Effects of gender on inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.

In this study of inpatient hospitalization, gender was found to be a significant variable. Effects of gender upon admission and discharge Global Assessment Scale scores raises the possibility of differential criteria for men and women to be admitted or discharged: a "gender bias effect." Results also support the hypothesis of a "patient gender effect" of greater responsiveness to treatment by women. As predicted, gender showed complex interactions with other variables, including diagnosis, age, marital status, and prior hospital experience. Length of stay was not found to be related to gender.