The Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry–length of in‐patient stay

Abstract

øiesvold T, Saarento O, Sytema S, Christiansen L, Göstas G, Lönnerberg O, Muus S, Sandlund M, Hansson L. The Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry — length of in-patient stay. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1999: 100: 220–228. © Munksgaard 1999. Objective: Length of stay (LOS) of ‘first’ in-patient episodes was investigated in this study, which is part of the Nordic Comparative Study on Sectorized Psychiatry. Method: A total of 837 consecutive ‘new’ patients (not in contact with the psychiatric services for at least 18 months) admitted as in-patients during a period of 1 year to seven psychiatric hospitals in four Nordic countries were included. Results: Survival analyses showed considerable differences in LOS between the hospitals, and the factors analysed in this study could not explain this variance. Older age, being female, having no children at home, psychosis, planned admission and out-patient contacts were all associated with increased LOS. Conclusion: Stratifying on gender, diagnostic group and hospital revealed a general pattern of associations except for age.