Research Activities

November 2000, No. 243

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

Coronary angiography is underused for both Medicare managed care and fee-for-service heart attack patients

Heart Disease

Evidence does not support a link between periodontal disease and increased risk of coronary heart disease

Access to Care

Lack of English ability creates a substantial barrier to Hispanic children's access to health care
Insurance coverage does not guarantee access to high-quality health care services
Comprehensive followup care reduces life-threatening illnesses and improves outcomes among high-risk infants
State primary care scholarship programs play a major role in the nation's health care safety net

Clinical Decisionmaking

Surgery is the most cost-effective testosterone suppression treatment for advanced prostate cancer
Routine use of antibiotics and alpha-blockers to treat chronic prostatis is not supported by evidence
Patients can use an interactive video program to help them make decisions about back surgery

Health Care Delivery

Physicians can be more responsive to patients' concerns without lengthening visits
Organizational factors beyond the control of primary care physicians may affect patient satisfaction ratings

Women's Health

Current research and quality improvement efforts show potential for improving quality and outcomes for older women

Minority Health

Cultural competency of health care providers could reduce disparities in care related to race/ethnicity

Health Care Costs and Financing

Gap in health insurance coverage for Hispanic men widened between 1987 and 1996
Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act has not reduced financial strain or increased independence among the elderly
Researchers examine physicians' perceptions of health plan incentives to limit services
Use of a risk message may be an effective way to present health plan report card information to consumers

Long-term Care/Elderly Health

Nurse staffing hours is one of several factors that affect quality of care for nursing home residents
Long-term care users range in age, and most do not live in nursing homes
Outpatient geriatric evaluation and management programs reduce the burden on caregivers

Rural Health

Inadequate hospital care and illness severity prompt rural patients to seek care at hospitals outside their areas
Health care quality standards for rural areas should be practical, useful, and affordable

HIV/AIDS Research

Number of HIV symptoms more accurately predicts patients' quality of life than disease stage or CD4 cell count
Social relationships, coping strategies, and mood all influence the adjustment of people living with HIV disease

Agency News and Notes

Two new RFAs seek applications for research on patient safety
Editor's Note
AHRQ is spearheading the effort to develop a national report on health care quality
New topics announced for AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Centers
Recruiting is underway for several senior positions at AHRQ

Announcements

AHRQ awards six grants in systems-related best practices to improve patient safety
AHRQ awards 13 grants for second phase of Translating Research Into Practice initiative
$45 million over 5 years earmarked for research on ways to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities
Initial projects are funded for AHRQ's Integrated Delivery System Research Network
Agency launches bioterrorism prevention research and planning initiative

Research Briefs

Current as of November 2000
AHRQ Publication No. 01-0012

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities newsletter. November 2000, No. 243. AHRQ Publication No. 01-0012. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/nov00/

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