To describe inpatient course and length of hospital stay (LOS) for people who sustain brain disorders nationwide.

We interviewed 1,903 randomly selected community-dwelling patients registered as 'disabled by brain disorders' in 28 regions of South Korea.

Seventy-seven percent were initially admitted to a Western medicine hospital, and 18% were admitted to a traditional Oriental medicine hospital. Forty-three percent were admitted to two or more hospitals. Mean LOS was 192 days. Most patients stayed in one hospital for more than 4 weeks. The transfer rate to other hospitals was 30-40%. Repeated admissions and increased LOS were related to younger onset age, higher education, non-family caregiver employment, smaller families, and more severe disability.

Korean patients with brain disorders showed significantly prolonged LOS and repeated admissions. Factors increasing burden of care influenced LOS significantly.