Articles of Interest Alert

December 31, 2004


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

Advances in Neonatal Care
Yaeger KA, Halamek LP, Coyle M, et al. High-fidelity simulation-based training in neonatal nursing. Adv Neonatal Nurs 2004 Dec; 4(6):326-31. [Supported by Grant No. 1 U18 HS12022-01.]

American Journal of Public Health
Johnson RL, Roter D, Powe NR, et al. Patient race/ethnicity and quality of patient-physician communication during medical visits. Am J Public Health 2004 Dec; 94(12):2084-90. [Supported by Grant No. F31 HS13265.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Asch SM, McGlynn EA, Hogan MM, et al. Comparison of quality of care for patients in the Veterans Health Administration and patients in a national sample. Ann Intern Med 2004 Dec 21; 141(12):938-45, with supplemental material. [Supported by Grant No. 5 U18 HS09463-03 and published in AHRQ-funded Improving Patient Care section of journal.]

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Mayer ML, Skinner AC. Too many, too few, too concentrated? A review of the pediatric subspecialty workforce literature. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004 Dec; 158(12):1158-65. [Supported by Grant No. 1 K02 HS0113309-01A1.]

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Dobrez DG, Lo Sasso AT, Heinemann AW. The effect of prospective payment on rehabilitative care. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004 Dec; 85(12):1909-14. [Supported by Grant No. R03 HS10375-01.]

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science Markenson D, Redlener I. Pediatric terrorism preparedness national guidelines and recommendations: findings of an evidence-based consensus process. Biosecur Bioterror 2004; 2(4):301-19. Supported by Grant No. 1 R13 HS13855.]

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Kuo GM, Hawley ST, Weiss LT, et al. Factors associated with herbal use among urban multiethnic primary care patients: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Complement Altern Med 2004 Dec 2; 4(1):e18. [Supported by Grant No. P20 HS11187.]

BMC Health Services Research
Atkins D, Eccles M, Flottorp S, et al. Systems for grading the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations I: critical appraisal of existing approaches The GRADE Working Group. BMC Health Serv Res 2004 Dec 22; 4(1):e38. [First author is researcher in AHRQs Center for Outcomes and Evidence.]

Circulation
Spertus JA, Salisbury AC, Jones PG, et al. Predictors of quality-of-life benefit after percutaneous coronary intervention. Circulation 2004 Dec; 110(25):3789-94. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS11282-01.]

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Vij R, Triadafilopoulos G, Owens KD, et al. Cost-effectiveness of photodynamic therapy for high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus. Gastrointest Endosc 2004 Nov; 60(5):739-56. [Supported by Grant No. 5 T32 HS00028-17.]

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
Plantinga LC, Fink NE, Jaar BG, et al. Frequency of sit-down patient care rounds, attainment of clinical performance targets, hospitalization, and mortality in hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol 2004 Dec; 15(12):3144-53. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS08365.]

Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Schneeweiss S, Wang PS. Association between SSRI use and hip fractures and the effect of residual confounding bias in claims database studies. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2004 Dec; 24(6):632-8. [Supported by Grant No. 2 R02 HS10881.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Glasgow RE, Nutting PA, King DK, et al. A practical randomized trial to improve diabetes care. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1167-74. [Supported by Grant No. HS10123.]

Journal of the National Medical Association
Alam NM, Archer JA, Lee E. Osteoporotic fragility fractures in African Americans: under-recognized and undertreated. J Natl Med Assoc 2004 Dec; 96(12):1640-5. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R24 HS11673.]

Journal of Traumatic Stress
Ramstad SM, Russo J, Zatzick DF. Is it an accident? Recurrent traumatic life events in level I trauma center patients compared to the general population. J Trauma Stress 2004 Dec; 17(6):529-34. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R03 HS11372.]

Journal of Urban Health
Bell JF, Zimmerman FJ, Cawthon ML, et al. Jail incarceration and birth outcomes. J Urban Health 2004 Dec; 8(4):630-44. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS013853-01.]

Liver Transplantation
Amin MG, Wolf MP, TenBrook JA Jr, et al. Expanded criteria donor grafts for deceased donor liver transplantation under the MELD system: a decision analysis. Liver Transpl 2004 Dec; 10(12):1468-75. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS00060.]

Medical Anthropology Quarterly
Horton S. Different subjects: the health care systems participation in the differential construction of the cultural citizenship of Cuban refugees and Mexican immigrants. Med Anthropol Q 2004 Dec; 18(4):472-89. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R01 HS09703.]

Pain
Tait RC, Chibmall JT, Andresen EM, et al. Management of occupational back injuries: differences among African Americans and Caucasians. Pain 2004 Dec; 112(3):389-96. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS014007-01.]

Pediatrics
Moyer VA, Butler M. Gaps in the evidence for well-child care: a challenge to our profession. Pediatrics 2004 Dec; 114(6):1511-21. [Supported by Grant No.

Wegner S, Vann JJ, Liu G, et al. Direct cost analyses of palivizumab treatment in a cohort of at-risk children: evidence from the North Carolina Medicaid program. Pediatrics 2004 Dec; 114(6):1612-19. [Supported by Grant No. 2 U28 HS10397-05.]

Quality and Safety in Health Care
Shapiro MJ, Morey JC, Small SD, et al. Simulation based teamwork training for emergency department staff: does it improve clinical team performance when added to an existing didactic teamwork curriculum? Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Dec; 13(6):417-21. [Supported by Grant Nos. P20 HS11553, U18 HS11905, and P20 HS11592.]

Radiology
Ondategui-Parra S, Bhagwat JG, Zou KH, et al. Practice management performance indicators in academic radiology departments. Radiology 2004 Dec; 5(4):359-65. [Supported by Grant No. HS13234-01.]

Transplantation
Mendeloff J, Ko K, Roberts MS, et al. Procuring organ donors as a health investment: how much should we be willing to spend? Transplantation 2004 Dec 27; 78(12):1704-10. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS09694. See also article by DeWalt, et al., J Gen Intern Med, cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

Academic Medicine
Fiscella K, Williams DR. Health disparities based on socioeconomic inequities: implications for urban health care. Acad Med 2004 Dec; 79(12):1139-47. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Hessol, et al., Obstet Gynecol 1998 Nov; 92(5):814-22, and Schillinger, et al. Arch Intern Med 2003 Jan 13; 163(1):83-90; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Fiscella, et al. (AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy is fourth author), JAMA 2000 May 17; 283(19):2579-84, and Weissman, Moy (researcher in AHRQs Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety), et al., Health Aff 2003 Nov-Dec; 22(6):156-66.]

AcademyHealth Partners Newsletter
New publications: New report from AHRQ. AcademyHealth Partners 2004 Dec. [Describes AHRQ report, Setting the Agenda for Research on Cultural Competence in Health Care, 2004.]

Organizational changes: From Rutgers University. AcademyHealth Partners Newslett 2004 Dec. [Announces receipt of AHRQ grant to study the impact of state regulatory reform in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the receipt of cardiac angiography.]

American Medical News
AHRQ budget increased. Am Med News 2004 Dec 13; 47(46):12. [Discusses AHRQ 2005 budget prospects.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Childs JD, Fritz JM, Flynn TW, et al. A clinical prediction rule to identify patients with low back pain most likely to benefit from spinal manipulation: a validation study. Ann Intern Med 2004 Dec 21; 141(12):920-8. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Deyo and Phillips, Spine 1996 Dec 15; 21(24):2826-32, and Cherkin, et al., Ann Intern Med 2003 Jun 3; 138(11):898-906; cites AHRQ guideline, Acute Lower Back Problems in Adults, 1994.]

BNA's Health Care Policy Report
AHRQ, health plans form partnership to reduce inequities in care for minorities. BNA Health Care Policy Rep 2004 Dec 20; 12(49):1692. [Describes goals of AHRQ's National Health Plan Learning Collaborative.]

BNA's Health Plan and Provider Report
AHRQ, health plans form collaborative to reduce inequities. BNA Health Plan Provider Rep 2004 Dec 22; 10(49):1269. [Describes goals of AHRQs National Health Plan Learning Collaborative.]

Commonwealth Fund: From the President: Top 10 Health Policy Stories of 2004
Patient safety and medical errors gain increased attention in the ongoing debate over improving the quality of care. Commonw Fund: From President 2004 Dec; 6. [Notes findings from consumer survey produced by AHRQ, the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health.]

Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health
Computer-assisted care improves outcomes in people with diabetes. Evid-based Healthc Public Health 2004 Dec; 8(6):355-56. [Critiques AHRQ-funded article by Balas, et al. Med Care 2004 Jun; 42(6):610-21.]

Gerontologist
Klein D, Turvey C, Wallace R. Elders who delay medication because of costs: health insurance, demographic, health, and financial correlates. Gerontologist 2004 Dec; 44(6):779-87. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Soumerai, et al., N Engl J Med 1987 Aug 27; 317(9):550-6.]

Health News Daily
Bristol N. Citizens' Health Care Working Group forming; panel to advise White House, Congress. Health News Daily 2004 Dec 22; 16(246):1-2. [Notes that AHRQ will oversee the panel and its two-year mandate.]

Healthcare Financial Management
Weight-loss surgery effect for extremely obese patients. Healthc Financ Manage 2004 Dec; 58(12):25. [Cites findings from AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Pharmacological and Surgical Treatment of Obesity, 2004.]

International Journal of Health Care Finance and Economics
Town R, Feldman R, Wholey D. The impact of ownership conversions on HMO performance. Int J Health Care Finance Econ 2004 Dec; 4(4):327-342. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Wholey, et al., Health Aff 1997 Nov-Dec;16(6):75-84.]

JAMA
Druss BG. Technology in American health care: policy directions for effective evaluation and management. JAMA 2004 Dec 22-29; 292(24):3036. [Reviews book of which AHRQ researcher William Encinosa (Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) is third author.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Gary TL, Brancati FL. Strategies to curb the epidemic of diabetes and obesity in primary care settings. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1242-3. [Summarizes findings from article by Glasgow, et al., cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.]

Farwell WR, Stump TE, Wang J, et al. Weight gain and new onset diabetes associated with olanzapine and risperidone. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1200-5. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by McDonald, et al., Int J Med Inform 1999 Jun; 54(3):225-53.]

Smetana GW, Davis RB, Phillips RS. Factors that influence patient response to requests to change to a unified restrictive formulary. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1212-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Schneeweiss, et al., N Engl J Med 2002 Mar 14; 346(11):822-9.]

Journal of Nursing Scholarship
Leape L. Lucian Leape on patient safety in U.S. hospitals. Interview by Peter I. Buerhaus. J Nurs Scholarsh 2004; 36(4):366-70. [Notes that AHRQ has emphasized the patient safety agenda in the U.S. in many useful ways and that it has done a great job at agenda setting and defining problems, and it commissioned the National Quality Forum to develop standards for reporting serious events... and recommended 30 safe practices.]

Milbank Quarterly
Greenhalgh T, Robert G, Macfarlane F, et al. Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: systematic review and recommendations. Milbank Q 2004; 82(4):581-629. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Gustafson, et al., Health Serv Res 2003 Apr; 38(2):751-76.]

Kilbourne AM, Schulberg HC, Post EP, et al. Translating evidence-based depression management services to community-based primary care practices. Milbank Q 2004; 82(4):631-59. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Depression in Primary Care, Vol. 2: Treatment of Major Depression, 1993.]

Pink Sheet
AHRQ drug effectiveness comparisons will focus on 10 priority conditions. Pink Sheet 2004 Dec 20; 66(51):11. [Notes that research will be conducted with $15 million authorization under Medicare Modernization Act.]

Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders
CMS seeking public comment on quality measures. Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Dec; 16(12):11-12. [Notes CMS work with AHRQ on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (HCAHPS).]

HHS awarding $139 million to promote HIT adoption. Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Dec; 16(12):15-16. [Describes AHRQ-funded health information technology grants.]

Washington Fax
AHRQ comparative effectiveness, outcomes research for Medicare priority conditions" announced. Wash Fax 2004 Dec 20. [Discusses research program to be conducted with $15 million authorization under Medicare Modernization Act.]

Washington Health Policy Week in Review (Commonwealth Fund)
Health plans, AHRQ, join forces to reduce health care disparities. Wash Health Policy Week Rev 2004 Dec 20. [Summarizes press release announcing AHRQ collaboration on reducing health care disparities.]

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

BMC Public Health
Katz ML, James AS, Pignone MP, et al. Colorectal cancer screening among African American church members: a qualitative and quantitative study of patient-provider communication. BMC Public Health 2004 Dec 15; 4(1):62. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on colorectal cancer screening in article by Pignone, et al., Ann Intern Med 2002 Jul 16;137(2):132-41, and cites AHRQ publication, Colorectal Cancer Screening: Summary, 1997.]

Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health
Limited evidence for the effectiveness of primary care physician interventions for preventing dental caries in preschool children. Evid-based Healthc Public Health 2004 Dec; 8(6):357-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations for the prevention of dental caries in preschool children as published in article by Bader, et al., Am J Prev Med 2004 May; 26(4):315-25.]

Journal of Family Practice
Peters K, Henley E. Acting on synergies between clinic and community strategies to improve preventive medicine. J Fam Pract 2004 Dec; 53(12):970-3. [Cites USPSTF guidelines in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996.]

Journal of Medical Screening
Law M. The vagaries of prostate cancer screening. J Med Screening 2004; 11(4):163-4. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on prostate cancer screening in article by Woolf, et al., N Engl J Med 1995 Nov 23; 333(21):1401-5.]

Gattellari M, Ward JE. Will men attribute fault to their GP for adverse effects arising from controversial screening tests? An Australian study using scenarios about PSA screening. J Med Screening 2004; 11(4):165-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on prostate cancer screening in article by Harris and Lohr, Ann Intern Med 2002 Dec 3; 137(11):917-29.]

Medical Economics
Weiss GG. Helping patients stay healthy: how to make preventive care a centerpiece of your practice. Med Econ 2004 Dec 3; 81(23):74-6. [Describes and reprints AHRQ patient brochures for men and women based on USPSTF recommendations.]

Milbank Quarterly
Kravitz RL, Duan N, Braslow J. Evidence-based medicine, heterogeneity of treatment effects, and the trouble with averages. Milbank Q 2004; 82(4):661-87. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on chemoprevention of breast cancer, Ann Intern Med 2002 Jul 2; 137(1):56-58, and AHRQ-funded article by Needleman, et al., N Engl J Med 2002 May 30;346(22):1715-22.]

New England Journal of Medicine
Woolf SH. A smarter strategy?—reflections on fecal DNA screening for colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med 2004 Dec 23; 351(26):2755-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on colorectal cancer screening in articles by Pignone, et al., Ann Intern Med 2002 Jul 16;137(2):96-104 and 132-41.]

Pediatrics
Zuckerman B, Stevens GD, Inkelas M, et al. Prevalence and correlates of high-quality basic pediatric preventive care. Pediatrics 2004 Dec; 114(6):1522-9. [Cites challenges of delivering all preventive services recommended by USPSTF and asserts that USPSTF recommendations are actually less comprehensive than those of the AAP or Bright Futures; cites AHRQ-authored article by Short and Lefkowitz (former and current researchers in AHRQ's Center for Finance, Access, and Cost Trends), Med Care 1992 Sep;30(9):766-80.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Journal of General Internal Medicine
DeWalt DA, Berkman ND, Sheridan S, et al. Literacy and health outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1228-39. [Supported by Contract No. 290-02-0016 to RTI-UNC Evidence-based Practice Center.]

Montori VM, Saha S, Clarke M. A call for systematic reviews. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1240-1. [Reviews above study and cites establishment of AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Center program.]

Research By Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Andrews JO, Heath J, Graham-Garcia J. Management of tobacco dependence in older adults: using evidence-based strategies. J Gerontol Nurs 2004 Dec; 30(12):13-24. [Adapts intervention strategy model and pharmacotherapy guidelines from PHS guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000.]

Pain Medicine
Fishbain DA, Cutler RB, Lewis J, et al. Do the second-generation atypical neuroleptics have analgesic properties? A structured evidence-based review. Pain Med 2004 Dec; 5(4):359-65. [Categorizes reviewed studies using AHRQ guidelines for categorizing levels of evidence as published in Institute of Medicine report, Clinical Practice Guidelines: Directions for a New Program, 1990.]


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