Predicting Short Versus Long Hospital Stay for Navy Personnel with a Diagnosed Mental Health Problem: A Replication
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between mental health diagnosis (psychotic and nonpsychotic), certain hospital factors (i.e., year of hospitalization, direct versus transfer admission, first versus multiple admission) and length of hospital stay for active duty, enlisted Navy personnel. The sample (N=30,340) consisted of all hospitalized cases of active duty, enlisted Navy personnel between 1981 and 1984, inclusive, with a mental health problem as the primary diagnosis. A small percentage of mental health problem cases accounted for a disproportionate number of total hospital days, and longer hospital stays were associated with psychotic diagnoses, Air Force, Army, or Navy medical transfers, and recent years of hospitalization. Nonpsychotic cases, direct admissions, and first admissions were more likely to indicate longer hospital stays during the second two-year period of the study than the first two-year period of the study. It was concluded that hospital policies can increase or decrease hospital costs and that different hospital practices or rules apply to nonpsychotic versus psychotic cases. Keywords: Mental problems; Diagnosis medicine; Length of hospital stay.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA204024
Entities
People
- Brock Kilbourne
- Jerry Goodman
- Susan M. Hilton
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center