Influence of Weekday of Admission and Level of Distress on Length of Hospital Stay in Patients With Low Back Pain: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

BackgroundLow back pain (LBP) is often a complex problem requiring interdisciplinary management to address patients’ multidimensional needs. The inpatient care for patients with LBP in primary care hospitals is a challenge. In this setting, interdisciplinary LBP management is often unavailable during the weekend. Delays in therapeutic procedures may result in prolonged length of hospital stay (LoS). The impact of delays on LoS might be strongest in patients reporting high levels of psychological distress. Therefore, this study investigates which influence the weekday of admission and distress have on LoS of inpatients with LBP.MethodsRetrospective cohort study conducted between 1 February 2019 and 31 January 2020. ANOVA was used to test the hypothesized difference in mean effects of the weekday of admission on LoS. Further, a linear model was fitted for LoS with distress, categorical weekday of admission (Friday/Saturday vs. Sunday-Thursday), and their interactions.ResultsWe identified 173 patients with LBP. Mean LoS was 7.8 days (SD=5.59). Patients admitted on Friday (mean LoS=10.3) and Saturday (LoS=10.6) had longer stays but not those admitted on Sunday (LoS=7.1). Analysis of the weekday effect (Friday/Saturday vs. Sunday-Thursday) showed that admission on Friday or Saturday was associated with significant increase in LoS compared to admission on other weekdays (t=3.43, p=<0.001). 101 patients (58%) returned questionnaires, and complete data on distress was available from 86 patients (49%). According to a linear model for LoS, the effect of distress on LoS was significantly modified (t=2.51, p=0.014) by dichotomic weekdays of admission (Friday/Saturday vs. Sunday-Thursday).ConclusionsPatients with LBP are hospitalized significantly longer if they have to wait more than two days for interdisciplinary LBP management. This particularly affects patients reporting high distress. Our study provides a platform to further explore whether interdisciplinary LBP management addressing patients’ multidimensional needs reduces LoS in primary care hospitals.