You Are Here: AHRQ Home > News & Information > Articles of Interest

Articles of Interest

August 8, 2008

This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes:

Articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products.
Articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers.
Articles related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or Put Prevention into Practice program.
Articles mentioning the National Healthcare Disparities Report and National Healthcare Quality Report.
Other research using AHRQ data or products.

AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

American Journal of Kidney Diseases
Newsome BB, McClellan WM, Allison JJ, et al. Racial differences in competing risks of mortality and ESRD after acute myocardial infarction. Am J Kidney Dis 2008 Aug; 52(2):251-61. [Supported by grant T32 HS13862.] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Liang H, Tomey K, Chen D, et al. Objective measures of neighborhood environment and self-reported physical activity in spinal cord injured men. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2008 Aug; 89(8):1468-73. [Supported by grant R03 HS11277-01] Select to access the abstract.

Health Services Research
Mukamel DB, Weimer DL, Spector WD, et al. Publication of quality report cards and trends in reported quality measures in nursing homes. Health Serv Res 2008 Aug; 43(4):1244-62. [Third author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets.] Select to access the abstract.

Hartmann CW, Rosen AK, Meterko M, et al. An overview of patient safety climate in the VA. Health Serv Res 2008 Aug; 43(4):1263-84. [Supported by grant R01 HS13920.] Select to access the abstract.

Waitzkin H, Schillaci M, Willging CE. Multimethod evaluation of health policy change: an application to Medicaid managed care in a rural state. Health Serv Res 2008 Aug; 43(4):1325-47. [Supported by grant 1 R01 HS09703.] Select to access the abstract.

Graber JE, Huang ES, Drum ML, et al. Predicting changes in staff morale and burnout at community health centers participating in the health disparities collaboratives. Health Serv Res 2008 Aug; 43(4):1403-23. [Supported by grant 1 U01 HS13635.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
Horswell RL, Wascom CK, Cerise FP, et al. Diabetes mellitus medication assistance program: relationship of effectiveness to adherence. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug;19(3):677-86. [Supported by grant HS11834-03] Select to access the abstract.

Quality Management in Health Care
Alexander GL. An analysis of nursing home quality measures and staffing. Qual Manag Health Care 2008 Jul-Sep; 17(3):242-51. [Supported by grant K08 HS016862] Select to access the abstract.

AHRQ-Related Articles

Annals of Internal Medicine
Wilper AP, Woolhandler S, Lasser KE, et al. A national study of chronic disease prevalence and access to care in uninsured U.S. adults. Ann Intern Med 2008 Aug 5; 149(3):170-6. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Weissman et al. (JAMA, 1992) and McWilliams et al. (N Engl J Med, 2007).] Select to access the abstract.

International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
Drummond MF, Schwartz JS, Jönsson B, et al. Key principles for the improved conduct of health technology assessments for resource allocation decisions. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2008 Summer; 24(3):244-58. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Tunis, Stryer, Clancy (JAMA, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Sanmartin C, Murphy K, Choptain N, et al. Appropriateness of healthcare interventions:concepts and scoping of the published literature. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2008 Summer; 24(3):342-9 .[Cites AHRQ-funded article by Ayanian et al. (N Engl J Med, 1998).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
Blanchard J, Ogle K, Thomas O, et al. Access to appointments based on insurance status in Washington, D.C . J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug; 19(3):687-96. [Cites AHRQ publication Access to Health Care—Sources and Barriers, 1996, Research Findings #3, 2006;cites AHRQ-authored articles by Burstin (former AHRQ center director) et al. (Inquiry, 1998-1999) and Franks, Clancy, and Gold (JAMA, 1993).] Select to access the abstract.

Mund PA, Heller D, Meissner P, et al. Delivering care out of the box: the evolution of an HIV harm reduction medical program. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug; 19(3):944-51. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Fleishman et al. (Med Care, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Cunningham CO, Sanchez JP, Li X, et al. Medical and support service utilization in a medical program targeting marginalized HIV-infected individuals. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug;19(3):981-90. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Fleishman et al. (Med Care, 2005) and Cunningham et al. (Med Care, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

Quality Management in Health Care
Rohrer JE, Adamson SC, Barnes D, et al. Obesity and general pain in patients utilizing family medicine: should pain standards call for referral of obese patients to weight management programs? Qual Manag Health Care 2008 Jul-Sep; 17(3):204-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Chaudhry et al. (Med Care, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Rangachari P. The strategic management of organizational knowledge exchange related to hospital quality measurement and reporting. Qual Manag Health Care 2008 Jul-Sep; 17(3):252-69. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Hibbard et al. (Health Aff, 2000).] Select to access the abstract.

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

American Family Physician
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Counseling about proper use of motor vehicle occupant restraints and avoidance of alcohol use while driving: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Am Fam Physician 2008 Aug 1; 78(3):373-6. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations as published on AHRQ Web site] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Internal Medicine
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for prostate cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2008 Aug 5; 149(3):185-91. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations as published on AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Lin K, Lipsitz R, Miller T, et al. Benefits and harms of prostate-specific antigen screening for prostate cancer: an evidence update for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med 2008 Aug 5; 149(3):192-9. [Authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships; acknowledges literature search support by Caryn McManus, AHRQ Information Resources Center.] Select to access the abstract.

Summaries for patients. Screening for prostate cancer with prostate-specific antigen testing: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. Ann Intern Med 2008 Aug 5; 149(3):I37. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations for patients, as published on AHRQ Web site]

British Medical Journal
Pham CB, Shaughnessy AF. Should we treat subclinical hypothyroidism? BMJ 2008 Aug 2; 337(7664):290-1. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statement Screening for Thyroid Disease, 2004, as published on AHRQ Web site.]

International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
Gutiérrez-Ibarluzea I, Asua J, Latorre K. Policies of screening for colorectal cancer in European countries. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2008 Summer; 24(3):270-6. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for colorectal cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2002).] Select to access the abstract.

Banta HD. Commentary on the article "Key principles for the improved conduct of health technology assessments for resource allocation decisions". Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2008 Summer; 24(3):362-5. [Cites Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996.]

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
Grossman E, Legedza AT, Wee CC. Primary care for low-income populations: comparing health care delivery systems. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug; 19(3):743-57. [Cites USPSTF publication About USPSTF: The New U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, 2007 as published on AHRQ Web site; cites Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Iezzoni et al. (Am J Med Qual (Jul-Aug 2001), Starfield (JAMA, 1994), and Woolhandler et al. (JAMA, 1988).] Select to access the abstract.

Feresu SA, Zhang W, Puumala SE, et al. Breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income women in Nebraska: findings from the Every Woman Matters program, 1993-2004. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug; 19(3):797-813. [Cites Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996, and USPSTF publication What's New—From the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: Screening for Breast Cancer, 2002, as published on AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Robinson JM, Shavers V. The role of health insurance coverage in cancer screening utilization. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug; 19(3):842-56. [Cites Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2007, as published on AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Hofvind S, Vacek PM, Skelly J, et al. Comparing screening mammography for early breast cancer detection in Vermont and Norway. J Natl Cancer Inst 2008 Aug 6; 100(15):1082-91. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for breast cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2002.] Select to access the abstract.

Research By Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Clowse ME, Jamison M, Myers E, et al. A national study of the complications of lupus in pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008 Aug; 199(2):127.e1-e6. [Uses 2000-2003 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS data).] Select to access the abstract.

International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
Parente ST, Phelps CE, O'Connor PJ. Economic analysis of medical practice variation between 1991 and 2000: The impact of patient outcomes research teams (PORTs). Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2008 Summer; 24(3):282-93. [Reviews and analyzes Patient Outcomes Research Teams (PORT) studies to evaluate the PORT program's impact on welfare loss between 1991 and 2000.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Sosa JA, Tuggle CT, Wang TS, et al. Clinical and economic outcomes of thyroid and parathyroid surgery in children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008 Aug; 3(8):3058-65. [Uses 1999-2005HCUP NIS data to examine the clinical and demographic predictors of outcomes following pediatric thyroidectomy/parathyroidectomy; cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2006, as published on AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
Burgess DJ, Ding Y, Hargreaves M, et al. The association between perceived discrimination and underutilization of needed medical and mental health care in a multi-ethnic community sample. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug; 19(3):894-911. [Adapts questions from AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to assess underutilization of needed mental health care; cites AHRQ publication, Survey Questionnaires; Household Component, 2001, as published on AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Jimenez M, Tan-Billet J, Babineau J, et al. The Promise Clinic: a service learning approach to increasing access to health care. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2008 Aug; 19(3):935-43. [Discusses the use of questions adapted from MEPS survey questions to investigate health care access problems among the study population; cites AHRQ publication Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, as published on AHRQ Web site, 2006.] Select to access the abstract.

Current as of August 2008

Internet Citation:

Articles of Interest, August 8, 2008. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/articles/art080808.htm