Research Activities

September 2009, No. 349

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

Family insurance premiums topped $12,000 a year in 2008

Access to Care

Bigger tax breaks for insurance premiums expands private coverage for self-employed workers and their spouses
Studies examine the impact of both health insurance and a usual source of care on access to health care
Uninsured and partially insured patients with diabetes are less likely to be screened at Federally Qualified Health Centers
Community health workers can help poor and minority groups access some cancer screening services

Disparities/Minority Health

Blacks and Hispanics are less likely to receive outpatient rehabilitation after hip fractures
Perceived racism among blacks boosts the odds of getting tested for HIV
No race and ethnic differences seen in pain severity among patients with long-bone fractures
Disparities persist in primary care referrals to cardiologists for cardiovascular disease

Patient Safety and Quality

Shift workers suffer fatigue and poor performance
Spine and pain clinics in North Carolina vary by types of practitioners and services offered

Health Care Workforce

Two studies explore radiologists' perceptions of malpractice risk and enjoyment of interpreting mammograms

Women's Health

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding carries large financial and quality-of-life costs

Elderly/Long-Term Care

Degraded white matter causes slower brain function as people age
To capture the burden of multiple diseases on seniors, self-report should be added to data-based measures

Primary Care

Primary care providers often prescribe antiviral medications inappropriately for influenza patients
Increasing the number of primary care physicians can reduce the rate of hospitalizations for bacterial pneumonia
Primary care practice structure affects control of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among patients with diabetes

Chronic Disease

Persons with lupus have trouble getting and staying employed
Patient hopelessness is linked to poor participation in cardiac rehabilitation exercise
Electronic health records help identify patients with hypertension and cardiac problems
Genetic factors are linked to symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Study examines outpatient use of medication and lifestyle counseling to manage osteoporosis

Mental Health

Women who suffer abuse use mental health care services more than women who have never been abused
States vary greatly in nursing home admissions for people with mental illnesses

Acute Care/Hospitalization

Leakage problems following surgery for rectal cancer can be managed with a minimally invasive approach
Hyperdense basilar artery on unenhanced CT scan predicts a clot in the artery and poorer outcome among stroke patients
Air leak test does not accurately predict problems after breathing tube removal in children

Emergency Medicine

Out-of-hospital endotracheal intubation errors are not linked to deaths, but failed attempts may boost pneumonitis risk
Ambulance stretcher-related injuries are not uncommon

HIV/AIDS Research

U.S. emergency plan for AIDS relief in Africa has reduced HIV-related deaths, but not HIV prevalence
HIV screening is cost-effective in Russia

Agency News and Notes

Health care spending for obese American adults soared 82 percent between 2001 and 2006
Sports-related injuries account for one in five of children's emergency department visits
Targeted energy treatment helps correct irregular heartbeat in the short term, but long-term effects are unknown
Osteoporosis-linked fractures rise dramatically

Announcements

AHRQ launches monthly health advice column and enhanced Web site in Spanish
New Spanish-language consumer guides compare treatments for depression, prostate cancer, and other conditions
2007 Nationwide Inpatient Sample released
New hospital emergency department database available

Research Briefs

Research Briefs
Healthcare 411
Subscribe to AHRQ's Electronic Newsletter
Visit the AHRQ Patient Safety Network Web Site

AHRQ Publication No. 09-RA012
Current as of September 2009

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities Newsletter. September 2009, No. 349. AHRQ Publication No. 09-RA012. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/sep09/

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