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Articles of Interest

February 13, 2009

This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes:

Articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products.
Articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers.
Articles related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or Put Prevention into Practice program.
Articles mentioning the National Healthcare Disparities Report and National Healthcare Quality Report.
Other research using AHRQ data or products.

AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

Academic Pediatrics (formerly Ambulatory Pediatrics)
Brousseau DC, Gorelick MH, Hoffmann RG, et al. Primary care quality and subsequent emergency department utilization for children in Wisconsin Medicaid. Acad Pediatr 2009 Jan-Feb; 9(1):33-9. [Supported by grant K08 HS15482-01A1 (to first author); uses AHRQ's Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) surveys administered in Wisconsin and previously published national parent-reported ED utilization data (Brousseau et al., Pediatrics, 2007) from AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS); cites AHRQ's National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), 2006, and AHRQ's Pediatric Quality Indicators, on AHRQ Web site.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Jack BW, Chetty VK, Anthony D, et al. A reengineered hospital discharge program to decrease rehospitalization: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2009 Feb 3; 150(3):178-87. [Supported by grants 1 UC1 HS14289-01 and 1 U18 HS15905-01 (to first author).] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Internal Medicine
Varkey AB, Manwell LB, Williams ES, et al. Separate and unequal: clinics where minority and nonminority patients receive primary care. Arch Intern Med 2009 Feb 9; 169(3):243-50. [Supported by grant 5 R01 HS11955.] Select to access the abstract.

Freburger JK, Holmes GM, Agans RP, et al. The rising prevalence of chronic low back pain. Arch Intern Med 2009 Feb 9; 169(3):251-8. [Supported in part by National Research Service Award Institutional Training grant T32 HS000032.] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Surgery
Regenbogen SE, Ehrenfeld JM, Lipsitz SR, et al. Utility of the surgical apgar score: validation in 4119 patients. Arch Surg 2009 Jan; 144(1):30-6. [Supported by grant T32 HS000020.] Select to access the abstract.

Gastroenterology
Strate LL, Liu YL, Aldoori WH, et al. Obesity increases the risks of diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding. Gastroenterology 2009 Jan; 136(1):115-22.e1. [Supported by grant K08 HS14062.] Select to access the abstract.

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Brokel JM, Harrison MI. Redesigning care processes using an electronic health record: a system's experience. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2009 Feb; 35(2):82-92. [Supported by grant HS15196 (Transforming Healthcare Quality Through Information Technology [THQIT] Implementation Research Project "Rural Iowa Redesign of Care Delivery with EHR Functions"; second author is a senior research scientist in the Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets.]

Journal of American Statistical Association
O'Malley AJ, Zaslavsky AM. Domain-level covariance analysis for multilevel survey data with structured nonresponse. J Am Stat Assoc 2008 Dec; 103(484):1405-18. [Supported by grant U18 HS09205-06; uses and analyzes 1997-2001 Medicare CAHPS survey data.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Onega T, Duell EJ, Shi X, et al. Determinants of NCI Cancer Center attendance in Medicare patients with lung, breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Feb; 24(2):205-10. [Supported in part by grant T32 HS000070 (Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Healthcare Management
Jiang HJ, Lockee C, Bass K, Fraser I. Board oversight of quality: any differences in process of care and mortality?. J Healthc Manag 2009 Jan-Feb; 54(1):15-30. [First and fourth authors are researcher in and director of AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets, respectively.]

Medical Care
Linder JA, Kaleba EO, Kmetik KS. Using electronic health records to measure physician performance for acute conditions in primary care: empirical evaluation of the community-acquired pneumonia clinical quality measure set. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):208-16. [Supported in part by Career Development Award K08 HS14563 (to first author).] Select to access the abstract.

Wisnivesky JP, Kattan M, Evans D, et al. Assessing the relationship between language proficiency and asthma morbidity among inner-city asthmatics. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):243-9. [Supported in part by grant K08 HS13312 (to first author).] Select to access the abstract.

Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
Haynes K, Hennessy S, Localio AR, et al. Increased risk of digoxin toxicity following hospitalization. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2009 Jan; 18(1):28-35. [Supported in part by grant P01 HS11530.] Select to access the abstract.

Quality of Life Research
Jerant A, Chapman BP, Franks P. Personality and EQ-5D scores among individuals with chronic conditions. Qual Life Res 2008 Nov; 17(9):1195-204. [Supported by grant HS13603.] Select to access the abstract.

Statistics in Medicine
Paddock SM, Ebener P. Subjective prior distributions for modeling longitudinal continuous outcomes with non-ignorable dropout. Stat Med 2009 Feb 15; 28(4):659-78. [Supported in part by grant R03 HS14805.] Select to access the abstract.

AHRQ-Related Articles

Academic Pediatrics (formerly Ambulatory Pediatrics)
Perrin JM. Letter from the Founding Editor-in-Chief: Reflections on the 10th anniversary of the journal. Acad Pediatr 2009 Jan-Feb; 9(1):1-2. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Owens (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Ambul Pediatr, 2008).]

Szilagyi PG, Schuster MA, Cheng TL. The scientific evidence for child health insurance. Acad Pediatr 2009 Jan-Feb; 9(1):4-6. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Eisenberg (former AHRQ director) et al. (JAMA, 2000); cites AHRQ-funded article by Shone et al. (Health Serv Res, 2008).]

American Journal of Nursing
Dirks F. Nursing Resources: The Health Care Innovations Exchange: The AHRQ compiles successful health care innovations. Am J Nurs 2009 Feb; 109(2):73. [Discusses AHRQ's Health Care Innovations Exchange; quotes Carolyn M. Clancy (AHRQ director) as saying she expects the Web site "will encourage information sharing, reduce duplication, and save time and money."]

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Clark SL, Miller DD, Belfort MA, et al. Neonatal and maternal outcomes associated with elective term delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009 Feb; 200(2):156.e1-156.e4. [Cites Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) 2005 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) related to the healthcare costs of labor and delivery, citing Agency News and Notes: AHRQ's 2005 Nationwide Inpatient Sample is Now Available, Research Activities, 2007, on AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Intern Medicine
Arora V, Gangireddy S, Mehrotra A, et al. Ability of hospitalized patients to identify their in-hospital physicians. Arch Intern Med 2009 Jan 26; 169(2):199-201. [Cites AHRQ patient fact sheet, 20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors, as published on AHRQ Web site.]

Pagoto S, Ockene J. Windows of opportunity for smoking and weight loss counseling. Arch Intern Med 2009 Feb 9; 169(3):217-18. [Cites AHRQ guideline Smoking Cessation, 1996.]

Isaac T, Weissman JS, Davis RB, et al. Overrides of medication alerts in ambulatory care. Arch Intern Med 2009 Feb 9; 169(3):305-11. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zhan (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence) et al. (Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 2005); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Weingart et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2005, and Arch Intern Med, 2003), and Shah et al. (J Am Med Inform Assoc, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Bradley EH, Nallamothu BK, Stern AF, et al. Research Methods: The Door-to-Balloon Alliance for quality: who joins national collaborative efforts and why?. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2009 Feb; 35(2):93-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Soumerai et al. (JAMA, 1998).]

Agrawal A, Wu WY. National Patient Safety Goals: Reducing medication errors and improving systems reliability using an electronic medication reconciliation system. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2009 Feb; 35(2):106-14. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Koppel et al. (JAMA, 2005).]

Journal of Family Practice
Prasad S, Ewigman B. Let them eat nuts--this snack is safe for diverticulosis patients. J Fam Pract 2009 Feb; 58(2):82-4. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Strate et al. (JAMA, 2008).]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Friedberg MW, Safran DG, Coltin KL, et al. Readiness for the Patient-Centered Medical Home: structural capabilities of Massachusetts primary care practices. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Feb; 24(2):162-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Simon et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2007).] Select to access the abstract.

Bastian LA. If it is as simple as AAAAA B C, why don't we do it?. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Feb; 24(2):284-285. [Discusses and cites guidelines, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000 and 2008 Update; comments on article using these guidelines by Quinn et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2008) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.]

Medical Care
Chandra A. Who you are and where you live: race and the geography of healthcare. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):135-7. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Schulman et al. (N Engl J Med, 1999); comments on article by Lackan et al. (Med Care, 2009) cited below.]

Lackan NA, Eschbach K, Stimpson JP, et al. Ethnic differences in in-hospital place of death among older adults in California: effects of individual and contextual characteristics and medical resource supply. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):138-45. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Kirby, Taliaferro, and Zuvekas (first and third authors are (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends and second author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships)(Med Care, 2006), and Kirby and Kaneda (J Health Soc Behav, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Katz BP, Holmes AM, Stump TE, et al. The Indiana Chronic Disease Management Program's impact on Medicaid claims: a longitudinal, statewide evaluation. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):154-60. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Solberg et al. (Eff Clin Pract, 2000).] Select to access the abstract.

Kashner TM, Stensland MD, Lind L, et al. Measuring use and cost of care for patients with mood disorders: the utilization and cost inventory. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):184-90. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Sing (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Inquiry, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

Staiger DO, Dimick JB, Baser O, et al. Empirically derived composite measures of surgical performance. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):226-33. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Weingart et al. (Med Care, 2000), Birkmeyer et al. (Ann Surg, 2006), Gatsonis et al. (Med Care, 1995), Normand et al. (J Am Stat Assoc, 1997), and Silber et al. (Int J Qual Health Care, 1997); cites article using CAHPS® by Zaslavsky et al. (Med Care, 2002).] Select to access the abstract.

Walker JD, Teare GF, Hogan DB, et al. Identifying potentially avoidable hospital admissions from Canadian long-term care facilities. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):250-4. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Basu, Friedman, and Burstin (first and third authors are researcher in and former director of AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships, and second author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets), et al. (Med Care, 2002).] Select to access the abstract.

Churchill SS. Public insurance: better financial protection or different level of service utilization?: Response to Yu et al, October 2008 Medical Care. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):268. [Comments on article using MEPS; by Yu et al. (Med Care, 2008).]

Yu H, Dick AW, Szilagyi PG. Financial protection and level of service utilization. Med Care 2009 Feb; 47(2):268. [Responds to comment by Churchill (Med Care, 2009) cited above; cites AHRQ-authored article by Banthin and Bernard (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (JAMA, 2006).]

New England Journal of Medicine
Volpp KG, Troxel AB, Pauly MV, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of financial incentives for smoking cessation. N Engl J Med 2009 Feb 12; 360(7):699-709. [Cites PHS guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000.]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles

Academic Pediatrics (formerly Ambulatory Pediatrics)
Kelleher KJ, Stevens J. Evolution of child mental health services in primary care. Acad Pediatr 2009 Jan-Feb; 9(1):7-14. [Cites USPSTF recommendations statements, Screening for Depression, 2002, and Screening for Alcohol Misuse, 2004, as published on AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-authored article by Ferris, Dougherty (researcher in AHRQ's Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations) et al. (Pediatrics, 2001); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Wells et al. (JAMA, 2000) and Asarnow (JAMA, 2005).]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Petitti DB, Teutsch SM, Barton MB, et al., on behalf of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Update on the methods of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: insufficient evidence. Ann Intern Med 2009 Feb 3; 150(3):199-205. [Third author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships; discusses the USPSTF's plan to expand the kinds of information it commissions to be collected in the context of updated recommendations on screening for skin cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2009, same issue) and other screening recommendations; cites USPSTF-sponsored articles by Gurguis-Blake et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2007), Barton et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2007), Sawaya et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2007), Harris et al. (Am J Prev Med, 2001), and Wolff et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2009); cites AHRQ-authored article by Clancy et al. (Health Aff, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Konety BR, Cooperberg MR, Carroll PR. Are age-based criteria the best way to determine eligibility for prostate cancer screening?. Ann Intern Med 2009 Feb 3; 150(3):220-1. [Discusses and cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for prostate cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2008).]

Gogel M. Are age-based criteria the best way to determine eligibility for prostate cancer screening?. Ann Intern Med 2009 Feb 3; 150(3):221. [Discusses and cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for prostate cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2008).]

Calonge N, Petitti DB, and Lin KW. [Are age-based criteria the best way to determine eligibility for prostate cancer screening? Ann Intern Med 2009 Feb 3; 150(3):221. [Responds to comments on USPSTF recommendations on screening for prostate cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2008) by Konety et al. and Gogel ](Ann Intern Med, 2009) cited above.]

Archives of Internal Medicine
Keenan PS. Smoking and weight change after new health diagnoses in older adults. Arch Intern Med 2009 Feb 9; 169(3):237-42. [Cites PHS-sponsored guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000; cites USPSTF recommendation statement, Counseling to Prevent Tobacco Use and Tobacco-Caused Disease, 2003.] Select to access the abstract.

JAAPA: Official Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants
Wilkinson KM. Increasing obesity in children and adolescents: An alarming epidemic. JAAPA 2008 Dec; 21(12):31-8. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored summary of evidence on screening and interventions for childhood overweight (Pediatrics, 2005).]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Percac-Lima S, Grant RW, Green AR, et al. A culturally tailored navigator program for colorectal cancer screening in a community health center: a randomized, controlled trial. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Feb; 24(2):211-17. [Cites USPSTF recommendations in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2006; cites AHRQ-funded article by Ayanian et al. (J Clin Oncol, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Zhao G, Ford ES, Ahluwalia IB, et al. Prevalence and trends of receipt of cancer screenings among US women with diagnosed diabetes. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Feb; 24(2):270-5. [Cites USPSTF recommendations in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2007.] Select to access the abstract.

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Ethnicity and Health
Meghani SH, Brooks JM, Gipson-Jones T, et al. Patient-provider race-concordance: does it matter in improving minority patients' health outcomes?. Ethn Health 2009 Feb; 14(1):107-30. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Systems to Rate the Strength of Scientific Evidence, 2002.] Select to access the abstract.

JAMA
Peikes D, Chen A, Schore J, et al. Effects of care coordination on hospitalization, quality of care, and health care expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries: 15 randomized trials. JAMA 2009 Feb 11; 301(6):603-18. [Cites AHRQ technical review, Closing the Quality Gap: A Critical Analysis of Quality Improvement Strategies, Volume 1-Series Overview and Methodology, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Weingart SN, Simchowitz B, Eng TK, et al. The You CAN campaign: teamwork training for patients and families in ambulatory oncology. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2009 Feb; 35(2):63-71. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Healthcare Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001) and AHRQ-sponsored publication, DoD Medical Team Training Programs: An Independent Case Study Analysis, 2006; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Weingart et al. (Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 2007, and Arch Intern Med, 2005).]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
O'Malley AS, Cunningham PJ. Patient experiences with coordination of care: the benefit of continuity and primary care physician as referral source. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Feb; 24(2):170-7. [Cites AHRQ technical review, Closing the Quality Gap: A Critical Analysis of Quality Improvement Strategies, Volume 1-Series Overview and Methodology, 2004); cites CAHPS® publication, Clinician and Group Adult Survey, as published on AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-funded article by Grumbach (JAMA, 1999).] Select to access the abstract.

National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)/National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)-Related Articles

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
Crandall SJ, Davis SW, Broeseker AE, et al. A longitudinal comparison of pharmacy and medical students' attitudes toward the medically underserved. Am J Pharm Educ 2008 Dec 15; 72(6):1-8. [Cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2003.]

Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging
Subban JE, Terwoord NA, Schuster RJ. With or without intent: how racial disparities prevent effective implementation of care. J Nutr Health Aging 2008 Dec; 12(10):770s-775s. [Cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2004.] Select to access the abstract.

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Academic Pediatrics (formerly Ambulatory Pediatrics)
Co JP, MacDonald E, Yucel RM, et al. Acad Pediatr 2009 Jan-Feb; 9(1):47-52. [Uses AHRQ's Pediatric CAHPS® as the basis for the study's survey instrument; cites AHRQ publication, CAHPS®: Surveys and Tools to Advance Patient-Centered Care, as published on AHRQ Web site.]

American Journal of Epidemiology
Nabi H, Kivimaki M, Sabia S, et al. Hostility and trajectories of body mass index over 19 years: the Whitehall II study. Am J Epidemiol 2009 Feb 1; 169(3);347-54. [Uses study cohort from the Whitehall II study, previously funded by AHRQ.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Quinn VP, Hollis JF, Smith KS, et al. Effectiveness of the 5-As tobacco cessation treatments in nine HMOs. J Gen Intern Med 2009 Feb; 24(2):149-54. [Uses and cites guidelines Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000 and 2008Update.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Health Economics
Grant D. Physician financial incentives and cesarean delivery: new conclusions from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. J Health Econ 2009 Jan; 28(1):244-50. [Uses 1988-1992 HCUP NIS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Pediatrics
Liem O, Harman J, Benninga M, et al. Health utilization and cost impact of childhood constipation in the United States. J Pediatr 2009 Feb; 154(2):258-62. [Uses 2003-2004 MEPS data; cites MEPS article by Chan et al. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2002).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Psychiatric Practice
Melvin CL, Ranney LM, Carey TS, et al. Disseminating findings from a drug class review: using best practices to inform prescription of antiepileptic drugs for bipolar disorder. J Psychiatr Pract 2008 Mar; 14 Suppl 1:28-34. [Uses 2002-2003 MEPS data as a source for estimates of usage of AEDs for bipolar disorder; cites findings from the AHRQ-sponsored Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (Lehman and Steinwachs, Schizophr Bull, 1998); discusses and cites evidence report, Drug Class Review on Antiepileptic Drugs in Bipolar Mood Disorder, Neuropathic Pain, and Fibromyalgia, 2006, conducted by the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center.] Select to access the abstract.

Current as of February 2009

Internet Citation:

Articles of Interest, February 13, 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/articles/art021309.htm