Research Activities

July 2007, No. 323

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

While most diabetes drugs provide similar glucose control, some offer important advantages

Disparities/Minority Health

Greater access to physician services may narrow mortality differences among the black and white elderly

Child/Adolescent Health

Today's teen smokers are more likely to engage in risky behaviors than teens who smoked in the early nineties
Hospitalization patterns change as young people with congenital heart disease transition from adolescence to adulthood
Infliximab is a safe and effective therapeutic option for children with sever ulcerative colitis

Women's Health

Inadequate communication of mammogram results may prevent black women from fully benefiting from screening

Elderly/Long-term Care

Certain resident and facility characteristics and medications increase the risk of fractures among nursing home residents
Urinary incontinence is common among residents of Southeastern nursing homes, especially among black residents
One-third of Medicare patients say that the decision about where to undergo surgery was made mainly by their doctor
The Medicare short stay transfer policy reduced hospital incentives to discharge orthopedic surgery patients early

Health Information Technology

Smaller physician office practices are slower to adopt use of electronic health records

Public Health Preparedness

Studies examine the surge capacity of U.S. hospitals to respond to bioterrorism or other public health disasters

Chronic Disease

Studies examine the impact of rheumatic diseases on the ability to work
Patients suffering from arthritis or depression may have worse health-related quality of life than those with other chronic conditions

Outcomes/Effectiveness Research

Total, partial, and revision hip replacement are associated with different rates of postoperative complications and readmissions

Primary Care Research

Family physicians manage skin conditions well

Access to Care

Supportive housing may be a feasible and appropriate model of care for chronically homeless persons

Acute Care/Hospitalization

Mandatory limits on medical resident work hours may constrain hospital house staff and affect patient outcomes and resource use

Agency News and Notes

AHRQ's annual State Snapshots highlight States' gains and lags in health care quality

Announcements

New Web tool provides samples of report cards on health care quality

Research Briefs

Research Briefs

AHRQ Publication No. 07-0068
Current as of July 2007

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities Newsletter. July 2007, No. 323. AHRQ Publication No. 07-0068. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/jul07/

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