Research Activities

August 2006, No. 312

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

Obesity surgery complication rates are higher over time

Women's Health

Complications from chemotherapy in women with breast cancer are greater than previously estimated
Minority women are nearly twice as likely as white women to not receive needed postoperative treatments for early-stage breast cancer
Studies examine the prevalence, impact, and disclosure of domestic violence among women
Elderly women are more likely than men to die after coronary bypass surgery

Patient Safety and Quality

Studies examine the safety climate and teamwork in hospital operating rooms
Long work hours and family care-giving affect nurses' hospital performance
Pharmacists help identify patient safety and quality issues by clarifying prescriptions
Hospital pharmacy medication dispensing is highly accurate, but still inadequate
Studies examine the source of diagnostic errors in thyroid and lung cancers

Child/Adolescent Health

Moderately premature infants born at 30 to 34 weeks gestation tend to suffer substantial health problems
Twice as many minority children than white children with special health care needs do not receive needed vision care

Pharmaceutical Research

Studies examine the practice of prescribing medications to outpatients that can dangerously interact with one another

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Studies highlight the value of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to inform trends in care costs, coverage, use, and access

Outcomes/Effectiveness Research

Modifying unhealthy habits in middle age may reduce the likelihood of nursing home admissions later in life

Primary Care Research

Only half of older people with diabetes receive ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers to prevent cardiac problems
Primary care physicians often prescribe antiviral medications inappropriately or fail to prescribe them when needed

Acute Care/Hospitalization

Older veterans need to become more actively involved in hospital discharge planning for their post-hospital needs
Studies examine use of computed tomography and risk of rupture in acute appendicitis

Agency News and Notes

U.S. hospitals treat many uninsured victims of car crashes, violence, and other injuries
Job-related health insurance premiums vary widely between States

Announcements

A new AHRQ report examines how U.S. health care expenses are distributed

Research Briefs

Current as of August 2006
AHRQ Publication No. 06-0068

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities Newsletter. August 2006, No. 312. AHRQ Publication No. 06-0068. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/aug06/

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