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Electronic Newsletter

October 28, 2011

AHRQ News and Numbers

An estimated 12.1 million women age 18 and older reported suffering from chronic pain in 2008 as a result of underlying medical conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, endometriosis, fibromyalgia and vulvodynia. Of these women, only 8.7 million reported receiving treatment that year at a total cost of $12.9 billion. [Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, MEPS Statistical Brief #342: Health Care Use and Expenditures for Pain Conditions among Women 18 and Older, U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, 2008.

Today's Headlines

Report finds parent training effective for treating young children with ADHD
AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program releases an update on comparing osteoarthritis pain medication
AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program releases an update on comparing treatments for hypertension
AHRQ seeks data submissions for medical office survey on Patient Safety Culture Comparative database through October 31
AHRQ releases HCUP Facts and Figures report with 2009 hospital inpatient data
New Data Points reports available on anticancer biologic products among Medicare beneficiaries
Highlights from most recent monthly newsletter
FDA initiative on preventing surgical fires
Researching implementation and change while improving quality
AHRQ in the professional literature

1. Report Finds Parent Training Effective for Treating Young Children with ADHD

Formal training in parenting strategies is a low-risk, effective method for improving behavior in preschool-age children at risk for developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), while there is less evidence supporting the use of medications for children younger than 6 years old, according to a new AHRQ report. The report found that formal parenting interventions—known as parent behavior training or PBT—are supported by strong evidence for effectiveness for children younger than the age of 6, with no reports of complications or harms. However, one large barrier to the success of PBT occurs when parents drop out of therapy programs, the report found. For children older than age 6, the report found that methylphenidate (sold under the brand name Ritalin) and another drug used to treat ADHD symptoms, atomoxetine (sold as Strattera), are generally safe and effective for improving behavior, but their effects beyond 12 to 24 months have not been well studied. Little information is available about the long-term effects of other medications used to treat ADHD symptoms. The report, "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Effectiveness of Treatment in At-Risk Preschoolers; Long-Term Effectiveness in All Ages; and Variability in Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Treatment," was prepared for AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program by the McMaster Evidence-based Practice Center in Hamilton, Ontario. Select to access the report and select to read our press release.

2. AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Releases an Update on Comparing Osteoarthritis Pain Medications

AHRQ has released an updated review that compares the effectiveness and safety of pain medications in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The update finds no clear differences in effectiveness of different NSAIDs, but identified potentially important differences in the risk of serious harm. Surveys indicate that 5 to 17 percent of U.S. adults have symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee, and 9 percent have symptomatic osteoarthritis of the hip. Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Analgesics for Osteoarthritis—An Update of the 2006 Report includes new research that better addresses the comparative effectiveness and safety of oral and topical medications for osteoarthritis.

3. AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Releases an Update on Comparing Treatments for Hypertension

A new, updated research review concludes that there is not enough evidence to determine whether there are long-term differences in health outcomes associated with the use of three leading hypertension treatments—ACEIs, ARBs, and direct renin inhibitors—and calls for further research in the field. Nearly 75 million American adults—approximately one third—have hypertension. Comparative Effectiveness of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs), Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists (ARBs), and Direct Renin Inhibitors for Treating Essential Hypertension is an update to a 2007 AHRQ review on the same topic.

4. AHRQ Seeks Data for Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture Comparative Database Through October 31

AHRQ's Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture is a tool for medical offices to use to assess provider and staff opinions about the culture of patient safety in their medical offices. Medical offices that have administered the AHRQ survey can register and submit their data to the new Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture comparative database through October 31. The database is a central repository for survey data from medical offices, health care systems, or survey vendors that have administered the AHRQ medical office survey instrument. One of the purposes of the database is to produce comparative results to help medical offices identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in their patient safety culture. Select for more information on the benefits of participation and database products, participation requirements, and registration/data submission timeline and activities.

5. AHRQ Releases HCUP Facts and Figures Report with 2009 Hospital Inpatient Data

AHRQ has released the fifth annual edition of the HCUP Facts and Figures report. HCUP Facts and Figures: Statistics on Hospital-Based Care in the United States, 2009 presents information on inpatient hospital care in 2009 and contains comparisons and trends since 1997. The report is organized around high-interest topics, such as hospital and discharge characteristics, diagnoses, procedures, costs and payers. This year's report features a special section on women's health, detailing differences by gender and over time.

6. New Data Points Reports Available on Anticancer Biologic Products Among Medicare Beneficiaries

Two new Data Points reports on anticancer biologic products among Medicare beneficiaries are available from AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program. Data Points #6: Utilization and cost of anticancer biologic products among Medicare beneficiaries, 2006-2009, examines utilization and costs of the anticancer biologics within Medicare Parts A, B, and D claims: monoclonal antibodies, kinase inhibitors, biologic response modifiers, other immunomodulators, other immu-nosuppressives, and miscellaneous biologic nonblood products. Data Points #7: Utilization of anticancer biologic products among Medicare beneficiaries, by diagnostic cancer subchapter, 2006-2009, examines the types of cancer for which anticancer biologics are used, as identified in Medicare Parts B and D claims. This continuing series of reports, published by the DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions about Effectiveness) Network provides new information and insights into the use of health care services and interventions for the treatment, management, and diagnosis of specific diseases. It also highlights the variations and potential disparities in health care services across patient subpopulations. Select to access these Data Points reports.

7. Highlights from Most Recent Monthly Newsletter

The October issue of Research Activities is available online. Key articles include:

Simpler drug warning labels are easier to understand.
Many drugs are off limits to pregnant women because they can harm fetuses. But not all drug labels state this warning clearly enough for some women to understand it. When researchers tested the standard drug label that warns pregnant women to avoid a drug against a new text version and a text-and-icon version of the label, most women best understood the combination version.

Select to read this article.