Research Activities

June 2011, No. 370

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

Community hubs ensure better care for the most vulnerable
From the Director

Disparities/Minority Health

Treatment by physicians with same race and language as the patient may improve medication adherence
Different attitudes among blacks and whites affect their preference for same-race physicians
Hispanics with HIV have different communication styles with their health care providers than whites
Immigrants to the United States and Canada have worse access to care than native-born counterparts
Patient gender does not influence the management or diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in the elderly, but affects outcome

Health Care Costs and Financing

Increasing premiums and other costs in Oregon's Medicaid program in 2003 led many to drop out
Patients with chronic diseases who pay coinsurance less likely to refill their medication than those with fixed copayments
"Piece-rate" performance incentives for physicians improve childhood immunization rates
Half of all annual medical expenditures are for chronic diseases

Patient Safety and Quality

Nursing homes more often voluntarily terminate from Medicare and Medicaid programs in States with strong quality regulations
Length of stays in emergency departments varies considerably
An automated phone response system can help track adverse drug events in primary care patients

Outcomes/Effectiveness Research

Organizational culture distinguishes top-performing hospitals in patient outcomes from heart attack
No consistent association found between volume or quality and outcomes of complex surgeries for cancer
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for lung cancer linked to cardiac disorders
Combination diuretic therapy for heart failure appears useful, but needs a stronger evidence base
Patients with sickle cell disease employ various strategies to control their pain

Child/Adolescent Health

Doctor's comments during a child's physical exam can affect whether parents push for antibiotics
Obesity among South Carolina children differs by age, gender, and race
Dilators more cost-effective than surgery for correcting congenital condition in females

Elderly/Long-Term Care

Mental status deficits a major factor in elderly falls in the hospital
Older persons with chronic kidney disease and lower systolic blood pressure have higher mortality rates
Elders' preferences for end-of-life care are not captured by documentation in their medical records

Health Information Technology

Physicians' unfamiliarity with electronic personal health records may slow their adoption
Physicians weigh the costs and benefits of integrating e-prescribing systems with electronic health records

Agency News and Notes

Medication side effects, injuries up dramatically
Use of episiotomy and forceps during childbirth down, C-section rates up

Announcements

Partnership for Patients initiative launched to improve care and lower costs for Americans
New comparative effectiveness review released on traumatic brain injury and depression
New guide helps TeamSTEPPS® trainers learn how to teach simulation
HCUP offers new online tutorial series modules
AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program presentations from the Eisenberg Conference Series 2010 are now available
New AHRQ podcasts focus on cystic fibrosis and health literacy
Grant applications requested that focus on health care for priority populations

Research Briefs

Research Briefs
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Healthcare 411
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AHRQ Publication No. 11-RA009
Current as of June 2011

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities Newsletter. June 2011, No. 370. AHRQ Publication No. 11-RA009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/jun11/

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