Access to insurance and length of psychiatric stay among adolescents and young adults discharged from general hospitals

Abstract

This study examines the characteristics of over 100,000 young people hospitalized in short-term, general hospitals throughout the United States between 1986 and 1988 for psychiatric and substance abuse diagnoses. Adolescent patients (ages 13-17) are compared with young adults (ages 18-22) in terms of demographic characteristics, diagnosis, source of payment, and length of stay. The study focuses on the relationship between the patients' access to private insurance and length of stay.