Prevalence and predictors of rehospitalization in youth depression patients: A 10-year longitudinal study

Depression affects approximately one in ten children and adolescents, with severe cases often requiring full or partial hospitalization. Despite the effectiveness of these treatments, about one third of the patients are readmitted after release, highlighting the need to identify predictors of rehospitalization. This study examined demographic, clinical, biological, and treatment-related factors in 1,114 depression patients aged 8 to 18 years admitted to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University Hospital of Tübingen between 2014 and 2024. Cox regression analyses revealed that symptom severity, presence of psychotic symptoms, antidepressant medication use, and crisis ward admission significantly increased the risk of rehospitalization. Notably, immune markers such as C-reactive protein and white blood cell counts were not associated with rehospitalization risk. These findings suggest that clinical severity and specific treatment factors are critical in predicting rehospitalization, underscoring the importance of comprehensive discharge planning to reduce readmission rates and improve patient outcomes.