Hannover study on long-stay hospitalization - part II: Characteristics and care conditions of long-stay hospitalization in cases of chronic mental illness.

Background: Long-stay hospitalization is often a consequence of insufficient care structures. This article examines the characteristics and care conditions of long-stay hospitalization (LSH) in an urban area in Germany.

Methods: Extensive data of patients in the urban catchment area of the Medical School of Hannover, capital of Lower Saxony, were evaluated during a 10 years period.

Hannover study on long-stay hospitalization - part I: prediction of long-stay hospitalisation in cases of chronic mental illness.

Background: The problem of long-stay hospitalization is still a pressing issue. In this study we examined the possibility of detecting and characterising the group at risk of long-stay hospitalization in advance.

Methods: This study examines the data of patients in the urban catchment area of the Medical University of Hannover, capital of Lower Saxony, Germany, during a period of 10 years.