Study of sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting duration of stay of Child and Adolescent patients admitted in Child and Adolescents Psychiatry unit of a tertiary care center in India

Background :Need is to identify psychiatric illnesses at the earliest and to effectively manage them not only because they have significant impact on the long term development of the child or adolescent but also because first onset of mental disorders usually occurs before 18 years of age. Child and adolescent specialized psychiatric units are now gradually on increase improving quality of care particularly inpatient care. The present study gains insight about inpatient admissions (Hospitalization) of children and adolescents i.e. factors affecting duration of stay in inpatient wards.Methods :Our sample included past treatment record of all patients who were treated as inpatients in childhood and adolescent unit. We carried out a retrospective search of past records for socio demographic profile, diagnosis, mode of discharge, Duration of stay, Family History of psychiatric illness and CGAS scores at the time of admission of admitted from the July 2017 to June 2018.Results: Mean age of subjects was 14.2 years. 56.9% were male, rest were female. 84.7% children were from Hindu families. Most of the patients (70.8%) were from rural background. Bipolar affective disorder (27.5%) was found the most common diagnosis in childhood and adolescent unit. Only factor found to be significantly associated with duration was CGAS score at the time of admission.Conclusion :Level of functioning at the time of admission may significantly predict duration of admission in psychiatric ward which may help clinician to effectively plan management although it needs to be individualized in hospitalized child and adolescent