Factors influencing the length of stay in a unit with mixed rehabilitation and psychiatric care after a suicide attempt by jumping: a cohort observational retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Persons who have attempt suicide by jumping often require intensive treatment for their somatic injuries and the high risk of future completed suicide. The FSEF (French Student Health Foundation) developed a Transdisciplinary unit specifically designed for these people. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate psychiatric and somatic factors associated with Length Of Stay (LOS) in this unit. DESIGN: Cohort observational retrospective study. SETTING: The Transdisciplinary unit provide a dual approach, combining rehabilitation (physiotherapy, balneotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, social and family support) and psychiatric care. POPULATION: Men and women admitted into the Transdisciplinary unit, after a suicide attempt by jumping from a height with severe somatic injuries. METHODS: We examined the associations between potential predictors and LOS with Stepwise regressions: model 1 included all variables assessed at admission (age, sex, occupational status, psychiatric disorder history, height of the fall, type of injury, LOS in acute care units and dependences at admission); model 2: all variables at discharge (main psychiatric diagnosis, orientation at discharge, psychotropic treatments, pain treatments, arms mobility limitation, legs mobility limitation, sphincter disorders and dependences at discharge); final model: all significant variables in models 1 and 2. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-seven subjects were included (49.7% of men; mean age: 25.6 years, ±6.21). Most factors associated with LOS were related to injuries due to the suicide attempt. LOS in the Transdisciplinary unit increased with longer LOS in acute care (β=0.589; P=0.003), higher dependence for continence at admission (β=44.640; P<0.001) and sphincter disorders at discharge (β=78.034; P<0.001). LOS was also longer with higher dependence for behavior at discharge (β=30.182; P=0.042) and unemployed status (β=59.496; P=0.008), which could reflect psychiatric disorders severity. LOS was shorter when subjects had arms mobility limitation at discharge (β=-42.591; P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: The persons admitted into this unit have serious physical injuries due to their fall. These injuries require intensive rehabilitation and their severity is the largest contributing factor to the LOS. Some findings also advocate for influence of psychiatric factors on LOS, underlying the need for both concomitant psychiatric and somatic care for these people. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: People should ideally receive both psychiatric and rehabilitation care after a suicide attempt by jumping.