January 20, 2006
This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes: articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers; articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products; articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers; articles related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or Put Prevention into Practice program; articles mentioning the National Healthcare Disparities Report and National Healthcare Quality Report and other research using AHRQ data or products.
ACP Journal Club
Correa-de-Araujo R. Commentary. An operational definition of frailty predicted
death, hip fracture, and hospitalization in older women. ACP J Club 2006 Jan-Feb;
144(1):23. [Author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Extramural Research, Education,
and Priority Populations.]
Arthritis and Rheumatism
Feinglass J, Thompson JA, He XZ, et al. Effect of physical activity on functional
status among older middle-age adults with arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 2005 Dec;
53(6):879-85. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10283.]
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Rochon PA, Field TS, Bates DW, et al. Clinical application of a computerized
system for physician order entry with clinical decision to prevent adverse drug
events in long-term care. CMAJ 2006 Jan 3; 174(1):52-4. [Supported by Grant
Nos. HS010481 and 1 R01 HS15430-01.]
Disaster Management and Response
Akins RB, Williams JR, Silenas R. The role of public health nurses in
bioterrorism preparedness. Disaster Manage Response 2005 Oct-Dec; 3(1):98-105.
[Supported by Grant No. 1 U18 HS13715.]
Epilepsy Research
Khoury JS, Winokur RS, Tracy JI, et al. Predicting seizure frequency after
epilepsy surgery. Epilepsy Res 2005 Dec; 67(3):89-99. [Supported by Grant No.
HS09986-01.]
Health Affairs
Gellad WF, Huskamp HA, Phillips KA, et al. How the new Medicare drug benefit
could affect vulnerable populations. Health Aff 2006 Jan-Feb; 25(1):248-55.
[Supported by P01 HS10771 and P01 HS10856; uses 1996-2000 data from AHRQ's Medical
Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)—Household Component (HC).]
JAMA
Fitzgibbons RJ Jr, Giobbie-Hurder A, Gibbs JO, et al. Watchful waiting vs repair
of inguinal hernia in minimally symptomatic men: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2006 Jan 18; 295(3):285-92. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS09860.]
Journal of Economic and Social Measurement
Cohen SB. Integrated survey designs: a framework for nonresponse bias reduction. J Econ Soc Measure 2005; 30(2-3):101-14. [Author is director of AHRQ's Center for
Financing, Access, and Cost Trends; uses MEPS data.]
Cohen SB, Wun LM. A comparison of household and medical provider reported health care utilization and an estimation strategy to correct for response error. J Econ Soc Measure 2005; 30(2-3):115-26. [Authors are director of and researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, respectively; uses MEPS.]
Yu WW, Machlin SR. An examination of skewed health expenditure data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). J Econ Soc Measure 2005; 30(2-3):127-34. [Authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends; uses MEPS data.]
Zuvekas SH, Cohen JW. Trends in provider capitation, 1996-2000. J Econ Soc Measure 2005; 30(2-3):145-56. [Author is director of AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends; uses MEPS data.]
Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs
Wei F, Miglioretti DL, Connelly MT, et al. Changes in women's use of hormones after
the Womens Health Initiative estrogen and progestin trial by race, education, and
income. J Natl Cancer Inst Monog 2005; (35):106-12. [Data collection for the
Patient Safety Project supported by Grant No. U18 HS11843-01.]
Medical Care Research and Review
McNamara P. Foreword: payment matters? The next chapter. Med Care Res Rev 2006
Feb; 63(1 Suppl):5S-10S. [Author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery,
Organization, and Markets.]
Wisconsin Medical Journal
Marbella AM, Yang H, Guse CE, et al. Adolescent hospital discharges associated
with self-poisonings in Wisconsin, 2000-2002. WMJ 2005 Sep; 104(7):59-64.
[Supported by Grant No. U18 HS11893.]
American Health Line
Groin hernias: men can delay surgery in many cases, study finds. Am Health Line
2006 Jan 19; #13. [Reviews findings from AHRQ-funded article by Fitzgibbons, et al., cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.]
Archives of Internal Medicine
Quintana JM, Escobar A, Arostegui I, et al. Health-related quality of life and
appropriateness of knee or hip joint replacement. Arch Intern Med 2006 Jan 23;
166(2):220-6. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Wyrich, et al. (Qual Life Res 2002).]
BNAs Health Care Policy Report
AHRQ weighs new research areas for program comparing drugs, treatments. BNA Health
Care Policy Rep 2006 Jan 16; 14(3):79-80. [Discusses recommendations given for
topics to be covered under AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program.]
BNAs Health Plan and Provider Report
CMS staff says pilot testing project on electronic prescribing to begin soon. BNA
Health Plan Provider Rep 2006 Jan 11; 12(2):39. [Mentions September 2005 RFA to
test standards under program to be planned and administered by AHRQ and funded by CMS.]
FDAnews Drug Daily Bulletin
FDA to make changes in drug risk-assessment programs. FDAnews Drug Daily Bull
2006 Jan 19; 2(265). [Includes comment from Ann Trontell (detailed to AHRQ) on
drug risk-assessment.]
Health Affairs
Kahn CN 3rd, Ault T, Isenstein H, et al. Snapshot of hospital quality reporting
and pay-for-performance under Medicare. Health Aff 2006 Jan-Feb; 25(1):148-62.
[Notes use of quality measures validated by work of AHRQ and other organizations
and notes AHRQ participation in Hospital Quality Initiative.]
Needleman J, Buerhaus PI, Stewart M, et al. Nurse staffing in hospitals: is there a business case for quality? Health Aff 2006 Jan-Feb; 25(1):204-11. [Cites AHRQ-funded report, Keeping Patients Safe: Transforming the Work Environment of Nurses (Institute of Medicine, 2003), and AHRQ report, Hospital Nurse Staffing and Quality of Care, 2004; cites AHRQ-authored article by Altman, Clancy (AHRQ Director), and Blendon (N Engl Med, 2004).]
JAMA
Medical error: Internal Bleeding: The Truth Behind America's Terrifying Epidemic
of Medical Mistakes. JAMA 2006 Jan 18; 295(3):333-4. [Reviews book authored
by Robert Wachter (AHRQ grantee/editor of AHRQ's Web M&M site) and Kaveh
Shojania (AHRQ grantee).]
Medical Care Research and Review
Berlowitz D, Burgess JF Jr, Young GJ. Introduction. Med Care Res Rev 2006 Feb;
63(1 Suppl):11S-13S. [Notes AHRQ support for special supplement on
pay-for-performance and sponsorship of the Rewarding Results initiative.]
Galvin RS. Evaluating the performance of pay for performance. Med Care Res Rev 2006 Feb; 63(1 Suppl):126S-130S. [Cites creation of the Strategic Framework Board by the President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry and states that the effectiveness of AHRQ's attempt to accelerate the application of research findings into practice will depend initially on the quality and usefulness of the research.]
Quality Matters (Commonwealth Fund)
Foubister V. Issue of the month: what evidence do we need for quality improvement? Qual Matters (Commonw Fund) 2006 Jan 20:1-5. [Includes a link to a report from an
AHRQ-sponsored conference, notes the small amount of funding received by AHRQ in
comparison to funding allocated to NIH for medical research, and quotes remarks
by several AHRQ grantees.]
Washington Drug Letter
IOM report may be catalyst for drug safety legislation. Wash Drug Lett 2006
Jan 16; 38(3). [Cites findings from AHRQ-funded study by Wagner, et al.
(Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2005).]
JAMA
Berger JS, Roncaglioni MC, Avanzini F, et al. Aspirin for the primary
prevention of cardiovascular events in women and men: a sex-specific
meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA 2006 Jan 18; 295(3):306-13.
[Cites USPSTF recommendations on aspirin for the primary prevention of
cardiovascular events (Ann Intern Med, 2002).]
Nutrition and Metabolism
Ding EL, Hutfless SM, Ding X, et al. Chocolate and prevention of
cardiovascular disease: a systematic review. Nutr Metab 2006 Jan 3; 3(1):e2.
[Cites USPSTF recommendations in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996.]
JAMA
Berwick DM, Calkins DR, McCannon CJ, et al. The 100 000 Lives Campaign:
setting a goal and a deadline for improving health care quality. JAMA 2006
Jan 18; 295(3):324-7. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices,
2001; cites AHRQ's National Quality Measures Clearinghouse, Acute Myocardial
Infarction: Proportion of Inpatient Mortality Web page; and cites National
Quality Forum report, Safe Practices for Better Healthcare: A Consensus Report,
2003, as posted on AHRQ Web site.]
Medical Care Research and Review
Beich J, Scanlon DP, Ulbrecht J, et al. The role of disease management in
pay-for-performance programs for improving the care of chronically ill patients. Med Care Res Rev 2006 Feb; 63(1 Suppl):96S-116S. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Closing the Quality Gap: A Critical Analysis of
Quality Improvement Strategies, Volume 2: Diabetes Mellitus Care, 2004.]
BNAs Health Care Policy Report
Some good news on health disparities, but HHS sees problems affecting Hispanics. BNA Health Care Policy Rep 2006 Jan 16; 14(3): 90-1. [Reviews findings from
AHRQ's NHDR and NHQR for 2005.]
BNAs Health Plan and Provider Report
Some good news on health disparities, but HHS sees problems affecting Hispanics. BNA Health Plan Provider Rep 2006 Jan 18; 12(3): 82-3. [Reviews findings from
AHRQ's NHDR and NHQR for 2005.]
JAMA
Birkmeyer NJ, Wei Y, Goldfaden A, et al. Characteristics of hospitals performing
bariatric surgery. JAMA 2006 Jan 18; 295(3):282-4. [Uses 1996-2003 data from
AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). See also article by Gellad, et al., in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.]
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