PREDICTORS OF PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITALIZATION - A MULTIVARIATE-ANALYSIS

Inpatient treatment continues to be the most expensive form of mental health service. This study sought to improve the methodological weakne sses, e.g., poor statistical controls, in the literature by using mult ivariate statistics to predict hospitalization. Results revealed that aftercare, i.e., outpatient treatment, is an important factor in reduc ing the utilization of inpatient resources, even when controlling for demographic and psychiatric history variables. Further, background cha racteristics, while easily measured, are not important predictors of h ospitalization.