Articles of Interest

January 30, 2004


These articles appeared in recently released journals and newsletters. They include articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers; articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ; articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers; articles mentioning the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force/Put Prevention into Practice; articles mentioning the Presidents Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry and Agency-supported activities relating to the Quality Interagency Task Force; and other research using AHRQ data.


AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy
Hoffman JM, Shah ND, Vermeulen LC, et al. Projecting future drug expenditures—2004. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2004 Jan 15; 61(2):145-58. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS00083.]

American Journal of Managed Care
Nowalk MP, Bardella IJ, Zimmerman RK, et al. The physician's office: can it influence adult immunization rates? Am J Manag Care 2004 Jan; 10(1):13-9. [Supported by Grant No. HS09874-01A1.]

American Journal of Medicine
Cowper PA, DeLong ER, Whellan DJ, et al. Economic effects of beta-blocker therapy in patients with heart failure. Am J Med 2004 Jan 15; 116(2):104-11. [Supported by Grant No. U18 HS10548.]

Archives of Internal Medicine
Whelan CT, Jin L, Meltzer D. Pain and satisfaction with pain control in hospitalized medical patients: no such thing as low risk. Arch Intern Med 2004 Jan 26; 164(2):175-80. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10597.]

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Stelfox HT, Ahmed SB, Fiskio J, et al. Monitoring amiodarone's toxicities: recommendations, evidence, and clinical practice. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2004 Jan; 75(1):110-22. [Supported by Grant Nos. R01 HS1169 and P01 HS11534.]

Health Care Financing Review
Bender RH, Lance TX, Guess LL. Including disrenrollees in CAHPS® managed care health plan assessment reporting. Health Care Financ Rev 2003 Fall; 25(1):67-79. [Supported by Grant No. 5 U18 HS09218-02.]

International Journal of Health Services
Tsai AC. Conflicts between commercial and scientific interests in pharmaceutical advertising for medical journals. Int J Health Serv 2003; 33(4):751-68. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS00059-06.]

JAMA
Small SD. Medical device-associated safety and risk: surveillance and stratagems. JAMA 2004 Jan 28; 291(4):367-70. [Supported by Grant Nos. U18 HS11905 and P20 HS11553.]

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Gonzales R, Sauaia A, Corbett KK, et al. Antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in the elderly: effect of a multidimensional educational intervention. J Am Geriatric Soc 2004 Jan; 52(1):39-45. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS13001-01.]

Zweig SC, Kruse RL, Binder EF, et al. Effect of do-not-resuscitate orders on hospitalization of nursing home residents evaluated for lower respiratory infections. J Am Geriatric Soc 2004 Jan; 51-58. [Supported by Grant No. HS08551.]

Journal of Clinical Ethics
Dexter PR, Wolinsky FD, Gramelspacher GP, et al. Opportunities for advance directives to influence acute medical care. J Clin Ethics 2003 Fall; 14(3):173-82. [Supported by Grant No. HS07632.]

Journal of Nursing Administration
Gershon RR, Stone PW, Bakken S, et al. Measurement of organizational culture and climate in healthcare. J Nurs Admin 2004 Jan; 34(1):33-40. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R01 HS013114.]

Journal of Nursing Scholarship
Radwin LE. Cancer patients' demographic characteristics and ratings of patient-centered nursing care. J Nurs Scholarsh 2003; 35(4):365-70. [Supported by Grant No. 1 K08 HS11625-02.]

Lancet
Harris RA, Washington AE, Nease RF Jr, et al. Cost utility of prenatal diagnosis and the risk-based threshold. Lancet 2004 Jan 24; 363(9405):276-82. [Supported by Grant No. U01 HS07373.]

Managed Care Interface
Hendrix KH, Lackland DT, Egan BM. Cardiovascular risk factor control and treatment patterns in primary care. Manag Care Interface 2003 Nov; 16(11):21-6. [Supported by Grant No. P01 HS1087-03.]

Outcomes Management
Murray ME, Darmody JV. Clinical and fiscal outcomes of utilization review. Outcomes Manag 2004 Jan-Mar; 8(1):19-25. [Supported by Grant No. R03 HS10667-02.]

Corser WD. Postdischarge outcome rates influenced by comorbidity and interdisciplinary collaboration. Outcomes Manag 2004 Jan-Mar; 8(1):45-51. [Supported by Grant No. R03 HS10792-01.]

Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Cook RL, Harrison LH, Moreira RI, et al. High prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in young women seeking HIV testing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sex Transm Dis 2004 Jan; 31(1):67-72. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10592-01.]

Statistics in Medicine
Zhou XH, Castelluccio P. Adjusting for non-ignorable verification bias in clinical studies for Alzheimer's disease. Stat Med 2004 Jan 30; 221-30. [Supported by Grant No. R29 HS08559.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

American Health Line
Health disparities: HHS glossing over studies, evidence, OP-ED says. Am Health Line 2004 Jan 27; #16. [Reviews differences between AHRQ's June 2003 draft and the final executive summary of the National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) released December 23, 2003.]

American Journal of Managed Care
Ascher-Svanum H, Kennedy JS, Lee D, et al. The rate, pattern, and cost of use of antiparkinsonian agents among patients treated for schizophrenia in a managed care setting. Am J Manag Care 2004 Jan; 10(1):20-24. [Cites findings by AHRQ-sponsored Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) given in article by Lehman and Steinwachs, Schizophr Bull, 1999.]

Archives of Internal Medicine
LaBresh KA, Ellrodt AG, Gliklich R. Get with the guidelines for cardiovascular secondary prevention: pilot results. Arch Intern Med 2004 Jan 26; 164(2):203-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Soumerai et al., JAMA, 1998.]

Health News Daily
Kelley J. Routine thyroid screening recommendation withheld by USPSTF. Health News Daily 2004 Jan 27; 16(17):6. [Reviews Task Force findings on thyroid screening.]

JAMA
Hampton T. Back pain is a money drain. JAMA 2004 Jan 28; 291(4):415. [Summarizes analysis of AHRQ data regarding the cost of low back pain in Spine, 2004, cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.]

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Carriere KC, Jin Y, Marrie TJ, et al. Outcomes and costs among seniors requiring hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia in Alberta. J Am Geriatric Soc 2004 Jan; 52(1):31-38. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Fine et al., Arch Intern Med, 1997, and Am J Med, 2000.]

Xakellis G, Brangman SA, Hinton WL, et al. Curricular framework: core competencies in multicultural geriatric care. J Am Geriatric Soc 2004 Jan; 52(1):137-42. [Cites AHRQ fact sheet Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, 2000.]

Coon DW, Williams MP, Moore RJ, et al. The Northern California Chronic Care Network for Dementia. J Am Geriatric Soc 2004 Jan; 52(1):150-56. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Recognition and Initial Assessment of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, 1996.]

Saliba D, Ferrell B, Berlowitz D. Pressure ulcers: guidelines and data. Response letter to Dr. Finucane. J Am Geriatric Soc 2004 Jan; 52(1):164. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Pressure Ulcers in Adults: Prediction and Prevention, 1992.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Howard DL, Silber JH, Jobes DR. Do regulations limiting residents' work hours affect patient mortality? J Gen Intern Med 2004 Jan; 19(1):1-7. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Fine et al., Arch Intern Med, 1999, and Udvarhelyi et al., JAMA, 1992, and AHRQ-authored article by Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998.]

Golin CE, Smith SR, Reif S. Adherence counseling practices of generalist and specialist physicians caring for people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Jan; 19(1):16-27. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Bozzette et al, N Engl J Med, 2001.]

Outcomes Management
Walblay AM. Heart failure management across the continuum: a communication link. Outcomes Manag 2004 Jan-Mar; 8(1):39-44. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Heart Failure: Evaluation and Care of Patients with Left-Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction, 1994.]

Pink Sheet
FDA goes global: trade talks suggest drug prices are part of mission. Pink Sheet 2004 Jan 26; 66(3):13. [Cites remarks made at AHRQ-sponsored workshop on pharmaceutical outcomes research in Tucson, Arizona, in January 2004.]

Wall Street Journal
Landro L. It's time to care about ratings data. Wall Street J 2004 Jan 29. [Cites remarks by AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy on the agency's new QualityTools Web site given at a health-care conference in Washington, DC in January 2004.]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention into Practice-Related Articles

American Family Physician
Clinical quiz. Am Fam Physician 2004 Jan 15; 69(2):257-59. [Includes questions from USPSTF recommendations on behavioral interventions to promote breastfeeding cited below.]

Koenigsberg MR, Bartlett D, Cramer S. Facilitating treatment adherence with lifestyle changes in diabetes. Am Fam Physician 2004 Jan 15; 69(2):309-16. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on behavioral counseling on physical activity published in Am Fam Physician, 2002, and recommendations on counseling to promote a healthy diet published in Am J Med, 2003.]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Behavioral interventions to promote breastfeeding: recommendations and rationale. Am Fam Physician 2004 Jan 15; 69(2):354-6. [Reprint of USPSTF recommendations on counseling to promote breastfeeding originally published in Ann Fam Med, 2003.]

International Journal of Health Services
Rodriguez-Sanz M, Borrell C, Urbanos R, et al. Power relations and premature mortality in Spain's autonomous communities. Int J Health Serv 2003; 33(4):687-722. [Cites "U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Guia de Actividades Preventivas en la Practica Medica. Diaz de Santos, Barcelona, 1992" in conjunction with the statement that "cerebrovascular disease is the disease cause of death most related to [primary health care], because this mortality can be reduced through increased screening and treatment of hypertension."]

JAMA
Partners in prevention. JAMA 2004 Jan 28; 291(4):415. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on decisionmaking in preventive care published in Am J Prev Med, 2004.]

Women and Health
Gerbert B, Herzig K, Marecek L, et al. Physicians as violence prevention activists—a qualitative study. Women Health 2003; 38(4):91-110. [Cites Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

American Family Physician
Steiner RW. Treating acute bronchiolitis associated with RSV. Am Fam Physician 2004 Jan 15; 69(2):325-30. [Summarizes treatment recommendations in AHRQ evidence report, Management of Bronchiolitis in Infants and Children, 2003.]

American Journal of Managed Care
Berg GD, Chattopadhyay SK. Determinants of hospital length of stay for cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer: does managed care matter? Am J Manag Care 2004 Jan; 10(1):33-8. [Cites AHRQ-funded evidence-based report, Evaluation of Cervical Cytology, 1999.]

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Archives of General Psychiatry
Olfson M, Gameroff MJ, Marcus SC, et al. Outpatient treatment of child an adolescent depression in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2003 Dec; 60(12):1236-42. [Analyzes Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) health service-use data from 1996-1999 and acknowledges technical assistance received from AHRQ.]

European Spine Journal
Gonzalez-Urzelai V, Palacio-Elua L, Lopez-de-Munain J. Routine primary care management of acute low back pain: adherence to clinical guidelines. Eur Spine J 2003 Dec; 12(6):589-94; discussion 595. [Uses recommendations from AHRQ guideline, Acute Low Back Problems in Adults, 1995, as study treatment standard.]

Health Care Financing Review
Lied TR, Sheingold SH, Landon BE, et al. Beneficiary reported experience and voluntary disenrollment in Medicare managed care. Health Care Financ Rev 2003 Fall; 25(1):55-66. [Uses Consumer Assessment of Health Plans (CAHPS®) study data.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Jarjoura D, Polen A, Baum E, et al. Effectiveness of screening and treatment for depression in ambulatory indigent patients. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Jan; 19(1):78-84. [Uses AHRQ's guideline, Depression in Primary Care, Volume 1, Detection and Diagnosis, and Volume 2, Treatment of Major Depression, 1993; cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for depression as published in Ann Intern Med, 2002.]

Spine
Luo X, Peitrobon R, Sun SX, et al. Estimates and patterns of direct health care expenditures among individuals with back pain in the United States. Spine 2004 Jan 1; 29(1):79-86. [Uses data from AHRQ's 1998 MEPS.]


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