Predictors of Length of Stay in a Psychiatric Ward Serving Active Duty Military and Civilian Patients

Admission data from 6366 patients on the psychiatry service at Naval Medical Center San Diego were used to form a linear regression model to examine variables that might influence length of stay. Information was available on active duty status, primary diagnosis, age, gender, and marital status. Active duty service, older age, single marital status, and a primary diagnosis of a psychotic or mood disorder were all significantly associated with longer hospital stays. Primary diagnosis of an adjustment or personality disorder was associated with a shorter stay. Taking into account these variables, lengths of stay for active duty personnel averaged 4.00 +/- 0.39 days longer than for equivalent civilian admissions. Although military personnel are generally thought of as a healthy population, psychiatric hospital stays were found to be longer in service members than in their civilian counterparts. Financial repercussions and possible reasons for this are discussed.