February 27, 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.
Academic Emergency Medicine
Chung S, Mandl KD, Shannon M, et al. Efficacy of an educational Web site for educating
physicians about bioterrorism. Acad Emerg Med 2004 Feb; 11(2):143-48. [Supported by
Grant No. 290-00-0020.]
Annals of Internal Medicine
Campbell DE, Lynn J, Louis TA, et al. Medicare program expenditures associated with
hospice use. Ann Intern Med 2004 Feb 17; 140(4):269-77. [Supported by AHRQ grant
(no number given) and as part of AHRQ-sponsored section Improving Patient Care.]
British Medical Journal
Margolis PA, Lannon CM, Stuard JM, et al. Practice based education to improve delivery
systems for prevention in primary care: randomised trial. BMJ 2004 Feb 14; 328(7436):388-92. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS08509.]
Circulation
Grant AO, Jacobs AK, Clancy C. Cardiovascular disease in women: are there solutions?
Circulation 2004 Feb 10; 109(5):561. [Third author is AHRQ director; cites findings
from AHRQ's National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR).]
Ethnicity and Disease
Ogedegbe G, Harrison M, Robbins L, et al. Barriers and facilitators of medication
adherence in hypertensive African Americans: a qualitative study. Ethn Dis 2004
Winter; 14(1):3-12. [First author supported by AHRQ T32 Fellowship Training in Health
Services Research and Clinical Epidemiology program during study.]
Raji MA, Al Snih S, Ray LA, et al. Cognitive status and incident disability in older Mexican Americans; findings from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly. Ethn Dis 2004 Winter; 14(1):26-31. [Supported by Grant No. HS11618.]
Gerontologist
Zhang X, Grabowski DC. Nursing home staffing and quality under the Nursing Home Reform
Act. Gerontologist 2004 Feb; 44(1):13-23. [Supported by Grant No. 1R03 HS13503-01.]
Spector WD, Cohen JW, Pesis-Katz I. Home care before and after the Balanced Budget Act of 1997: shifts in financing and services. Gerontologist 2004 Feb; 44(1):39-47. [First and second authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets and Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, respectively; uses data from AHRQ's National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).]
Damush TM, Smith DM, Perkins AJ, et al. Risk factors for nonelective hospitalization in frail and older adult, inner-city outpatients. Gerontologist 2004 Feb; 44(1):68-75. [Supported by Grant No. HS07632 to Tierney WM.]
Health Affairs
Newhouse JP. How much should Medicare pay for drugs? Health Aff 2004 Jan-Feb; 23(1):89-102. [Supported by Grant No. P01 HS10803.]
McNeill D. Do consumer-directed health benefits favor the young and health? Health Aff 2004 Jan-Feb; 23(1):186-93. [Author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety.]
International Journal for Quality in Health Care
Asch SM, Fremont AM, Turner BJ, et al. Symptom-based framework for assessing quality of
HIV care. Int J Qual Health Care 2004 Feb; 16(1):41-50. [HIV Cost and Services
Utilization Study (HCSUS) is supported by Grant No. U01 HS08578; cites book by Eisenberg
(former AHRQ director), Doctor's Decisions and the Cost of Medical Care, 1986, and several
AHRQ-funded HCSUS articles.]
JAMA
Landon BE. Career satisfaction among physicians. JAMA 2004 Feb 4; 291(5):634.
[Supported by Grant No. P01 HS10803.]
Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law
Page S. How physicians' organizations compete: protectionism and efficiency. J Health
Polit Policy Law 2004 Feb; 29(1):75-105. [Supported by Grant No. HS00086.]
New England Journal of Medicine
Hilliard AA, Weinberger SE, Tierney LM Jr, et al. Occam's razor versus Saint's Triad.
N Engl J Med 2004 Feb 5; 350(6):599-603. [Supported by Grant No. P20 HS11540.]
Psycho-Oncology
Hahn EA, Cella D, Dobrez D, et al. The talking touchscreen: a new approach to outcomes
assessment in low literacy. Psychooncology 2004 Feb; 13(2):86-95. [Supported by Grant
No. R01 HS10333.]
Quality Management in Health Care
Nelson EC, Splaine ME, Plume SK, et al. Good measurement for good improvement work.
Qual Manage Health Care 2004 Jan-Mar; 13(1):1-16. [Supported by Grant No. 1R13 HS1008601.]
Speroff T, O'Connor GT. Study designs for PDSA quality improvement research. Qual Manage Health Care 2004 Jan-Mar; 13(1):17-32. [Supported by Grant No. 1R13 HS1008601.]
Speroff T, James BC, Nelson EC, et al. Guidelines for appraisal and publication of PDSA quality improvement. Qual Manage Health Care 2004 Jan-Mar; 13(1):33-39. [Supported by Grant No. 1R13 HS1008601.]
Quality and Safety in Health Care
Bradley EH, Holmboe ES, Mattera JA, et al. Data feedback efforts in quality improvement:
lessons learned from U.S. hospitals. Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Feb; 13(1):26-31. [Supported
by Grant No. R01 HS10407.]
Morris AH. Iatrogenic illness: a call for decision support tools to reduce unnecessary variation. Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Feb; 13(1):80-1. [Supported by Grant No. HS06594.]
Wisconsin Medical Journal
Newburn VH, Nemeth BA. Health priorities in Wisconsin: a case for tracking childhood
mortality. WMJ 2003' 102(8):31-6. [Supported by Grant No. 5T32 HS00083.]
AcademyHealth Member Update
New contract to focus on knowledge transfer and application strategies. AcademyHealth
Member Update 2004 Feb; #6. [Announces award of three-year contract by AHRQ to develop
and implement integrated knowledge transfer and application strategies.]
American Health Line
HHS: NYT examines revision of health disparities report. Am Health Line 2004 Feb 23; #4.
[Summarizes New York Times article reviewing differences between AHRQ's June 2003 draft
and the final executive summary of the National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)
released December 23, 2003.]
HHS: releases original version of report on health disparities. Am Health Line 2004 Feb 24; #2. [Quotes excerpts from AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy's letter accompanying the original version of the National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) as posted on the AHRQ Web site February 23, 2004.]
Blue Sheet
Public health funding grows 0.5% under White House proposal—advocates. Blue Sheet 2004
Feb 16; 47(7):6. [Cites comments on AHRQ's proposed budget for FY 2005.]
Health disparities. Blue Sheet 2004 Feb 16; 47(7):16. [Cites announcement that HHS will "re-release" the NHDR in "a version more closely resembling its original June 2003 draft form".]
Health disparities. Blue Sheet 2004 Feb 23; 47(8):20. [Mentions HHS plans to release the original version of the NHDR.]
British Medical Journal
Dyer O. Ethnic minority groups criticize US report on healthcare disparities. BMJ 2004
Feb 7; 328(7435):308. [Discusses differences between AHRQ's June 2003 draft and the
final executive summary of the NHDR.]
Circulation
Sivarajan Froelicher ES, Miller NH, Christopherson DJ, et al. High rates of sustained
smoking cessation in women hospitalized with cardiovascular disease: the Women's
Initiative for Nonsmoking (WINS). Circulation 2004 Feb 10; 109(5):587-93. [Cites AHRQ
guidelines, Smoking Cessation: Information for Specialists, 1996, and PHS guidelines, Treating Tobacco
Use and Dependence, 2000.]
Ethnicity and Disease
Nicholson WK, Brickhouse B, Powe NR, et al. Prenatal patients' views of prenatal care
services: a medical center-based assessment of knowledge and intent to use support
services. Ethn Dis 2004 Winter; 14(1):13-20. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Homan and
Korenbrot, Med Care, 1998, and Simpson (former AHRQ deputy director) and Korenbrot,
Public Health Rep, 1997.]
Goldman RE, Risica PM. Perceptions of breast and cervical cancer risk and screening among Dominicans and Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island. Ethn Dis 2004 Winter; 14(1):32-42. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Mandelblatt et al., Prev Med, 1999.]
Gerontologist
Schnelle JF. Determining the relationship between staffing and quality. Gerontologist
2004 Feb; 44(1):10-12. [Summarizes findings from AHRQ-funded article by Zhang and
Grabowski cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.]
Rantz MJ, Hicks L, Grando V, et al. Nursing home quality, cost, staffing, and staff mix. Gerontologist 2004 Feb; 44(1):24-38. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Mukamel and Spector (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets Studies), Med Care, 2000, and Spector and Takeda, J Aging Health, 1991.]
Danis M, Biddle AK, Goold SD. Enrollees choose priorities for Medicare. Gerontologist 2004 Feb; 44(1):58-67. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Vistnes and Banthin (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends), Inquiry, 1997-1998.]
Fox P, Arnsberger P, Owens D, et al. Patient and clinical site factors associated with rescreening behavior among older multiethnic, low-income women. Gerontologist 2004 Feb; 44(1):76-84. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Mandelblatt et al., J Am Med Womens Assoc, 2000.]
Kane RL, Flood S, Bershadsky B, et al. Effect of an innovative Medicare managed care program on the quality of care for nursing home residents. Gerontologist 2004 Feb; 44(1):95-103. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Cohen and Spector, J Health Econ, 1996, and Hellinger (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets), Arch Intern Med, 1998.]
Healthcare Financial Management
Johnson VR, Hummel J, Kinninger T, et al. Immediate steps toward patient safety. Healthc
Financ Manage 2004 Feb; 58(2):56-61. [Cites findings from AHRQ-funded article by Leape
et al., JAMA, 1995.]
JAMA
Kotchen TA, Lindquist T, Malik K, et al. NIH peer review of grant applications for
clinical research. JAMA 2004 Feb 18; 291(7):836-43. [Cites research designations
described in AHRQ publication What is AHRQ?, 2002.]
Holroyd-Leduc JM, Straus SE. Management of urinary incontinence in women: clinical applications. JAMA 2004 Feb 25; 291(8):996-9. [Cites AHRQ guideline Urinary Incontinence in Adults: Acute and Chronic Management, 1996.]
Joint Commission Report on Quality and Safety
DeWolf LK, Hatlie MJ, Pugliese G, et al. What is working in patient safety? Jt Comm J
Qual Saf 2003 Jul; 29(7):327-8. [Cites AHRQ as conference endorser.]
Cohen MM, Eustis MA, Gribbins RE. Changing the culture of patient safety: leadership's role in health care quality improvement. Jt Comm J Qual Saf 2003 Jul; 29(7):329-35. [Cites book by Eisenberg (former AHRQ director), Doctor's Decisions and the Cost of Medical Care, 1986.]
Journal of Health Economics
Finkelstein A. The interaction of partial public insurance programs and residual private
insurance markets: evidence from the US Medicare program. J Health Econ 2004 Jan; 23(1):1-24. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Selden (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing,
Access, and Cost Trends), J Public Econ, 1993 and 1997.]
Managed Care Quarterly
Thompson JM. Stakeholder perceptions of quality in managed care plans. Manag Care Q 2003
Spring; 11(2):12-21. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Fraser (Director of AHRQ's Center
for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al., Health Aff,1999.]
Medicine and Health
Study: healthy, sickest gain in consumer-directed plans. Med Health 2004 Feb 16;
58(7):3-4. [Reviews findings from AHRQ-authored article by McNeill cited in
AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.]
Thompson plans to pull altered disparities report in favor of original. Med Health 2004 Feb 16; 58(7):4. [Discusses HHS plans to release original version of AHRQ's NHDR amid controversy over modified HHS version.]
Policymakers seek elusive cures for health disparities. Med Health 2004 Feb 23; 58 (8):1,7-8. [Reviews findings from AHRQ's NHDR.]
Modern Healthcare
Fong T. Damage control. Thompson: positive slant on racial report a mistake. Mod
Healthc 2004 Feb 16; 34(7):8-9. [Discusses HHS plans to release original version of
AHRQ's NHDR amid controversy over modified HHS version.]
Sloane T. Docs try case-study approach to quality. Mod Healthc 2004 Feb 23; 34(8):60. [Reviews book on medical errors written by editors of AHRQ's Morbidity and Mortality Rounds on the Web electronic journal.]
Pink Sheet
Outcomes research should come after approval, FDA's McClellan says. Pink Sheet 2004
Feb 16; 66(7):28. [Mentions AHRQ's participation in Merck/AARP roundtable; comments
that AHRQ is responsible for establishing "an initial list of priorities for research"
within six months of enactment of the Medicare legislation; and mentions Medicare
reform bill's authorization of $50 million for AHRQ to conduct effectiveness research
but states that funding was not included in AHRQ's FY 2004 appropriations nor requested
in FY2005 budget.]
Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders
"Roadmap to success": AHRQ reports on quality, disparities, and the state of American
healthcare. Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Feb; 16(2):10-2. [Reviews findings from AHRQ's
NHQR and NHDR and mentions their availability on the QualityTools Web site.]
Quality and Safety in Health Care
Tamuz M, Thomas EJ, Franchois KE. Defining and classifying medical error: lessons for
patient safety reporting systems. Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Feb; 13(1):13-20. [Cites article by Thomas et al. (third author, Burstin, is director of AHRQ's Center for Primary
Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships), Med Care, 2000, and cites AHRQ-funded
article by Cullen et al., Jt Comm J Qual Improv, 1995.]
Lynn J. When does quality improvement count as research? Human subject protection and theories of knowledge. Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Feb; 13(1):67-70. [Cites paper in AHRQ final report for Small Conference Grant R13 HS10961, May 2002.]
SEA Currents
Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce. SEA Currents 2004
Jan-Feb; 22(1):7-8. [Describes purpose of collaboration and lists AHRQ as a participating
agency.]
Washington Health Policy Week in Review
Fiscal 2005 budget request for AHRQ faulted. Wash Health Policy Week Rev 2004 Feb 17; 6.
[Discusses criticism against the proposed FY 2005 budget for AHRQ.]
Academic Emergency Medicine
Kowalenko T, Khare RK. Should we screen for depression in the emergency department? Acad Emerg Med 2004 Feb; 11(2):177-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for
depression in adults as published in Ann Intern Med, 2002.]
American Family Physician
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Counseling to prevent skin cancer: recommendations
and rationale. Am Fam Physician 2004 Feb 15; 69(4):903-4. [Summarizes USPSTF
recommendations on counseling to prevent skin cancer.]
Family Medicine
Dresang LT, Rodney WM, Dees J. Teaching prenatal ultrasound to family medicine
residents. Fam Med 2004 Feb; 36(2):98-107. [Uses USPSTF recommendations as basis of
recommendations.]
Harvard Women's Health Watch
Update on breast imaging. Harvard Women Health Watch 2003 Jun; 10(10):4-6. [Lists
USPSTF recommendations on frequency of and age-range for mammography screening along
with those of other organizations.]
Journal of Family Practice
Muchowski K, Paladine H. An ounce of prevention: the evidence supporting periconception
health care. J Fam Pract 2004 Feb; 53(2):126-33. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on folic
acid supplementation as published in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996, and
cites article by Elixhauser (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization,
and Markets) et al., DiabetesCare, 1993.]
Werner M, Kelsberg G, Weismantel AM. Which healthy adults should take aspirin? J Fam Pract 2004 Feb; 53(2):146-50. [Cites USPSTF guideline Aspirin for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events: Chemoprevention, as posted on AHRQ Web site.]
Kryszczuk K, Kelsberg G, Rich J, Depietropaolo D. Should we screen adults for asymptomatic microhematuria? J Fam Pract 2004 Feb; 53(2):150-3. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for bladder cancer as published on AHRQ Web site.]
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Hur C, Nishioka NS, Gazelle GS. Cost-effectiveness of aspirin chemoprevention for
Barrett's esophagus. J Natl Cancer Inst 2004 Feb 18; 96(4):316-25. [Cites USPSTF
recommendations on aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular events as published in
Arch Intern Med, 2002.]
Journal Watch
Bauchner H. Improving the quality of pediatric primary care. Journal Watch 2004
Feb 15; 24(4):34. [Author of article and comment is former AHRQ researcher.]
Bauchner H. Diagnosing appendicitis in children: what's the best strategy? Journal Watch 2004 Feb 15; 24(4):35. [Author of article and comment is former AHRQ researcher.]
Bauchner H. Effect of radiation during infancy on cognitive development. Journal Watch 2004 Feb 15; 24(4):35. [Author of article and comment is former AHRQ researcher.]
Bauchner H. Which treatment for AOM in children with tympanostomy tubes? Journal Watch 2004 Feb 15; 24(4):35. [Author of article and comment is former AHRQ researcher.]
Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders
Patient-provider partnership encouraged for making decisions about preventive care.
Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Feb; 16(2):15. [Reviews findings from USPSTF working
group paper, Shared Decisionmaking About Screening and Chemoprevention, 2004, as
published in article by Sheridan et al., Am J Prev Med, 2004, and posted on the AHRQ
Web site.]
Report on Medical Guidelines and Outcomes Research
Experts make no recommendation on thyroid disease screening. Rep Med Guidelines Outcomes Res 2004 Feb 20; 15(4):4. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on thyroid
Disease screening as posted on the AHRQ Web site.]
Family Medicine
Weiss BD. SORT: strength of recommendation taxonomy. Fam Med 2004 Feb; 36(2):141-3.
[Cites recommendations in AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Systems to Rate
the Strength of Scientific Evidence, 2002, as the basis for the "widely cited" USPSTF
recommendations.]
International Journal for Quality in Health Care
Lohr K. Rating the strength of scientific evidence: relevance for quality improvement
programs. Int J Qual Health Care 2004 Feb; 16(1):9-18. [Describes AHRQ's
Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) program and details the methodology and results of RTI
International-University of North Carolina (RTI-UNC) EPC's evidence review on systems
to rate the quality of evidence in clinical studies; cites Evidence Report/Technology Assessment by West et al., Systems to Rate the Strength of Scientific Evidence, 2002,
and USPSTF evidence-grading methodology as described in Harris et al., Am J Prev Med,
2001.]
Journal of Family Practice
Ebell MH, Siwek J, Weiss BD, et al. Simplifying the language of evidence to improve
patient care: Strength of recommendation taxonomy (SORT): a patient-centered approach
to grading evidence in the medical literature. J Fam Pract 2004 Feb; 53(2):111-20.
[Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Systems to Rate the Strength of
Scientific Evidence, 2002.]
Journal Watch
Saitz R. Management of patients with newly detected atrial fibrillation. Journal
Watch 2004 Feb 15; 24(4):34. [Reviews guidelines based on systematic review conducted
by Johns Hopkins Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-97-0006-1 as
published in article by McNamara et al., Ann Intern Med, 2002.]
JAMA
Medical expenditures attributable to injuries—United States, 2000. JAMA 2004
Feb 18; 291(7):817-8. [Reprints article from MMWR: Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 2004,
which uses MEPS data.]
MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical expenditures attributable to
injuries—United States, 2000. MMWR: Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2004 Jan 16; 53(1):1-4.
[Uses MEPS data.]
Spine Journal
Feuerstein M, Marcus SC, Huang GD. National trends in nonoperative care for
nonspecific back pain. Spine J 2004 Jan-Feb; 4(1):56-63. [Uses NMES and MEPS data.]
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