Research Activities

September 2002, No. 265

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

Certain patients are less likely than others to undergo needed angiography after heart attack

Cardiovascular Disease

Aspirin is a cost-effective therapy to prevent a second heart attack or stroke

Disparities Research

Poor health literacy may contribute to excess diabetes-related complications among disadvantaged groups
Researchers examine variations in asthma medication use
Almost three-fourths of rural residents with HIV or AIDS go to urban areas for health care

Health Care Decisionmaking

Family attitudes and patient wishes, not timing of the request, usually determine consent for organ donation

Quality Improvement

Changing the process for administering drugs and fluids during surgery could improve anesthesia care
Consumers may be willing to accept restrictions on provider access in exchange for high quality of care
Health plan report cards may have limited relevance for certain vulnerable patient groups

Health Care for the Elderly

Elderly patients often discontinue use of cholesterol-lowering drugs that help to prevent heart problems and stroke
Pneumonia and influenza vaccination rates continue to be suboptimal among elderly inner city residents
Many prostate biopsies are done on very elderly men who are less likely than younger men to benefit from treatment
More elderly patients are receiving eye care, but Medicare costs have remained constant
Elderly people in rural areas receive fewer home health care services and have worse outcomes than those in urban areas

Organization/Delivery of Health Care

Local clinical hypertension specialists are developing a hypertension reduction plan for their area
America uses more neonatal intensive care than other developed nations, but infant survival is not consistently better
Changes in Medicaid reimbursement have led to increased ER visits by adults to treat emergency dental problems

Evidence-Based Medicine

Researchers identify practices to prevent problems arising from health care
Projects focus on ways to integrate research and evidence into clinical practice

Bioterrorism Preparedness

Survey on eve of anthrax attacks shows need for bioterrorism training

Agency News and Notes

AHRQ research is focusing on ways to improve health care for people with disabilities
Health services research prize conferred posthumously on John Eisenberg

Announcements

AHRQ unveils hospital bioterrorism preparedness tool
National survey details Americans' experiences with health care for chronic conditions
Hospitals get new software tool to improve clinical care
Attention researchers
New data now available from MEPS, HCUP, and the new HIVnet
HCUP databases provide national data on insured and uninsured patients and are easily accessed
New online tool can help employers improve the value of health services they purchase for workers
Grant final reports now available from NTIS

Research Briefs

Current as of September 2002
AHRQ Publication No. 02-0043

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities newsletter. September 2002, No. 265. AHRQ Publication No. 02-0043. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/sep02/

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