PATIENT, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND TREATMENT FACTORS INFLUENCING PSYCHIATRIC LENGTH OF STAY (ENVIRONMENT, DIAGNOSIS).
Contributors: Virginia Commonwealth University.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 162
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Mental Health.; Health Sciences, Health Care Management.
Description: The purpose of this study was to propose and test a conceptual model of psychiatric length of stay as a function of patient, environmental, and treatment factors. The research design was correlational, cross-sectional design using retrospective data. The study was conducted on two acute care psychiatric units at a state-supported university hospital in a southeastern city. The sample consisted of 202 randomly selected patients who were admitted to either unit. Primary data were collected from reviewing discharged patients' charts. Secondary data were extracted from the Medicus Psychiatric Patient Classification Tool.

This study empirically tested five hypotheses by analysis of variance, correlation, regression, and a linear structural relationship model (LISREL VII). By LISREL confirmatory modeling, two of the five hypotheses were supported. In testing patient factors, functional status as measured by Axis V, DSM III-R was predictive of psychiatric length of stay. In addition, the LISREL confirmatory model revealed that if the patient lived with significant others prior to hospitalization, the patient was more likely to have a shorter length of psychiatric stay than if the patient did not live with significant others. Other variables, not significant in LISREL, but significant in correlational analysis included acuity level as measured by the Medicus Psychiatric Patient Classification Tool, nursing diagnosis, psychiatric diagnosis (Axis I, DSM III-R), and insurance coverage. Variables found not to be statistically significant included: age; gender; employment status; race; Axis II, DSM III-R; marital status; Axis IV, DSM III-R; number of previous psychiatric hospitalizations; a chronic psychiatric diagnosis; and a chronic medical diagnosis.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-04, Section: B, page: 1948.

Thesis (PH.D.)--VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, 1991.

School code: 2383.