Relationship Between the Duration of Hospitalization and Readmission Status in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Saudi Arabian Cohort Study

Introduction

The readmission of individuals with schizophrenia to inpatient care poses a significant challenge for health practitioners, as this tendency has a culminating effect on the patients and their families. The duration of hospitalization of a patient with schizophrenia in a hospital or mental health facility poses a significant burden on mental healthcare systems. This study aimed to assess the length of stay of patients with schizophrenia in a mental health facility. The relationship between the duration of hospitalization and risk of readmission for these patients was assessed with respect to the sociodemographic endpoints.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included 145 individuals who were admitted to the Eradah Mental Health Complex in Jeddah from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018.

Results

The present study revealed that 84.8% of the sample comprised male participants. Moreover, only 5.5% of the patients were employed, with a larger proportion being unemployed. Among the total admitted patients, 36.6% were readmitted within a year, and the average length of stay was 49.1 days. Importantly, there was no discernible relationship between the readmission status and length of stay in the present study.

Conclusion

The current study suggested that enhancing the transition from inpatient psychiatric care to outpatient care may result in positive disease outcomes, which may possess clinical implications for reducing the length of hospitalization of patients. This can culminate in reducing the burden of disease on the patients, their families, and ultimately, the healthcare system.