Objective: To determine the predictors of hospital length of stay (LOS) of stroke patients at the point of admission.
Design: A retrospective cohort study.
Setting: An acute hospital rehabilitation center in Singapore.
Participants: Stroke patients (N=491) admitted between March 2005 and December 2006.
Interventions: None.
Main outcome measures: Rehabilitation LOS was calculated as the total number of rehabilitation days before discharge. We measured the functional status of patients by using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM).
Results: The median LOS was 29 days (mean = 30.8d). Independent clinical and sociodemographic characteristics found to significantly predict rehabilitation LOS were FIM motor score at admission, the presence of more than 3 comorbid conditions at admission, living with nonimmediate relatives before admission, and the hospital subsidy status of the patient. In particular, the admission FIM motor score explained 43% of the variation in LOS and decreased the LOS by approximately 1.1 days for each 1-point increase in score.
Conclusion: Patients' socioeconomic status and family structure was found to influence LOS and should be considered in allocating resources and determining treatment need. The extent of motor function of patients at admission is an important factor influencing rehabilitation LOS and is a useful tool for facilitating rehabilitation resource planning for stroke patients.