Research Activities

January 2008, No. 329

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

AHRQ releases toolkits to help providers and patients implement safer health care practices

Child/Adolescent Health

Antibiotics to prevent children's recurrent urinary tract infections have unclear benefits and potential risks
Medicaid-insured parents could benefit from educational programs to promote more judicious use of antibiotics
Researchers determine risk factors for deadly infection after open-chest surgeries in children
Regulatory warnings led to decreased use of antidepressants in children and adolescents in 2004 and 2005
Intervention programs that focus on already violent youth are more effective than other programs for reducing violent behavior

Women's Health

Some women with breast cancer do not receive adjuvant treatments recommended by guidelines
Disadvantaged newly immigrant Hispanic women have much better birth outcomes than disadvantaged U.S. black women
Use of antidepressants by low-income pregnant women has jumped more than twofold, raising questions about fetal risks

Elderly/Long-term Care

Elderly cancer patients who live in minority communities use hospice care less than their counterparts in white communities
The link between vitamin B levels and subsequent cognitive function remains unclear

Health Information Technology

A computer-based intravenous protocol can improve glycemic control in surgical ICU patients
Studies examine pharmacy workload and medication errors and cost savings of hospital barcode medication systems

Outcomes/Effectiveness Research

Successful epilepsy surgery reduces health care costs
Following recommended guidelines to manage cardiovascular disease improves patient outcomes
Informal caregiving for survivors of critical illness takes a toll on the health and lifestyle of caregivers

Primary Care Research

Internal medicine physicians find it more difficult to apply clinical guidelines to patients with multiple medical conditions
For patients with melanoma, longer distance to a provider means later stage of diagnosis

Pharmaceutical Research

Journal supplement explores alternative research approaches to test drug safety and effectiveness
Possible problematic drug interactions are not always reported in medical records
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not appear to protect against development of lung cancer
New studies reveal the impact of drug copayment and coinsurance policies on statin and beta-blocker therapy after heart attack

HIV/AIDS Research

Illinois hospitals are not ready to implement intrapartum strategies to eradicate pediatric HIV infection

Complementary/Alternative Medicine

Use of complementary and alternative medicine is common among persons who have been hospitalized for coronary artery disease

Agency News and Notes

Combining medications is often the best strategy to battle rheumatoid arthritis
Hospitalizations for complications from HIV declined between 1998 and 2005
Two new guides summarize the effectiveness and safety of oral diabetes medications

Announcements

AHRQ-sponsored project will develop strategies to optimize medical resident hours and work schedules to improve patient safety
Research Briefs

AHRQ Publication No. 08-0015
Current as of January 2008

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities Newsletter. January 2008, No. 329. AHRQ Publication No. 08-0015. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/jan08/

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