Articles of Interest Alert

September 23, 2005


These articles appeared in recently released journals and newsletters. They include articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers; articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ; articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers; articles mentioning the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force/Put Prevention into Practice; articles mentioning the Presidents Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry and Agency-supported activities relating to the Quality Interagency Task Force; and other research using AHRQ data.


AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

Archives of Dermatology
Margolis DJ, Bowe WP, Hoffstad O, et al. Antibiotic treatment of acne may be associated with upper respiratory tract infections. Arch Dermatol 2005 Sep; 141(9):1132-6. [Supported by Grant No. HS10399.]

Archives of Internal Medicine
Gallagher TH, Levinson W. Disclosing harmful medical errors to patients: a time for professional action. Arch Intern Med 2005 Sep 12; 165(16):1819-24. [Supported by Grant Nos. 1 U18 HS1189-01 and 1 K08 HS94012-01.]

Health Services Research
Inkelas M, DeCristofaro AH, McGlynn EA, et al. Outcome measurement in HEDIS: can risk adjustment save the low birth weight measure? Health Serv Res 2000 Dec; 35(5 Pt 3):72-85. [Supported by Grant No. U18 HS09473.]

Inquiry
Roberto PN, Mitchell JM, Gaskin DJ. Plan choice and changes in access to care over time for SSI-eligible children with disabilities. Inquiry 2005 Summer; 42(2):145-59. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10912.]

JAMA
Asplin BR, Rhodes KV, Levy H, et al. Insurance status and access to urgent ambulatory care follow-up appointments.JAMA 2005 Sep 14; 294(10):1248-54. [Supported by Grant No. K08 HS13007.]

Journal of the American Board of Family Practice
Lanier D. Lost in translation: the value of qualitative data. J Am Bd Fam Pract 2005 Sep-Oct; 18(5):409-10. [Author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships.]

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Terrin N, Schmid CH, Lau J. In an empirical evaluation of the funnel plot, researchers could not visually identify publication bias. J Clin Epidemiol 2005 Sep; 58(9):894-901. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10254.]

Journal of Rheumatology
Bradley LA, Deutsch G, McKendree-Smith NL, et al. Pain-related beliefs and affective pain responses: implications for ethnic disparities in preferences for joint arthroplasty. J Rheumatol 2005 Jun; 32(6):1149-52. [Supported by U18 HS10389.]

Harrold LR, Andrade SE, Go AS, et al. Incidence of Churg-Strauss syndrome in asthma drug users: a population-based review. J Rheumatol 2005 Jun; 32(6):1076-80. [Supported by Grant No. HS10391.]

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Wallstrom GL, Wagner M, Hogan W. High-fidelity injection detectability experiments: a tool for evaluating syndromic surveillance systems. MMWR Morb Mort Wkly Rep 2005 Aug 26; 54 Suppl:85-91. [Supported by Contract No. 290-00-0009.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

American Family Physician
$3 million awarded to help physicians promote healthy behaviors. Am Fam Physician 2005 Aug 15; 72(4):560. [Notes AHRQ/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation award of $3 million in grants through Prescription for Health: Promoting Health Behaviors in Primary Care Research Networks.]

AHRQ study finds medical disparities are narrowing. Am Fam Physician 2005 Sep 15;72(6):988. [Summarizes findings from AHRQ-funded study (N Engl J Med, 2005).]

AHRQ issues new data on uninsured Americans. Am Fam Physician 2005 Sep 15; 72(6):988. [Summarizes findings from AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), 2004.]

American Health Line
Health It: New York Times looks at physician-run IT network. Am Health Line 2005 Sep 19; #10. [Notes AHRQ funding of eHealth Initiative for $1.5 million.]

CMS: suspended chief medical officer reassigned to AHRQ. Am Health Line 2005 Sep 21; #12. [Notes reassignment of former FDA official Sean R. Tunis to AHRQ.]

AORN Journal
Bariatric surgeries becoming more popular, less risky. AORN J 2005 Aug; 82(2):226. [Summarizes findings from AHRQ news release, "AHRQ Study Finds Weight-Loss Surgeries Quadruple in Five Years," July 2005.]

Internet resources for patient safety. AORN J 2005 Aug; 82(2):291-3. [Describes AHRQ safety-related Web sites (Patient Safety Network, Morbidity and Mortality Rounds on the Web, and National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC).]

Clinician Reviews
Patients, primary care benefit from grants. Clinician Rev 2005 Aug; 15(8):23. [Announces AHRQ/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation award of $3 million in grants through the second phase of the Prescription for Health initiative.]

CQ Healthbeat
Hospital charges double for disc procedures, AHRQ days. CQ Healthbeat 2005 Sep 13. [Cites AHRQ findings on hospital charges for spinal disk disorders.]

Diabetes Care
Elia M, Ceriello A, Laube H, et al. Enteral nutritional support and use of diabetes-specific formulas for patients with diabetes a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabet Care 2005 Sep; 28(9):2267-79. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Acute Pain Management: Operative or Medical Procedures and Trauma, 1992.]

Health Technology Trends
National quality improvement initiative cuts surgical site infection rate by 27%. Health Technol Trends 2005 Sep; 17(9):4-6. [Cites AHRQ findings on underutilization of evidence-based guidelines for the prevention of surgical site infections.]

Healthcare Benchmarks and Quality Improvement
NQF endorses HCAHPS patient perception survey: results will be public and comparable. Healthcare Benchmarks Qual Improv 2005 Jul; 12(7):82-3. [Describes purpose and components of AHRQ's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study (HCAHPS).]

Inquiry
Swartz K. The view from here: healthresearchfunding.org--add your voice to increase funding for investigator-initiated research. Inquiry 2005 Summer; 42(2):107-9. [Discusses past and future funding prospects and needs for AHRQ.]

Abend SL. Book Review: Achieving safe and reliable healthcare: strategies and solutions. Inquiry 2005 Summer; 42(2):193-7. [Notes that AHRQ has developed excellent tools for assessing and analyzing the safety culture of hospitals."]

Journal of the American Board of Family Practice
Young R, Boltri J. How do family physicians provide anticipatory guidance during well-child visits? J Am Bd Fam Pract 2005 Sep-Oct; 18(5):440-4. [Cites factsheet by Guirguis-Blake (former AHRQ researcher) et al. at http://www.aafppolicy.org/x390.xml, 2002.]

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Voss AC, Bender SA, Ferguson ML, et al. Long-term care liability for pressure ulcers. J Am Geriatr Soc2005 Sep; 53(9):1587-92. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Pressure Ulcer Treatment, 1995.]

Journal of Studies on Alcohol
Johnson BA, Ait-Daoud N, Roache, JD. The COMBINE SAFTEE: a structured instrument for collecting adverse events adapted for clinical studies in the alcoholism field. J Stud Alcohol Suppl 2005 Jul; 66(4):S157-67. [Cites AHRQ report, Reducing and Preventing Adverse Drug Events to Decrease Hospital Costs, in Research in Action, March 2001.]

Medicine Health
Plan shows how to pry 'shutters' off unused hospitals: AHRQ outlines steps to re-opening closed facilities during surge capacity. Med Health 2005 Sep 19; 59(33):2. [Summarizes AHRQ report, Use of Former ("Shuttered") Hospitals to Expand Surge Capacity: Requirements for Reopening a Shuttered Hospital in an Emergency, and Suggestions for Meeting Those Requirements, 2005.]

Modern Healthcare
Robeznieks A. In no big hurry: physicians still slow to adopt EMR systems: survey. Mod Healthc 2005 Sep 19; 35(38):17. [Reports on AHRQ-funded study on the use of EMR systems; quotes remarks by AHRQ researcher Jon White.]

Romano M. Survey finds delighted patients: J.D. Power study says most happy with hospital care, but some question results. Mod Healthc 2005 Sep 19; 35(38):18. [Mentions AHRQ collaboration with CMS to develop a nationwide survey of hospital performance to help facilitate more patient-centered care.]

Sloane T. Quality matters: there is a movement on improving healthcare, but CEOs need to get in the game. Mod Healthc 2005 Sep 19; 35(38):30. [Mentions AHRQ's upcoming report on the clinical effectiveness of the 10 most common medical treatments performed on Medicare beneficiaries.]

Danger on the tennis court. Mod Healthc 2005 Sep 19; 35(38):56. [Cites data from MEPS on 2002 expenditures for treatment of accidental injuries.]

Nursing Economics
Mentors may help accelerate the shift toward evidence-based nursing practice. Nurs Econ 2005 Jul-Aug; 23(4):188. [Reports findings from AHRQ-funded survey by Melnyk, et al. (Worldviews Evid Based Nurs, 2004.]

Linnell K. Chronic disease self-management: one successful program. Nurs Econ 2005 Jul-Aug; 23(4):189-98. [Notes AHRQ funding of self-management research as described in AHRQ report, Preventing Disease in the Elderly with Chronic Disease, in Research in Action, 2002.]

Nurses should raise a red flag to protect patient safety. Nurs Econ 2005 Jul-Aug; 23(4):198. [Cites information from AHRQ-authored article by Hughes (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships) (Am J Nurs, 2004.]

Research Policy Alert
NCI initiative will develop solutions for minority recruitment in clinical trials. Res Policy Alert 2005 Sep 22; 1-2. [Notes presentation of AHRQ report Knowledge and Access to Information on Recruitment of Underrepresented Populations to Cancer Clinical Trials at meeting of National Cancer Advisory Board.]

Pink Sheet
Medicare Rx may necessitate drug comparison studies in early development. Pink Sheet 2005 Sep 19; 67(38):26. [Notes AHRQ conduct of comparative drug effectiveness analyses as required by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.]

Washington Post
Freking K. Officials say Medicare official reassigned. Wash Post 2005 Sep 20. [Notes transfer of former CMS chief medical officer Sean Tunis to AHRQ.]

Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
Melnyk BM, Fineout-Overholt E, Stetler C, et al. Outcomes and implementation strategies from the first U.S. Evidence-based Leadership Summit. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs 2005; 2(3):113-21. [Acknowledges AHRQ for sponsoring representatives to attend conference; notes collaboration with AHRQ Translating Research into Practice (TRIP) leaders in conducting the first summit; includes among top priorities meeting with AHRQ to discuss project funding.]

Resources for evidence-based practice. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs 2005; 2(3):166. [List includes NGC.]

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

American Family Physician
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Rh(D) incompatibility: recommendation statement. Am Fam Physician 2005 Sep 15; 72(6):1087-8. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on screening for Rh(D) incompatibility.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Hansen RA, Gartlehner G, Lohr KN, et al. Efficacy and safety of second-generation antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Ann Intern Med 2005 Sep 20; 143(6):415-26. [Uses USPSTF clinical trials rating criteria as published in article by Harris, et al. (Am J Prev Med 2001); cites AHRQ-funded evidence report summary by San Antonio Evidence-based Practice Center (Ann Intern Med, 2000) and AHRQ guideline, Depression in Primary Care, Vol. 2. Treatment of Major Depression, 1993; notes previous AHRQ grant and research support to fourth author, Gaynes BN.]

Family Practice News
Schneider ME. Screen all pregnant women for HIV, task force says in update. Fam Pract News 2005 Aug 15; 35(16):11. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on HIV screening in pregnant women as published in Ann Intern Med, 2005.]

Health Technology Trends
Vascular surgeons continue drive to establish independent board. Health Technol Trends 2005 Sep; 17(9):7-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms.]

JAMA
HIV screening advice. JAMA 2005 Jul 27; 294(4):418. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on HIV screening for pregnant women and cites data from AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).]

Journal of the American Board of Family Practice
Dresang LT. Colposcopy: an evidence-based update. J Am Bd Fam Pract2005 Sep-Oct; 18(5):383-92. [Cites USPSTF recommendation on screening for cervical cancer, as published in Am Fam Physician, 2003.]

Backer EL, Geske JA, McIlvain HE, et al. Improving female preventive health care delivery through practice change: an Every Woman Matters study. J Am Bd Fam Pract 2005 Sep-Oct; 18(5):401-8. [Cites Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1989 and 1996 editions.]

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Zhu Y, Wang W, Atrubin D, et al. Initial evaluation of the Early Aberration Reporting System - Florida. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2005 Aug 26; 54 (Suppl):123-30. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response: Use of Information Technologies and Decision Support Systems, 2002.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

American Family Physician
Huntzinger A, Coughlin L. Quantum sufficit: just enough. Am Fam Physician 2005 Aug 15; 72(4):562. [Notes findings from AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Use of Episiotomy in Obstetrical Care: A Systematic Review, 2005.]

Wheeler P, Wheeler SF. Vasomotor rhinitis. Am Fam Physician 2005 Sep 15; 72(6):1057-62. [Uses and discusses findings from AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Management of Allergic and Nonallergic Rhinitis, 2002.]

Family Practice News
Sullivan MG. Guidelines aim to offer VBAC to more women. Fam Pract News 2005 Sep 1; 35(17):1, 11. [Cites AHRQ 2003 trial of labor report (AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, 2003) as basis of new AAFP guidelines.]

Special Delivery
Little or no benefit to episiotomy. Spec Delivery 2005 Jun 22; 28(2):10. [Discusses findings from AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Use of Episiotomy in Obstetrical Care: A Systematic Review, 2005.]

Research By Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Archives of Internal Medicine
Noskin GA, Rubin RJ, Schentag JJ, et al. The burden of Staphylococcus aureus infections on hospitals in the United States: an analysis of the 2000 and 2001 Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. Arch Intern Med 2005 Aug 8-22; 165(15):1756-61. [Uses 2000 and 2001 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from AHRQ's HCUP.]

Cancer
Cooksley CD, Avritscher EB, Bekele BN, et al. Epidemiology and outcomes of serious influenza-related infections in the cancer population. Cancer 2005 Aug 1; 104(3):618-28. [Uses NIS data from AHRQ's HCUP.]

Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery
Jain NB, Hocker S, Pietroban R, et al. Total arthroplasty versus hemiarthroplasty for glenohumeral osteoarthritis: role of provider volume. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2005 Jul-Aug; 14(4):361-7. [Uses 1988-2000 NIS data from AHRQ's HCUP.]

Jain NB, Pietroban R, Guller U, et al. Influence of provider volume on length of stay, operating room time, and discharge status for rotator cuff repair. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2005 Jul-Aug; 14(4):407-13. [Uses 1997-2000 NIS data from AHRQ's HCUP.]

Journal of Risk and Insurance
Ma YL, Browne M. Subsidization and choice in the group health insurance market. J Risk Insur 2005 Sep; 72(3):413-39. [Uses data from AHRQ's 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES).]

Urology
Nelson CP, Bloom DA, Dunn RL, et al. Bladder exstrophy in the newborn: a snapshot of contemporary practice patterns. Urology 2005 Aug; 66(2):411-5. [Uses 1988-2000 IS data from AHRQ's HCUP.]


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