Research Activities

November 2005, No. 303

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Contents

About Research Activities

Feature Story

Real-time safety audits can detect a broad range of errors in neonatal intensive care units

Patient Safety and Quality

Physician knowledge and skills and team communication improve safety in intensive care units
Web-based patient safety education curriculum incorporates suggestions from physicians, nurses, and patients
Written reminders can reduce the length of time patients have urinary catheters
Study discusses the legal aspects of providers sharing information on medical errors
Patient safety problems increase when hospital profit margins decline over time

Women's Health

Younger women are more satisfied with their healthcare when a reproductive health specialist is their primary provider
Uterine artery embolization for uterine fibroids is a low-risk procedure
More high-quality studies are needed to gauge the safety of induced labor in women who have had prior cesarean deliveries
Some State-level policies are associated with women's mortality rates for certain diseases
Many pregnant women support abortion availability, but half would consider only a first-trimester procedure

Child/Adolescent Health

Low-dose insulin does not affect weight or physical development of children at risk for developing type 1 diabetes
Clinicians are more likely to counsel youth diagnosed with obesity about diet and exercise

Elderly/Long-term Care

Diagnosing dementia is difficult and expensive for primary care practices
Very elderly patients are more likely to need skilled nursing care after coronary bypass surgery

Men's Health

Psychological distress increases the risk of angina in men

Acute Care/Hospitalization

Black and Hispanic patients are more likely to be readmitted to hospitals for complications associated with diabetes
Studies examine rates of morbid obesity and bariatric surgery and risk of death after the surgery
Hypothermia increases the chances of dying among people admitted to the hospital with major trauma
Rural residents lack timely access to trauma centers that could save their lives

Clinical Decisionmaking

Patient preferences for participating in clinical decisionmaking vary by sex, ethnicity, and age

Primary Care Research

Educating patients with asthma on avoiding allergens is suboptimal
Generalist physicians with appropriate experience and expertise can provide high-quality care to patients with HIV

Health Care Costs and Financing

Studies detail the impact of costs on drug and health care use

Agency News and Notes

AHRQ announces audio newscast series: Healthcare 411

Announcements

New Electronic Grant Application Process
Save the date: Translating Research Into Practice 2006 Conference
AHRQ launches new Effective Health Care Program
Research Briefs

AHRQ Publication No. 06-0013
Current as of November 2005

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Internet Citation:

Research Activities Newsletter. November 2005, No. 303. AHRQ Publication No. 06-0013. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/nov05/

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