Introduction:
Length of stay (LOS) in inpatient spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation is crucial because this period influences patients' ability to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for achieving functional independence and successful community living after discharge. Additionally, LOS has implications for healthcare costs and patient outcomes. '
Objectives:
This review aims to analyze existing international research literature regarding hospital LOS, its association with individual- and hospital-level factors, and its impact on rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with SCI.
Methods:
We conducted two systematic review protocols utilizing Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to identify relevant articles containing keywords related to LOS, rehabilitation, and SCI. Two researchers independently screened and selected articles and assessed their quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Cohort Studies. They also extracted study characteristics, associated factors, LOS, outcomes, and key results in a standardized table.
Results:
Our findings indicate that older age, complete tetraplegia, and obesity were associated with longer LOS. In contrast, shorter LOS was associated with favorable outcomes, such as higher functional status at discharge, improved mobility, home discharge, availability of social support, and lower rehospitalization rates.
Conclusion:
Future research should conduct meta-analyses to yield more precise and robust estimates of the associations discussed. Additionally, employing a mixed-methods approach could enhance understanding of the rehabilitation experiences and outcomes of individuals with SCI and their relationship to hospital LOS.