The factors associated with length of stay on acute care psychiatry inpatient units in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

• Main Author: Jones-Hiscock, Cherie
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2003
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/10753/; https://research.library.mun.ca/10753/1/JonesHiscock_Cherie.pdf

Background: In St. John's, Newfoundland there are three tertiary care institutions that provide acute inpatient psychiatry services. To date, the factors associated with increased length of stay, in these institutions, has not been systematically studied. -- Some of the psychiatrists who admit patients to these facilities have speculated that the length of stay and the distribution of the factors associated with length of stay varies across the inpatient psychiatric facilities in the city. The accuracy of their opinions has not been examined previously. -- Objectives: Length of stay on acute care hospital units is influenced by many factors such as patient demographics, diagnosis, treatment regime and attitudes of the attending physician. This study has three objectives: 1) to identify the factors associated with length of stay on the acute admission wards in St. John's, Newfoundland, 2) to assess the accuracy of the psychiatrists' opinions that length of stay differs significantly among the three psychiatric institutions in St. John's and 3) to assess the accuracy of the psychiatrist's opinions with respect to the factors that impact on length of stay in St. John's, Newfoundland. -- Method: A chart review was conducted to measure length of stay by institution and to determine which factors were associated with length of stay for inpatient psychiatry units in St. John's. The data represents patients discharged from hospital between April and June 1997 inclusive. The patients were above 19 years of age, were discharged from an acute care inpatient unit during the study period, and had no other admissions during the thirty days prior to the admission or within 30 days of the discharge. Fourteen variables were examined for a potential association with length of stay. Regression analysis was used to identify significant associations between patient, illness and treatment related factors and length of stay. -- Data from the chart review was also used to assess the accuracy of the psychiatrists' opinion that length of ...