Faith-Based Hospitals and Variation in Psychiatric Inpatient Length of Stay in California, 2002–2011

We examined current treatment patterns at faith-based hospitals. Psychiatric discharges from all community-based hospitals in California were obtained for 2002–2011 and a Behavioral Model of Health Services Utilization approach used to study hospital religious affiliation and length of stay (LOS). During 10 years there were 1,976,893 psychiatric inpatient discharges, of which 14.3 % were from faith-based nonprofit hospitals (eighteen Catholic, seven Seventh-day Adventist, and one Jewish hospital). Modest differences in patient characteristics and shorter LOS (7.5 vs. 8.3 days) were observed between faith-based and other hospitals. Multivariable negative binomial regression found shorter LOS at faith-based nonprofit hospitals (coefficient = −0.1169, p < 0.001, Wald χ² = 55) and greater LOS at all nonprofits (coefficient = 1.5909, p < 0.001, Wald χ² = 2755) as compared to local government-controlled hospitals. Faith-based hospitals provide a substantial and consistent amount of psychiatric care in California and may have slightly lower LOS after adjusting for patient and other hospital characteristics.