The long-stay patient

The characteristics of long-stay patients (defined as those staying more than 6 months) have been studied in a prospective series of 2,405 admissions. 5.6% become long-stay patients and they were more likely to be women, to be readmissions, to have been admitted from an old people's home, to have been non-emergency admissions, or to have been admitted by transfer. Further, they were more likely to have been physically inactive prior to admission, they had a lower average mental test score, and they were less likely to have had a constitutional upset at the time of admission. Subsequent outcome was studied by follow-up of 366 long-stay patients. Discharge rates were closely similar in the sexes, but mortality was significantly higher in men. During the first year of long stay, 14% were discharged to old people's homes and other institutions, 10% to their homes, while 33% of women and 48% of men died in hospital. After a further year only 20% of the original cohort remain in hospital.