Comorbidity of depression among physically ill patients and its effect on the length of hospital stay

This study was carried out to demonstrate the prevalence of depression amon g physically ill patients and to investigate its effects on the length of h ospital stay. Out of 65 inpatients (44 male, 21 female; 51 with benign and 14 with malignant diseases), 14 (21.5%) met the criteria for major depressi on in the DSM-IV. The average length of hospital stay was compared accordin g to the comorbidity with major depression. Among the patients with benign diseases, those with major depression stayed longer (P<0.05) at the hospita l than those without it (82.2 vs 36.0 days). Likewise, among the cancer pat ients, those with major depression stayed longer than those without it (83. 8 vs 51.4 days), although this was not significantly different. The duratio n of hospitalization needs to be shortened because of the reduction in nati onal medical costs, the economics of hospital administration and the qualit y of life of patients and their families. Further research is needed to dem onstrate the role of consultation-liaison psychiatry in the shortening of h ospitalization.