You Are Here: AHRQ Home > Research Findings > Research Activities > June 2004
About Research Activities
Children in hospitals frequently experience medical injuries
Regular use of inhaled antiinflammatory medication improves outcomes for children with persistent asthma Shorter hospital length of stay not associated with worse outcomes for patients without DNR orders Variation in outcomes is small for CABG surgery patients treated at high-volume vs. lower volume hospitals Researchers examine the impact of medication costs and mental health care for patients with diabetes Both the nature of physician contact and visit frequency are important factors in hemodialysis patient outcomes Despite international treatment variations in cataract management, optimal vision is the usual patient outcome Researchers describe challenges in translating research findings into clinical practice
Physician prescribing preference plays a greater role than patient risk factors in prescribing COX-2 inhibitors Cyclic antidepressant doses higher than 100 mg should be used cautiously due to increased risk of sudden cardiac death
Screening sigmoidoscopy may be less effective for detecting colorectal cancer in women and older people Review illuminates women's childbirth preferences following a previous cesarean delivery Study findings suggest that invasive prenatal diagnostic testing should be offered to all women Following a rigorous protocol for in-hospital and postdischarge management may lower rates of neonatal jaundice Routine assessment of asthma symptoms can predict the likelihood of related ER visits and hospitalizations Emergency physicians vary widely in the prescribing of opioid analgesics for common, painful conditions Using a simple blood test to identify patients at risk for heart failure is cost effective Guidelines can help to distinguish anthrax from influenza in patients with flu-like illness and exposure to anthrax
Doctors can use proactive office systems and patient education to persuade more elderly patients to get flu shots Fewer Medicare patients die in the hospital than in the past, but those who do receive more intensive and expensive treatment Nursing homes generally respect residents' do-not-hospitalize orders, but not always Researchers examine Medicare costs and use of hospice care Nursing home staffing and quality improved after passage of the Nursing Home Reform Act
Poorer outcomes from stroke are more common among minorities than whites Enhancing Hispanics' access to medications through increased Medicaid eligibility may improve their use of antihypertensives Many different subgroups make up the Hispanic population, and they have diverse health needs and barriers to care
Primary care of adults with chronic acid-related disorders could be improved if more doctors followed treatment guidelines Relief of symptoms from proton-pump inhibitor treatment does not necessarily confirm diagnosis of GERD Patients are more likely to stop smoking if they are advised by their doctors to do so Radical new approaches to taking a thorough family history will be needed to meet the challenges of genetic testing
Referral of ED patients to outpatient HIV testing is not an effective way to identify unrecognized HIV infection
Doctors' disclosure of medical errors improves patient satisfaction but may not prevent legal action Hospital workers worry about patient safety at their hospitals and look to hospital leaders for a commitment to safety Researchers identify five information technologies that have great potential to improve patient safety for children Conference participants focus on the role of nursing in health care quality improvement
Value to clinicians of educational Web sites on bioterrorism is unproven
People with diabetes do a better job of managing their disease when HMOs cover diabetes self-monitoring devices Despite some slowing, the growth in drug expenditures continues to outpace growth in overall health care expenditures Most appeals to two of the Nation's largest HMOs to cover emergency care are resolved in favor of patients Patient age has more influence on Medicare costs for end-of-life care than race, income, or sex
AHRQ's Senior Advisor on Women's Health discusses current efforts to eliminate inequalities in care Task Force recommends vision screening for children younger than age 5 AHRQ makes access to hospital data easier
New AHRQ tool can help hospitals better prepare for a disaster New publications now available from AHRQ AHRQ's third annual patient safety conference set for September Grant final reports now available from NTIS
Research Briefs
Current as of June 2004 AHRQ Publication No. 04-0062
Internet Citation:
Research Activities newsletter. June 2004, No. 286. AHRQ Publication No. 04-0062. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/jun04/
AHRQ Home | Questions? | Contact AHRQ | Site Map | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Freedom of Information Act | Disclaimers U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | The White House | USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 540 Gaither Road Rockville, MD 20850 Telephone: (301) 427-1364
540 Gaither Road Rockville, MD 20850 
