitalization length than patients with psychotic disorders. Substance dependence and variables such as insurance status had a significant relationship with the length of hospitalization. In patients with the comorbid substance dependence and anxiety disorders, women had a longer length of hospitalization.