Factors associated with length of stay for psychiatric eating disorders unit admissions

ObjectiveEating disorders impact both physical and mental wellbeing, and detecting populations who may need longer inpatient treatment is important for resource allocation and treatment planning. This study aimed to determine demographic and clinical factors associated with increased admission duration for inpatients at Eating Disorders Unit (EDU) in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.MethodsRetrospective review of patient files was undertaken for inpatients aged 18-65 years with an eating disorder who resided within the Body Image & Eating Disorders Treatment & Recovery Service (BETRS) catchment area and were admitted between 01/01/21 and 30/10/23. Chi-Square Test of Independence, Pearson Correlation, and multinominal logistics regression were used, and only index admissions were included for statistical analysis.ResultsIn total, 177 inpatient admissions from 130 participants met inclusion criteria. The average admission length was 22.0 ± 10.8 days. Increased admission length was significantly positively associated with emergency medical reviews (p < .001) and medical transfers (p = .003).ConclusionIntensive medical monitoring and management for eating disorder presentations are vital within the psychiatry setting. These findings reinforce the significance of proactively and pre-emptively addressing the physical health needs within a collaborative eating disorders psychiatric service. Early screening and intervention for medical complications may mitigate prolonged hospitalizations.