RESEARCH ARTICLE
The Role of Family Variables in the Length of Stay of Psychiatric In-patients
Satoko Yoneyama1, 2, 3, *, Yudo Makita1, Keiko Miyazu1, Kazuhiko Katsukawa1, Eiichi Yoneyama1, Shinji Masuda1, Yukiko Nakajima1, Yasuhiro Kawasaki2, Kenji Miyazu1
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2016Volume: 12
First Page: 87
Last Page: 93
Publisher ID: CPEMH-12-87
DOI: 10.2174/1745017901612010087
Article History:
Received Date: 26/02/2016Revision Received Date: 08/09/2016
Acceptance Date: 16/09/2016
Electronic publication date: 31/10/2016
Collection year: 2016
open-access license: This is an open access articles licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International Public License (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode), which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background:
In Japan, the number of beds and average length of stay in a psychiatric ward are greater than in other developed countries.
Objective:
The present study aimed to investigate the association between family variables and the length of stay of patients with mental and behavioural disorders in a private psychiatric hospital in Japan.
Methods:
The medical records of patients discharged during a one-year period (n=56: men 50.0% excepting 27 patients discharged due to death were re-examined regarding age, laundry type (self-washing of clothes, family washing or supplier washing), number of family visits per one month while hospitalised, and family structure prior to hospitalisation. A length of stay greater than six months was considered the cut-off point for a long hospital stay. Bivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors independently associated with the length of stay, adjusted for sex, age, and mental and/or behavioural disorders according to the criteria of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems.
Results:
The bivariate-adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for in-patients hospitalised for more than six months was 0.08 (0.01, 0.48) for those who used family washing (p = 0.006) compared with those who used supplier washing. The number of visits per month and family structures before hospitalisation were not significantly associated.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that within a private psychiatric hospital in Japan, family washing is associated with shortened stays and frequency of family visits, while family structure is not associated with these factors.
