Research Activities

September 2005, No. 301

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

   Guidance is available to help communities reopen former hospitals to care for survivors of Hurricane Katrina

Disparities/Minority Health

Greater access to care at VA clinics lessens disparities in blood pressure control among black men
Ethnically diverse patients define what cultural competence means to them
Acculturation plays a pivotal role in the health status and behaviors of Latinos in the United States
Studies highlight the importance of providing interpreter and translating services for minorities
Patient preference may underlie ethnic variation in knee replacement surgery
Studies of two American Indian tribes reveal different rates of smoking but similarly high rates of life traumas
Black and low-income workers have worse outcomes than other workers after filing compensation claims for low back injuries

Child/Adolescent Health

Events surrounding a serious injury affect the likelihood that an adolescent will suffer from long-term post traumatic stress disorder
Use of nurse case managers and physician peer leaders can reduce children's asthma symptoms but at a price
Studies investigate watchful waiting over immediate antibiotics for young children with nonsevere ear infections
Studies reveal variations in preventive care and parental guidance among pediatric and family medicine practices
Adolescents underuse and receive little preventive health counseling during primary care visits
Certain sociodemographic, environmental, and clinical factors predict asthma severity in children
U.S. rates of Kawasaki syndrome are highest in Japanese American children living in Hawaii
Delayed sternal closure increases the risk of mid-sternum infections in children following cardiac surgery
Pneumococcal carriage tends to be more prevalent in communities where more children attend child care centers

Patient Safety and Quality

Medical groups want to improve chronic disease care but many feel constrained by limited resources and lack of financial incentives
Improving physician knowledge of psychiatric problems and relevant medications could improve quality of care
Patients in intensive care units are at significant risk for adverse events and serious errors

Women's Health

Survey reveals shortage of radiologists and certified mammography technologists at U.S. community mammography facilities
Certain factors predict chronic pelvic pain after pelvic inflammatory disease

Elderly/Long-term Care

Elderly people commonly use herbs or vitamin-mineral supplements, but use varies by ethnicity
Hospitalization rates vary for nursing home residents with suspected pneumonia
Increased use of ACE inhibitors for elderly people with diabetes could improve outcomes and save money

Health Information Technology

Computerized guidelines for psychotropic drug use can improve prescribing and reduce falls among hospitalized elderly patients
Decision support systems that minimize clinicians' efforts to receive and act on system recommendations can improve care
Adoption rates of electronic health records are low among physician groups

Outcomes/Effectiveness Research

Patients with sciatica and lumbar disc herniation or spinal stenosis treated surgically or medically have similar 10-year outcomes
Collaboration between gastroenterologists and pharmacists improves the management of patients with chronic acid-related symptoms
Training clinicians to support the autonomy of patients with diabetes may help improve outcomes

Clinical Decisionmaking

Distinct differences found in transient ischemic attacks with and without infarction

Pharmaceutical Research

Study reveals a lower prevalence of a rare vasculitis syndrome among asthma drug users than previously reported

Rural Health

Many rural primary care providers seek information to support patient care, but most still prefer print over online sources

Health Care Costs and Financing

Out-of-pocket health care expenses pose a significant financial burden for low-income families with children
At least one-fourth of older adults will be uninsured at some point during the years preceding eligibility for Medicare
Ethics consultations can reduce nonbeneficial treatments and costs among dying patients

Agency News and Notes

Task Force issues recommendation against routing testing for genetic risk of breast or ovarian cancer in the general population
New evidence report on soy finds limited evidence for health outcomes
New publication helps consumers understand and get quality health care

Announcements

AHRQ expands women's health program to include gender-based research
AHRQ grantee in the spotlight
Grant final reports now available from NTIS
Research Briefs

Current as of September 2005
AHRQ Publication No. 05-0098

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities Newsletter. September 2005, No. 301. AHRQ Publication No. 05-0098. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/sep05/

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