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Factors affecting length of hospital stay for children with acquired brain injuries: A review of the literature
Author(s) -
Sakzewski Leanne,
Ziviani Jenny
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
australian occupational therapy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.595
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1440-1630
pISSN - 0045-0766
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1630.1996.tb01847.x
Subject(s) - rehabilitation , medicine , acquired brain injury , intervention (counseling) , occupational therapy , acute hospital , physical therapy , health care , nursing , economic growth , economics
Acquired brain injury (ABI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality for children within the industrialized world. Either in acute care or long‐term management settings, occupational therapists are concerned with children who have sustained an ABI. Children with ABI often require a prolonged period of hospitalization and intensive rehabilitation, with significant costs to the hospital, community and family. This literature review addresses the factors affecting length of hospital stay (LOS) for children with severe ABI. Broadly speaking, these factors are: (i) injury severity; (ii) complicating factors; and (iii) the effects of intervention procedures. While these factors have been highlighted in the literature, little research has been done to examine their relative contribution to the LOS for children with ABI. Occupational therapists are primarily interested in the impact of rehabilitation and the timing of its introduction; however, the impact of this cannot be understood without consideration of the other known factors that influence LOS.