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September 1999, No. 229
Contents
About Research Activities
Feature Story
HMO hospital quality may depend on where members live
Departments
Women's Health
Breast and cervical cancer screening varies by age among black and Hispanic women
Women's assessments of maternity care can guide other women seeking such care
Clinical Decisionmaking
Injections of heparin seem to be safe and work as well as IV heparin for treating acute deep venous thrombosis
Parents and health care professionals don't always agree on the desirability of a fragile newborn's future quality of life
Outcomes/Effectiveness Research
Certain long-acting calcium channel blockers appear to improve outcomes in heart attack survivors, but more research is needed
More appropriate use of medications could improve outcomes of heart failure patients
Spinal surgery probability and outcomes vary depending on where the patient lives
Amputation rates rising in elderly despite treatment advances
AHCPR's PORT projects have made substantial contributions to research and clinical practice, but more studies are needed
Primary Care
Internal medicine residents need training to enhance their diabetes care
Studies examine practices of HMO primary care physicians
Incidence of Lyme disease in Maryland is on the rise
Managed Care
"Drive-through deliveries" were more than 18 times as likely in 1994 as in 1990, regardless of payer
Elderly/Long-term Care
Divorce reduces informal caregiving and economic ties between elderly parents and their adult children
AHCPR News and Notes
Donald M. Berwick, M.D., named as chair of AHCPR's National Advisory Council
AHCPR's evidence centers will examine quality screening, cancer risk reduction, and other health care issues
Announcements
New MEPS reports are now available
New AHCPR report provides detailed information on hospital use and costs in the United States
AHCPR makes uniform State hospital data more accessible to researchers
Abstracts for the 6th annual "Building Bridges" conference are due in mid-November
Announcing an upcoming conference
AHCPR funds new projects
Research Briefs
AHCPR Publication No. 99-0048