You Are Here: AHRQ Home > News & Information > Articles of Interests

Articles of Interest

June 8, 2007

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.
Other research using AHRQ data or products.

AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

American Journal of Epidemiology
Dailey AB, Kasl SV, Holford TR, et al. Perceived racial discrimination and nonadherence to screening mammography guidelines: results from the Race Differences in the Screening Mammography Process study. Am J Epidemiol 2007 Jun 1; 165(11):1287-95. [Supported by grant R36 HS015686-01.]

American Journal of Health System Pharmacy
Devine EB, Wilson-Norton JL, Lawless NM, et al. Characterization of prescribing errors in an internal medicine clinic. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2007 May 15; 64(10):1062-70. [Supported by grant 1 UC1 HS15319.]

Ethnicity and Disease
Noe TD, Manson SM, Croy C, et al. The influence of community-based participatory research principles on the likelihood of participation in health research in American Indian communities. Ethn Dis 2007 Winter; 17(1 Suppl 1):S1-6-14. [Supported by grant P01 HS10854.]

Health Services Research
Aiken LH. U.S. nurse labor market dynamics are key to global nurse sufficiency. Health Serv Res 2007 Jun; 42(3 Pt 2):1299-320. [Supported by AHRQ, no grant number available.]

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Kelly PA, Kallen MA, Suarez-Almazor ME. A combined-method psychometric analysis recommended modification of the multidimensional health locus of control scales. J Clin Epidemiol 2007 May; 60(5):440-7. [Supported by grant R01 HS10876-04.]

Shaw JW, Johnson JA, Chen S, et al. Racial/ethnic differences in preferences for the EQ-5D health states: results from the U.S. valuation study. J Clin Epidemiol 2007 May; 60(5):479-90. [Supported by grant 5 R01 HS10243.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Young GJ, Meterko M, Beckman H, et al. Effects of paying physicians based on their relative performance for quality. J Gen Intern Med 2007 Jun; 22(6):872-76. [Supported by grant HS13591.]

Maternal and Child Health Journal
Eary RL, Bryant Borders AE, Handler A, et al. AZT availability in Illinois birthing hospitals: is the perinatal HIV prevention safety net net in place? Matern Child Health J 2007 Jul; 11(4):313-8. [Supported by AHRQ's National Research Services Award (NRSA) Training Program.]

Medical Care
Ng JH, Kasper JD, Forrest CB, Bierman AS. Predictors of voluntary disenrollment from Medicare managed care. Med Care 2007 Jun; 45(6):513-20. [Research was conducted when first author was AHRQ policy analyst and supported by AHRQ analytical resources; acknowledges assistance and support of AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy and the AHRQ staff; fourth author is former AHRQ researcher.]

Feldman PH, Bridges J, Peng T. Team structure and adverse events in home health care. Med Care 2007 Jun; 45(6):553-61. [Supported by grant R01 HS11962.]

Stone PW, Mooney-Kane C, Larson EL, et al. Nurse working conditions and patient safety outcomes. Med Care 2007 Jun; 45(6):571-8. [Supported by grant R01 HS013114.]

Patient Education and Counseling
Wackerbarth SB, Tarasenko YN, Joyce JM, et al. Physician colorectal cancer screening recommendations: an examination based on informed decision making. Patient Educ Couns2007 Apr; 66(1):43-50. [Supported by grant R24 HS01184503.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

Academic Medicine
Kumas-Tan Z, Beagan B, Loppie C, et al. Measures of cultural competence: examining hidden assumptions. Acad Med 2007 Jun; 82(6):548-57. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Beach, et al. (Med Care, 2005).]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Pengel LH, Refshauge KM, Maher CG, et al. Physiotherapist-directed exercise, advice, or both for sbuacute low back pain. Ann Intern Med 2007 Jun 5; 146(11):787-96. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Cherkin et al. (N Engl J Med, 1998 and Spine, 1996).]

DiMassa G, Escarce JJ. Insurance and health care expenditures: what's the real question? Ann Intern Med 2007 Jun 5; 146(11):814-5. [Comments on article by Ward and Franks in same issue using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data and cited in Research By Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.]

AORN Journal
Pelter MM, Stephens KE, Loranger D. An evaluation of a numbered surgical sponge product. AORN J 2007 May; 85(5):931-40. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zhan and Miller (JAMA, 2003).]

Ethnicity and Disease
Norris KC, Brusuelas R, Jones L, et al. Partnering with community-based organizations: an academic institution's evolving perspective. Ethn Dis 2007 Winter; 17(1 Suppl 1):S1-27-32. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Bierman (former AHRQ researcher) and Clancy (AHRQ director) (J Am Med Womens Assoc, 2001) and AHRQ conference summary Community-Based Participatory Research, 2002.]

Moreno-John G, Fleming C, Ford ME, et al. Mentoring in community-based participatory research: the RCMAR experience. Ethn Dis 2007 Winter; 17(1 Suppl 1):S1-33-43. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Trivedi, et al. (JAMA, 2006) and AHRQ publication, Community-Based Participatory Research: Building Relationships, Improving Health, 2005.]

International Journal for Quality in Health Care
Divi C, Koss RG, Schmaltz SP, et al. Language proficiency and adverse events in US hospitals: a pilot study. Int J Qual Health Care 2007 Apr; 19(2):60-7. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Flores, et al. (Pediatr Emerg Care, 2002).]

JAMA
Mikta M. Report quantifies diabetes complications. JAMA 2007 Jun 6; 297(21):2337-8. [Notes use of 2000, 2002, and 2004 MEPS data in American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists report State of Diabetes Complications in America, 2007.]

Journal of Forensic Nursing
Plichta SB, Clements PT, Houseman C. Why SANEs matter: models of care for sexual violence victims in the emergency department. J Forensic Nurs 2007 Spring; 3(1):15-23. [Cites AHRQ publication, Medical Examination and Treatment for Victims of Sexual Assault: Evidence-based Clinical Practice and Provider Training. Report to Congress, 2005.]

Medical Care
Medical Care recognizes its exceptional reviewers, 2006. Med Care 2007 Jun; 45(6):iii-iv. [Includes AHRQ researchers Jayasree Basu and Chunliu Zhan (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships and Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, respectively.]

Medical Clinics of North America
Powers KA, Rehrig ST, Jones DB. Financial impact of obesity and bariatric surgery. Med Clin N Am 2007 May; 91(3):321-38. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Encinosa, et al. (Health Aff, 2005; notes that the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project tracks the costs of obesity surgery and cites data from AHRQ's HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS).]

Physician Executive
Shannon D. Challenges in patient safety and quality: replacing discouragement with hope. Physician Exec 2007 May-Jun; 33(3):16-21. [Notes assessment by Creative Management Group (Sandia Park, New Mexico) senior healthcare partner Barry Silbaugh that AHRQ's Hospital Survey on Patient Safety is "a useful tool for assessing an organization's culture at baseline" and that use of "the survey helped one organization he worked with identify four key areas of frustration."]

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

Harvard Womens Health Watch
Why regular check-ups are still a good idea. Harvard Womens Health Watch 2007 May; 14(9):1-3. [Mentions the USPSTF s conclusion that there s insufficient evidence that such exams actually pay off in the detection and prevention of disease; summarizes findings from studies conducted since issuance of USPSTF guidelines on annual physicals in 1989 and cites AHRQ-funded EPC review on periodic health examinations (Ann Intern Med, 2007).]

JAMA
Holsinger T, Deveau J, Boustani M, et al. Does this patient have dementia? JAMA 2007 Jun 6; 297(21):2391-2404. [Updates a literature synthesis completed for the USPSTF by the third author and others (Ann Intern Med 2003) and summarizes findings from AHRQ guideline, Early Identification of Alzheimer s Disease and Related Dementias, 1996 (referred to as the 1996 USPSTF literature review); uses USPSTF methodologies (Am J Prev Med, 2001) to rate selected studies.]

Journal of Women s Health
Godfrey JR. Toward optimal health: Robert J. McConnell, M.D., discusses the clinical opportunities for improved thyroid disease management in women. J Womens Health 2007 May; 16(4):458-62. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for subclinical thyroid dysfunction in nonpregnant adults (Ann Intern Med, 2004).]

Shah M, Zhu K, Palmer RC, et al. Breast, colorectal, and skin cancer screening practices and family history of cancer in U.S. women. J Womens Health 2007 May; 16(4):526-34. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for skin cancer (Am J Prev Med, 2001).]

Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC)-Related Articles

AORN Journal
Jones JH. Patient literacy. AORN J 2007 May; 85(5):951-5. [Lists AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Literacy and Health Outcomes, 2004, and the corresponding Web site address, as an information source on health literacy.]

Recommended practices for managing the patient receiving local anesthesia. AORN J 2007 May; 85(5):965-71. [Cites Chapter 5, "Root Cause Analysis," in AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001.]

Australian Health Review
Middleton S, Chapman B, Griffiths R, et al. Reviewing recommendations of root cause analyses. Aust Health Rev 2007 May; 31(2):288-95. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001.]

Ethnicity and Disease
Carrasquillo O, Chadiha LA. Development of community-based partnerships in minority aging research. Ethn Dis 2007 Winter; 17(1 Suppl 1):S1-3-5. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Community-based Participatory Research: Assessing the Evidence, 2004.]

Laken MA, Wilcox S, Swinton R. Working across faith and science to improve the health of African Americans. Ethn Dis 2007 Winter; 17(1 Suppl 1):S1-S23-26. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Community-based Participatory Research: Assessing the Evidence, 2004.]

Journal of Family Practice
Holten KB, Simmons S. What s the best approach to renal artery stenosis? J Fam Pract 2007 May; 56(5):375-6. [Reviews/summarizes AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review, Comparative Effectiveness of Management Strategies for Renal Artery Stenosis, 2006, prepared by the Tufts-New England Medical Center EPC.]

Journal of Women s Health
Chaudron LH. Treating pregnant women with antidepressants: the gray zone. J Womens Health 2007 May; 16(4):551-3. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Screening Accuracy, and Screening Outcomes, 2005.]

MedSurg Nursing
Koren ME, Hertz JE. Older women s breast screening behaviors: what nurses need to know. MedSurg Nurs 2007 Apr; 16(2):80-6. [Cites AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review, Effectiveness of Noninvasive Diagnostic Tests for Breast Abnormalities, 2006, prepared by the ECRI EPC.]

Research By Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Hauenstein EJ,Petterson S, Rovnyak V, et al. Rurality and mental health treatment. Adm Policy Ment Health Ment Health Serv Res 2007 May; 34(3):255-67. [Uses 1996-1999 MEPS data.]

American Journal of Health Promotion
Finkelstein EA, Chen H, Prabhu M, et al. The relationship between obesity and injuries among U.S. adults. Am J Health Promot 2007 May-Jun; 21(5):460-8. [Uses 1999-2002 MEPS data.]

American Journal of Roentgenology
Sunshine JH, Meghea C. How could the radiologist shortage have eased? Am J Roentgenol 2006 Nov; 187(5):1160-5. [Uses MEPS data.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Ward L, Franks P. Changes in health care expenditure associated with gaining or losing health insurance. Ann Intern Med 2007 Jun 5; 146(11):768-74. [Uses 2000-2003 MEPS data.]

JAAPA: Official Journal of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants
Dehn RW. The role of PAs in the future health workforce. JAAPA 2007 Apr; 20(4):54-5. [Presents abstracts of and comments on two presentations (by Morgan, Strand, and Albanese, and Morgan) given at the October 2006 Physician Assistant Education Association Education Forum, using 1996-2003 MEPS data.]

Medical Care
O Malley AS, Pham HH, Schrag D, et al. Potentially avoidable hospitalizations for COPD and pneumonia: the role of physician and practice characteristics. Med Care 2007 Jun; 45(6):562-70. [Uses ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes and algorithms taken from AHRQ publication, AHRQ Quality Indicators—Guide to Prevention Quality Indicators: Hospital Admission for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions, 2001; cites data from AHRQ's HCUP NIS; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Basu, et al. (Med Care, 2002), Friedman and Basu (Am J Manag Care, 2001), and Zhan, et al. (Health Serv Res, 2004).]

Physical Therapy
Carter SK, Rizzo JA. Use of outpatient physical therapy services by people with musculoskeletal conditions. Phys Ther 2007 May; 87(5):497-512. [Uses 1996-2000 MEPS data.]

Quality of Life Research
Reise SP, Morizot J, Hays RD. The role of the bifactor model in resolving dimensionality issues in health outcomes measures. Qual Life Res 2007 May 4. [Epub ahead of print. Uses responses to 16 items in AHRQ's Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®).]

Current as of June 2007

Internet Citation:

Articles of Interest, June 8, 2007. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/articles/art060807.htm