In Oregon, "Incompetent to Stand Trial (1ST) Patients" were observed to be
increasing in number, remaining in the hospital longer, and costing more to treat. A
study was designed to investigate variables that could be used to predict their length of
stay at Oregon State Hospital.
Data for thirteen independent variables (gender, age, having an Axis I psychosis
level diagnosis, having an Axis I substance-related diagnosis, having an Axis II
personality disorder diagnosis, evidence of involuntary medications, being on atypical
medications at discharge, number of seclusion and restraint events, number of felony
charges, number of misdemeanor charges, and number of inter-ward transfers) and one
dependent variable (length of stay) were analyzed for 198 1ST patients discharged
from Oregon State Hospital between January, 1999 and December, 2001. Bivariate
correlations for all variables, and length of stay (LOS) means for all levels of each
variable were examined and discussed.
A standard multiple regression analysis was performed. The regression model
accounted for 36.5% (32.7% adjusted) of the variability in (log) LOS. R for regression
was found to be significantly different from zero. Five variables were found to be
significant contributors to explaining the variability in (log) LOS: (square root) number
of inter-ward transfers (16%), gender (5.8%), evidence of involuntary medications
(5.2%), (square root) number of felony charges (2.8%), and (square root) number of
seclusion and restraint events (1.6%). Despite accounting for more variability in LOS
than several previous studies with psychiatric patients, 67.3% of the variability was
unaccounted for by the regression model.
Unstandardized regression coefficients for untransformed variables were
interpreted, revealing that gender, number of inter-ward transfers, and evidence of
involuntary medications significantly predicted the largest increases in LOS.
Recommendations were made for further research related to LOS of 1ST patients. / Graduation date: 2003
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/31823 |
| Date | 02 May 2003 |
| Creators | Ficken, Carl Theodore |
| Contributors | Friedman, Leonard H. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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