Fiscal Year 2011
This fact sheet presents information about AHRQ's research dissertation grant program and briefly describes the 24 dissertation grant awards funded by the Agency in Fiscal Year 2011.
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Contents
Introduction
Project Descriptions
More Information
Introduction
The mission of the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality is to
improve the quality, safety, efficiency,
and effectiveness of health care for all
Americans. To help achieve the
Agency's mission, AHRQ supports
extramural research grants and
contracts, research training, conference
grants, and intramural activities.
AHRQ is committed to fostering the
next generation of health services
researchers who will focus their time
and expertise on some of the most
important problems facing our Nation's
health care system. An important
component of this effort is the Agency's
dissertation research grant program,
which provides 1-year awards to full-time
predoctoral students enrolled in
accredited research doctoral programs
in the United States, including Puerto
Rico and other U.S. Territories and
possessions.
To qualify for dissertation awards,
students must be U.S. citizens or
permanent residents by the time of the
grant award and must have completed
all of their doctoral requirements by the
time they submit a dissertation grant
application.
This fact sheet provides brief
descriptions of the 24 dissertation grant
awards funded by AHRQ in fiscal year
2011. Each entry includes the project
title, grantee's name and institution, his
or her area of focus, the grant number
and project period, and a short
description and goal of the project.
Return to Contents
Project Descriptions
Association Between Clinical
Decision Support Systems and
Health Care Disparities
Jordan
Mitchell, doctoral candidate in Health
Services Research and Policy, University
of South Carolina Research
Foundation. AHRQ grant HS021079;
project period September 30, 2011 -
September 29, 2012. This research will
investigate the degree to which
increased use of clinical decision
support systems (CDSS) may
contribute to reducing racial and
rural/urban health quality disparities.
The goal of the project is to use national datasets along with propensity
scores and multilevel models to
examine the true treatment effect on
reducing health disparities by CDSS.
Changes in Health Care Access and
Utilization in the U.S.-Mexico
Border Region
Kimberley Geissler,
doctoral candidate in Health Policy and
Management, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. AHRQ grant
HS021074; project period September
30, 2011 - July 31, 2012. This research
will examine the impact of increased
crime in Mexico on U.S. residents who
cross the border to get health care. It is
not known whether U.S. residents will
forego care or will substitute U.S.
providers for Mexican providers.
Conceptualizations of Cancer Among
Chronically Ill Older Adults
Susan
Marie Hannum, doctoral candidate in
Gerontology, University of Maryland
Baltimore County. AHRQ grant
HS020177; project period June 1,
2011 - May 31, 2012. This research
will describe how chronically ill older
adults (age 80+) conceptualize a new
cancer diagnosis and the impact this
has on later life. The goal of the project
is to increase established knowledge of
the illness experience and how older
individuals process multiple,
concurrent illnesses.
Depressive Symptoms and 30-Day
Unplanned Hospital Readmission in
Older Americans
Jennifer Albrecht,
doctoral candidate in Epidemiology,
University of Maryland, Baltimore.
AHRQ grant HS021068; project
period September 1, 2011 - August 31,
2012. This research will examine the
independent association between
depressive symptoms and unplanned
30-day hospital readmission in adults
aged 65 and older. The goal of the
project is to develop and evaluate
interventions designed to reduce hospital readmissions attributable to
depression.
The Development and Testing of a
Framework for Understanding
Effective Implementation
Rosalind
Eve Keith, doctoral candidate in Health
Management and Policy, University of
Michigan. AHRQ grant HS020530;
project period February 1, 2011 -
January 31, 2012. This research study
will develop and test a framework for
understanding Patient-Centered
Medical Home implementation in
primary care clinics.
The Effect of Risk and Side Effect
Communication on Asthma
Medication Adherence
Christopher
Michael Gillette, doctoral candidate in
Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. AHRQ
grant HS019103; project period July 1,
2011 - April 30, 2012. This research
will examine how medical providers in
general pediatric clinics discuss the
risks, side effects, and benefits of
asthma controller medications with
primary caregivers and children. The
goal is to design specific
communication interventions to
increase adherence.
Evaluating the Comparative
Effectiveness of Genomic Health
Risk Assessments for Common
Chronic Health Conditions
Daniel Belsky, doctoral candidate in Health
Policy and Management, University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill. AHRQ
grant HS020524; project period
February 1, 2011 - December 31,
2011. This research will evaluate the
comparative effectiveness of genomic
health risk assessments for common
chronic health conditions in relation to
family history information in
identifying at risk individuals. The goal
of this project is to determine if using
genomic information in health risk assessments will aid in the translation
of genome science to public health
practice.
Evaluating Electronic Health Record
Data for Use in Diabetes Quality
Reporting
Annemarie Hirsch, doctoral
candidate in Epidemiology and Health
Services Research, Ohio State
University. AHRQ grant HS020165;
project period March 1, 2011 -
February 29, 2012. This research will
evaluate the validity of using electronic
health record (EHR) data for quality
measures. The goal of this project is to
help provide knowledge for
administrators of pay-for-performance
programs who are developing quality
reporting tools, as well as institutions
who wish to leverage their EHR for
internal quality reporting programs.
Exploring the Adaptive and
Interpretive Dynamics of
Implementation in Infection
Julia
Szymczak, doctoral candidate in
Sociology, University of Pennsylvania.
AHRQ grant HS020760; project
period July 15, 2011 - October 14,
2012. This study will explore the
experience of one hospital as it
implements an organization-wide
infection prevention initiative in order
to identify barriers to and facilitators of
successful organizational change. The
goal of the project is to improve
implementation of evidence-based
infection prevention practices in
hospitals.
Geographic Access to Care and HPV
Vaccine Uptake Among Ethnic
Minority Girls
Jennifer Tsui, doctoral
candidate in Health Services Research,
University of California, Los Angeles.
AHRQ grant HS020172; project
period September 1, 2011 - May 30,
2012. This study will examine the
impact of geographic/spatial access to
safety-net immunization clinics and other neighborhood socio-demographic
and cervical cancer risk factors on
human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine
initiation among low-income, ethnic
minority girls in Los Angeles County.
Geographic Inequities in Kidney
Transplantation: Investigating
Possible Solutions
Ashley Davis,
doctoral candidate in Industrial
Engineering and Management Sciences,
Northwestern University, Evanston,
Illinois. AHRQ grant HS021078;
project period September 30, 2011 -
February 28, 2013. This research will
investigate the significant geographic
disparity existing across the country
with respect to the median waiting time
for end-stage renal dialysis wait-listed
patients to receive a kidney transplant.
The goal is to develop alternative,
optimized kidney organ sharing
strategies to improve geographic equity
in kidney organ allocation policy
through minimal proposed
modifications to the present policy.
EHR Use and Care Coordination
Ilana Graetz, doctoral candidate in
Health Services and Policy Analysis,
University of California at Berkeley.
AHRQ grant HS021082; project
period September 1, 2011 - August 31,
2012. This research will evaluate the
impact of outpatient physician use of a
newly implemented, certified EHR
system in Kaiser Permanente Northern
California on measures of care
coordination and, in turn, the
association between care coordination
and care quality for patients receiving
care from multiple clinicians.
Identifying Types of Networks HIV
Intervention Should Target to
Promote Disclosure
Alexis Huynh,
doctoral candidate in Policy Analysis,
RAND Corporation. AHRQ grant
HS020528; project period February 1,
2011 - January 31, 2012. This research will identify similarities in social
environmental factors and disclosure
behaviors across friendship and sexual
networks. The goal of the project is to
help inform which networks HIV
interventions should target to promote
disclosure behaviors.
The Impact of Coordinating
Medicare and Medicaid Benefits for
the Dually Eligible
Hye-Young Jung,
doctoral candidate in Health Services
Research, Brown University. AHRQ
grant HS020756; project period July 1,
2011 - November 30, 2012. This
study will examine dually eligible
beneficiaries, those who qualify for
both Medicare and Medicaid, who are
generally sicker and have fewer
financial resources compared to other
Medicare enrollees. The goal of the
project is to demonstrate the influence
of coordinating Medicare and Medicaid
benefits through an integrated managed
care program to promote higher quality
of care while providing health services
more efficiently for this vulnerable
population.
Implementation of Electronic
Medical Records for Documentation:
Implications for Efficiency and
Safety of Workflow in Labor and
Delivery
Kathleen Pine, doctoral
candidate in Social Ecology, University
of California at Irvine. AHRQ grant
HS020753; project period July 1, 2011
- September 30, 2012. This study
examines the impact of electronic
medical record (EMR) implementation
on the work processes and information
flow in an inpatient labor and delivery
unit. The goal is to provide a
comprehensive view of the effects of
EMR implementation on work
processes throughout a major medical
center.
Issues in Medicare Part D Selection
Julia Samantha Shoemaker, doctoral
candidate in Pharmaceutical Health
Services Research, University of
Maryland, Baltimore. AHRQ grant
HS020866; project period September 1,
2011 - November 30, 2012. This study
will assess key features of the Medicare
Part D prescription drug insurance
program: take-up of the Low-Income
Subsidy (LIS), the impact of LIS
enrollment on drug utilization, and late
enrollment into Medicare Part D. The
goal is to provide a comprehensive
evaluation of critical components
related to participation in Medicare Part
D and inform policy.
Long-Term Comparative Effectiveness
of Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
Strategies
Hawre Jalal, doctoral
candidate in Health Services Research
and Policy, University of Minnesota
Twin Cities. AHRQ grant HS020868;
project period September 1, 2011 -
January 31, 2013. This study seeks to
identify rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
treatment sequences that are best for
RA patients and can lower health care
costs. The goal is to provide long-term
comparative effectiveness evidence in
order to reshape policies and clinical
guidelines.
Making Sense of Health Information
Technology in an Academic Medical
Center
Rebecca Kitzmiller, doctoral
candidate in Nursing, Duke University.
AHRQ grant HS020161; project
period March 1, 2011 - February 29,
2012. This research will describe and
compare sense making by
multidisciplinary project teams during
the implementation of new information
technology in a tertiary care hospital.
The goal is to help health care project
teams identify the needs of hospital
personnel in order to customize
software and therefore improve the
likelihood that new systems will meet
health care workers needs and improve
patient outcomes.
Nurses’ Information Needs While
Caring for Hospitalized Children
Tiffany Kelley, doctoral candidate in
Nursing, Duke University. AHRQ grant
HS021075; project period September 1,
2011 - May 31, 2012. This study will
attempt to understand the collection
and communication of patient
information needs by nurses for the use
of nurses and health care team members
while using paper-based nursing
documentation. The goals of the project
are to create standards for nursing
documentation and identify areas for
redesign of information technology to
meet the needs of nurses and members
of the health care team.
Optimal Design of Guidelines for
Preventive Treatment to Manage
Cardiovascular Disease
Jennifer
Elizabeth Mason, doctoral candidate in
Industrial Engineering, North Carolina
State University at Raleigh. AHRQ
grant HS020878; project period
September 1, 2011 - August 31, 2012.
This study will evaluate the comparative
effectiveness of current treatment
guidelines for cholesterol and blood
pressure control in patients with type 2
diabetes. The goal of the project is to
improve existing practice guidelines for
prevention of cardiovascular events.
Predictors of Medication Adherence
Among African Americans With
Hypertension
Yendelela Cuffee,
doctoral candidate in Clinical and
Population Health Research, University
of Massachusetts Medical School.
AHRQ grant HS020755; project
period July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012.
This research will evaluate the
association of self-reported
discrimination with medication
adherence and determine if trust in the medical system mediates this
association. The goal of this project is
to understand the root causes of
cardiovascular health disparities and
improve health outcomes for African
Americans.
A Qualitative Description of a Pilot
Project to Improve Access to Care in
One Dental Health Profession
Shortage Area
Sarah Elaine Raskin,
doctoral candidate in Medical
Anthropology, University of Arizona.
AHRQ grant HS019117; project
period July 6, 2011 - September 30,
2012. This study aims to do a focused
assessment of the pilot intervention by
documenting patient, provider, and
community perspectives on the use of
mid-level providers. The goal is to
impact State and possibly national
policy on the use of mid-level providers
to reduce disparities in access to dental
care.
Rethinking Informed Consent for
Pragmatic Comparative Effectiveness
Trials
Danielle Whicher, doctoral
candidate in Bioethics, Johns Hopkins
University. AHRQ grant HS021064;
project period September 1, 2011 -
May 30, 2012. This research will
explore which models of consent,
disclosure, and authorization are both
socially and morally acceptable for
pragmatic clinical trials comparing
approved and widely available therapies.
The goal of the project is to develop a
set of recommendations regarding
acceptable strategies for informed
consent, disclosure, or authorization for
pragmatic comparative effectiveness
research trials.
The Spatiotemporal Anatomy of
Seasonal Influenza in the United
States, 1968
Bianca Malcolm, doctoral
candidate in Epidemiology, Columbia
University Health Sciences. AHRQ
grant HS021085; project period
September 30, 2011 - September 29,
2012. This research will study the
seasonality of influenza throughout the
United States. The goal of the project is
to aid public health professionals in
refining influenza intervention
strategies that include better placement
and distribution of vaccines and other
medicines.
Return to Contents
More Information
For more information about the
Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, please visit the AHRQ Web
site at http://www.ahrq.gov.
For specific information on the
dissertation grant program, please
contact:
Brenda A. Harding, MA
Health Scientist Administrator
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
540 Gaither Road, Suite 2006
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(301) 427-1527
brenda.harding@ahrq.hhs.gov
Return to Contents
AHRQ Publication No. 12-P003-EF
Current as of November 2011
Internet Citation:
AHRQ's Health Services Research Dissertation Grant Program: New Starts, Fiscal Year 2011. Fact Sheet. AHRQ Publication 12-P003-EF, November 2011. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/fund/training/dissrt11.htm