Length of hospital stay and health services use of medical inpatients with comorbid noncognitive mental disorders: a review of the literature

Abstract

We reviewed 23 studies on the association between noncognitive mental disorders and the use of general health care services by medical patients admitted to a general hospital. Only studies with a prospective design and with a correction for possible confounding factors were included. In most studies, only service use during index admission was observed, but eight studies included a longer observation period during follow-up after hospital discharge. The 15 studies that were restricted to service use during index admission showed mixed results: length of hospital stay was related to common mental disorders in some studies, but other studies did not find such an association. The eight studies that used a longer observation period showed findings that are more consistent. They demonstrated mainly that symptoms or complaints of depression are related to a higher resource use within general medical services.