Race, Place, and Obesity: the Complex Relationships among Community Racial/Ethnic Composition, Individual Race/Ethnicity, and Obesity in the United States

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 Public Health
Kirby JB, Liang L, Chen HJ, et al. Race, place, and obesity: the complex relationships among community racial/ethnic composition, individual race/ethnicity, and obesity in the United States. Am J Public Health 2012 Aug; 102(8):1572-8. [First and second authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends; uses 2002-2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data, citing AHRQ publication, Design and Methods of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, MEPS Methodology Report 1, 1997; cites AHRQ-authored article by Cohen (Inquiry, 1996-1997).] Select to access the abstract. 

Circulation. Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes
Schroeder EB, Hanratty R, Beaty BL, et al. Simultaneous control of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia in 2 health systems. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2012 Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print. Supported in part by grant 1 R21 HS17627-01; uses the Quan et al. (Med Care, 2005) adaptation of AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998).] Select to access the abstract. 

Health Services Research
Ryan AM, Blustein J, Doran T, et al. The effect of Phase 2 of the Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration on incentive payments to hospitals caring for disadvantaged patients. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1418-36. [Supported by Career Development Award grant 1 K01 HS18546-01A1 (to first author).] Select to access the abstract. 

Herrin J, da Graca B, Nicewander D, et al. The effectiveness of implementing an electronic health record on diabetes care and outcomes. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1522-40. [Supported in part by grant 1 R21 HS20696-01; cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Chaudhry et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006) on the impact of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of medical care, prepared by the Southern California-University of California at San Francisco Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC).] Select to access the abstract.

Ryan A, Burgess J, Strawderman R, Dimick J. What is the best way to estimate hospital quality outcomes? A simulation approach. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1699-1718. [Supported in part by Career Development Award grants 1 K01 HS18546-01A1 (to first author) and K08 HS17765 (to last author); uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998).] Select to access the abstract.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
Krans EE, Chang JC. Low-income African American women's beliefs regarding exercise during pregnancy. Matern Child Health J 2012 Aug; 16(6):1180-7. [Supported in part by grant 1 K08 HS13913-01A1 (to second author, also principal investigator).] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Bradley Wright D. Consumer governance and the provision of enabling services that facilitate access to care at community health centers. Med Care 2012 Aug; 50(8):668-75. [Supported by AHRQ, grant information not given.] Select to access the abstract. 

Medical Care Research and Review
Sarpong EM, Bernard DM, Miller GE. Changes in pharmaceutical treatment of diabetes and family financial burdens. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug; 69(4):474-91. [Authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends; uses 1997-1998 and 2006-2007 MEPS Prescribed Medicines (PMED) files data, citing AHRQ publications, Trends in the Pharmaceutical Treatment of Diabetes, 1997 to 2007, MEPS Research Findings 30, 2010, and Design and Methods of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, MEPS Methodology Report 1, 1997, both published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Quality Management in Health Care 
Robbins J, Garman AN, Song PH, et al. How high-performance work systems drive health care value: an examination of leading process improvement strategies. Qual Manag Health Care 2012 Jul; 21(3):188-202. [Supported in part by 2008 ACTION Network contract HHSA290-2006-00022, task order 5. Also refer to AHRQ-authored article by Chang et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2012) and article by Crews et al (BMC Nephrol, 2012) cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

AHRQ-Related Articles

American Journal of Nursing
Nelson R. Patient satisfaction metrics: customer service or quality care? Am J Nurs 2012 Aug; 112(8):18-19. [Discusses AHRQ's Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, citing the HCAHPS Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

McBride S, Delaney JM, Tietze M. Health information technology and nursing. Am J Nurs 2012 Aug; 112(8):36-42. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Carayon et al. (J Am Med Inform Assoc, 2011).] Select to access the abstract.

Gerontologist
Choi J, Flynn L, Aiken LH. Nursing practice environment and registered nurses' job satisfaction in nursing homes. Gerontologist 2012 Aug; 52(4):484-92. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by McHugh et al. (Health Aff, 2011), Karsh, Booske, and Sainfort (Ergonomics, 2005), and Tyler et al. (Health Care Manage Rev, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

McCaughey D, McGhan G, Kim J, et al. Workforce implications of injury among home health workers: evidence from the national home health aide survey. Gerontologist 2012 Aug; 52(4):493-505. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Castle, Degenholtz, and Rosen (BMC Health Serv Res, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

Newcomer RJ, Kang T, Doty P. Allowing spouses to be paid personal care providers: spouse availability and effects on Medicaid-funded service use and expenditures. Gerontologist 2012 Aug; 52(4):517-30. [Cites AHRQ publication, AHRQ Quality Indicators—Guide to Prevention Quality Indicators: Hospital Admission for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions, Version 3.1, 2007, as published on AHRQ's Quality Indicators Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Wagner LM, McDonald SM, Castle NG. Impact of voluntary accreditation on deficiency citations in U.S. nursing homes. Gerontologist 2012 Aug; 52(4):561-70. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Lau, Kasper, Potter (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2005, and Health Serv Res, 2004, both of which use 1996 MEPS Nursing Home Component (MEPS NHC) data) and Miller, Pronovost, Donithan, Zeger, Zhan, Morlock, and Meyer (fifth author is current researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence and first and last authors are former AHRQ researchers) (Am J Med Qual, 2005, which uses various AHRQ data sets); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Castle and Ferguson (Gerontologist, 2010), Werner and Konetzka (Health Aff, 2010), and Grabowski (J Gerontology Soc Sci, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

Health Services Research
Lawton R, Carruthers S, Gardner P, et al. Identifying the latent failures underpinning medication administration errors: an exploratory study. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1437-59. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Nuckols et al. (Qual Saf Health Care, 2008), Carayon et al. (Qual Saf Health Care, 2006), Bates et al. (JAMA, 1995), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Chuang E, Dill J, Morgan JC, et al. A configurational approach to the relationship between high-performance work practices and frontline health care worker outcomes. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1460-81. [Cites AHRQ-funded/authored articles by Garman, McAlearney, Harrison (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Health Care Manage Rev, 2011) and McAlearney, Garman, Song, McHugh, Robbins, and Harrison (Health Care Manage Rev, 2011).] Select to access the abstract.

Wehby GL, Lopez-Camelo J, Castilla EE. Hospital volume and mortality of very low-birthweight infants in South America. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1502-21. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Phibbs et al. (N Engl J Med, 2007, and JAMA, 1996) and Rogowski et al. (JAMA, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

Fishman PA, Ding V, Hubbard R, et al. Impact of deductibles on initiation and continuation of psychotherapy for treatment of depression. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1561-79. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Depression in Primary Care, 1993, and AHRQ-funded article by Dwight-Johnson et al. (Med Care, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

Sen B, Blackburn J, Morrisey MA, et al. Did copayment changes reduce health service utilization among CHIP enrollees? Evidence from Alabama. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1603-20. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Selden (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) et al. (Health Aff, 2009) and AHRQ-funded article by Zuckerman et al. (Health Serv Res, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

Kang HC, Hong JS, Park HJ. Development of peer-group-classification criteria for the comparison of cost efficiency among general hospitals under the Korean NHI program. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1719-38. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zodet (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) and Clark (Clin Perform Qual Health Care, 1996).] Select to access the abstract.

Vernacchio L, Muto JM, Young G, et al. Ambulatory subspecialty visits in a large pediatric primary care network. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1755-69. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Glade et al. (Ambul Pediatr, 2002), Forrest and Reid (J Fam Pract, 2001), Forrest et al. (Med Decis Making, 2006, Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2000 and 1999, and Pediatrics, 1999), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
David MZ, Medvedev S, Hohmann SF, et al. Increasing burden of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus hospitalizations at US academic medical centers, 2003-2008. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012 Aug; 33(8):782-9. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zhan, Elixhauser, Richards, Wang, Baine (first and fifth authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence, and second author is a researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Med Care, 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Samuel R, Shuen A, Dendle C, et al. Hierarchy and hand hygiene: would medical students speak up to prevent hospital-acquired infection? Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012 Aug; 33(8):861-3. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Leape, Berwick, Clancy (AHRQ director) et al. (Qual Saf Health Care, 2009).]

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Herzer KR, Mirrer M, Xie Y, et al. Patient safety reporting systems: sustained quality improvement using a multidisciplinary team and "Good Catch" awards. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2012 Aug; 38(8):339-47, AP1. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Pronovost, Goeschel, Olsen, Pham, Miller, Berenholtz, Sexton, Marsteller, Morlock, Wu, Loeb, and Clancy (fifth and last authors are former AHRQ researcher and AHRQ director, respectively) (Health Aff, 2009); cites AHRQ-funded/authored article by Pronovost, Miller, and Wachter (JAMA, 2006); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Pronovost et al. (J Crit Care, 2006, and Jt Comm J Qual Saf, 2004), and Sexton et al. (BMC Health Serv Res, 2006).]

Journal of Women's Health
Denny CH, Floyd RL, Green PP, et al. Racial and ethnic disparities in preconception risk factors and preconception care. J Womens Health 2012 Jul; 21(7):720-9. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, 2008.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Goroll AH. Risk adjustment for primary care: an essential tool for health system reform. Med Care 2012 Aug; 50(8):637-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Bitton, Martin, and Landon (J Gen Intern Med, 2010) and O'Malley et al. (Health Serv Res, 2005), which uses AHRQ's HCAHPS survey; comments on article by Ash and Ellis (Med Care, 2012) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.]

Medical Care Research and Review
Howell EM, Kenney GM. The impact of the Medicaid/CHIP expansions on children: a synthesis of the evidence. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug; 69(4):372-96. [Reviews studies which use MEPS or National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) data; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Selden and Hudson (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Med Care, 2006), Hudson, Selden, and Banthin (former AHRQ researcher) (Inquiry, 2005), Dick, Brach (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets), Allison et al. (Health Aff, 2004), Banthin and Selden (Inquiry, 2003), and Weinick and Monheit (former AHRQ researchers) (Med Care Res Rev, 1999); cites The Child Health Insurance Research Initiative (CHIRI™), 2012, as published on the AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Atherly A, Coulam RF, Dowd BE, et al. The effect of adult HIFA waiver expansions on insurance coverage of children. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug; 69(4):397-413. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Selden, Hudson, and Banthin (Health Aff, 2004); cites AHRQ publication, Advantages and Limitations of CPS, 2011, as published on the AHRQ Archive Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Singer SJ, Moore SC, Meterko M, et al. Development of a short-form Learning Organization Survey: the LOS-27. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug; 69(4):432-59. [Cites AHRQ-funded publication, Psychometric analysis of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety, Final Report. Patient Safety Measures Project, funded by contract 290-96-0004, 2003; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Hartmann et al. (Health Serv Res, 2008), Hays et al. (Med Care, 1999), which examines the psychometric properties of CAHPS 1.0 survey measures, and Chassin and Galvin (JAMA, 1998).] Select to access the abstract.

Barnes AJ, Hanoch Y, Wood S, et al. One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish: effects of price frames, brand names, and choice set size on Medicare Part D insurance plan decisions. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug; 69(4):460-73. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored publication, Model Public Report Elements: A Sampler: Final Report, 2010 (updated November 2011), as published on the AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Obstetrics and Gynecology
Kittur ND, McMullen KM, Russo AJ, et al. Long-term effect of infection prevention practices and case mix on cesarean surgical site infections. Obstet Gynecol 2012 Aug; 120(2 Pt 1):246-51. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Steinberg et al. (Ann Surg, 2009) and Classen et al. (N Engl J Med, 1992).] Select to access the abstract.

Creanga AA, Berg CJ, Syverson C, et al. Race, ethnicity, and nativity differentials in pregnancy-related mortality in the United States: 1993-2006. Obstet Gynecol 2012 Aug; 120(2 Pt 1):261-8. [Mentions article by Gaskin et al. (Health Aff, 2008), which uses Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data.] Select to access the abstract.

Quality Management in Health Care
Almutary HH, Lewis PA. Nurses' willingness to report medication administration errors in Saudi Arabia. Qual Manag Health Care 2012 Jul; 21(3):119-26. [Cites AHRQ publication, Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation, Volume 4: Programs, Tools, and Products, 2005.] Select to access the abstract.

Howard J, Shaw EK, Felsen CB, et al. Physicians as inclusive leaders: insights from a participatory quality improvement intervention. Qual Manag Health Care 2012 Jul; 21(3):135-45. [Second author acknowledges previous AHRQ funding; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Lanham et al. (Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 2009), Stroebel et al. (Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 2005), and Crabtree, Miller, and Stange (J Fam Pract, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

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

American Family Physician
Gaitonde DY, Rowley KD, Sweeney LB. Hypothyroidism: an update. Am Fam Physician 2012 Aug 1; 86(3):244-51. [Uses USPSTF as a data source; cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence summary on screening for subclinical thyroid dysfunction in nonpregnant adults (Ann Intern Med, 2004).]

American Journal of Public Health
Greenlund KJ, Keenan NL, Clayton PF, et al. Public health options for improving cardiovascular health among older Americans. Am J Public Health 2012 Aug; 102(8):1498-1507. [Mentions the USPSTF's recommendation of services emphasized by the Sickness Prevention Achieved Through Regional Collaboration (SPARC), citing article by Shenson et al. (Prev Chronic Dis, 2008).] Select to access the abstract. 

Annals of Internal Medicine
Pignone M. Challenges to implementing patient-centered research. Ann Intern Med 2012 Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print. Cites article by Pletcher and Pignone (Circulation, 2011), which mentions USPSTF recommendations on aspirin for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (Ann Intern Med, 2009); suggests incorporation of innovations proposed by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute into the research programs of AHRQ and other organizations.]

Moyer VA; on behalf of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for coronary heart disease with electrocardiography: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2012 Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print. Updates evidence on 2004 USPSTF recommendations on screening for coronary heart disease, citing USPSTF evidence synthesis, Screening Asymptomatic Adults for Coronary Heart Disease With Resting or Exercise Electrocardiography: Systematic Review to Update the 2004 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation, 2011, as published on the USPSTF Web site; cites USPSTF evidence synthesis, Systematic Review of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment Tools, 2011, and USPSTF systematic evidence review, Screening for Asymptomatic Coronary Artery Disease, 2003, both published on the National Library of Medicine's NCBI Bookshelf Web site; cites USPSTF recommendations on using nontraditional risk factors in coronary heart disease risk assessment (Ann Intern Med, 2009); cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence review on screening asymptomatic adults with resting or exercise electrocardiography (Ann Intern Med, 2011).] Select to access the abstract.

Summaries for Patients. Screening for coronary heart disease with electrocardiography: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. Ann Intern Med 2012 Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print. Summarizes updated USPSTF recommendations cited above in this section.]

BMJ
Lenzer J. Doctors lobby against closure of US agency that advises on effective health care. BMJ 2012 Aug 3; 345:e5294. [Discusses reactions to proposed legislation to terminate funding for AHRQ and 2011 updated USPSTF prostate cancer screening, citing article by Lenzer and Brownlee (BMJ, 2011); quotes remarks by former AHRQ researcher Kenneth Lin on a proposed bill to impose additional requirements on the USPSTF, and mentions positive impacts of the AHRQ-sponsored Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP), citing Ending Healthcare-Associated Infections, 2010, as published on the AHRQ Web site.]

Cancer
Habtes I, Friedman D, Raskind-Hood C, et al. Determining the impact of US mammography screening guidelines on patient survival in a predominantly African American population treated in a public hospital during 2008. Cancer 2012 Aug 1. [Epub ahead of print. Uses adherence to updated USPSTF breast cancer screening recommendations as a study parameter, citing USPSTF recommendation on screening for breast cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Women's Health
Ashok M, Berkowitz Z, Hawkins NA, et al. Recency of pap testing and future testing plans among women aged 18-64: analysis of the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey. J Womens Health 2012 Jul; 21(7):705-12. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statement, Screening for Cervical Cancer, 2003; cites article by Nelson et al. (J Womens Health, 2009), which assesses adherence to USPSTF recommendations for 2003 cervical cancer screening for women 18-24 years of age.] Select to access the abstract.

Hruska CB, Rhodes DJ, Collins DA, et al. Evaluation of molecular breast imaging in women undergoing myocardial perfusion imaging with Tc-99m sestamibi. J Womens Health 2012 Jul; 21(7):730-8. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence summary on breast cancer screening (Ann Intern Med, 2002).] Select to access the abstract.

Davis TC, Arnold CL, Rademaker A, et al. Differences in barriers to mammography between rural and urban women. J Womens Health 2012 Jul; 21(7):748-55. [Mentions conflicts in information about breast cancer screening provided by the USPSTF and the American Cancer Society.] Select to access the abstract.

Ehrenthal DB, Chichester ML, Cole OS, et al. Maternal risk factors for peripartum transfusion. J Womens Health 2012 Jul; 21(7):792-7. [Mentions USPSTF recommendations on routine screening for anemia during pregnancy, and summarizes findings from article by Bateman et al. (Anesth Analg, 2010), which uses HCUP NIS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Lancet
Prostate cancer: send away the PSA? Lancet 2012 Jul 28; 380(9839):307. [Comments on the release of updated 2012 USPSTF prostate cancer screening recommendations.]

Sullivan PS, Carballo-Diéguez A, Coates T, et al. Successes and challenges of HIV prevention in men who have sex with men. Lancet 2012 Jul 28; 380(9839):388-99. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence summary on behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce risky/harmful alcohol use by adults (Ann Intern Med, 2004). Also refer to article by Pignone (Ann Intern Med, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Related Articles, article by Prosser (Pharmacoeconomics, 2012) cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles, and article by Caspersen et al. (Am J Public Health, 2012) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.] Select to access the abstract.

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

American Journal of Nursing
Singh Joy SD. Journal Watch. Am J Nurs 2012 Aug; 112(8):57-8. [Summarizes AHRQ comparative effectiveness review, Nonsurgical Treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: Diagnosis and Comparative Effectiveness, prepared by the University of Minnesota EPC under contract HHSA 290-2007-10064-I, 2012, and published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site.] 

Annals of Internal Medicine
Chang SM, Carey T, Kato EU, et al. Identifying research needs for improving health care. Ann Intern Med 2012 Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print. First author is a researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence; describes AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Center Program, citing AHRQ-authored articles by Slutsky, Atkins, Chang, and Sharp (first and third authors are director of and researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence, last author is researcher in AHRQ's Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations, and second author is former AHRQ researcher) (J Clin Epidemiol, 2010), Whitlock, Lopez, Chang et al. (J Clin Epidemiol, 2010), and Owens et al. (J Clin Epidemiol, 2010); describes AHRQ's Future Research Needs initiative, listing topic areas completed as of June 2012 in Table 1, "Topic Areas of FRN Projects," and Table 2, "Steps for Identifying and Prioritizing FRN from Evidence Gaps," citing Future Research Needs Projects, 2010, and Future Research Needs—Methods Research Series, 2010, both published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site; describes development of resulting publications, citing methods future research needs reports, Engaging Stakeholders To Identify and Prioritize Future Research Needs, 2011, Evaluating the Potential Use of Modeling and Value-of-Information Analysis for Future Research Prioritization Within the Evidence-based Practice Center Program, 2011, Minimal Modeling Approaches to Value of Information Analysis for Health Research, 2011, Frameworks for Determining Research Gaps during Systematic Reviews, 2011, Methods Research on Future Research Needs: Defining an Optimal Format for Presenting Research Needs, 2011, Assessing the Impact of AHRQ Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) Reports on Future Research, 2011, and Finding Evidence on Ongoing Studies, 2010, and AHRQ Future Research Needs report, Future Research Needs for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Effectiveness of Treatment in At-Risk Preschoolers, Long-Term Effectiveness in All Ages, and Variability in Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Treatment, 2012, Framework for Considering Study Designs for Future Research Needs, 2012, Future Research Needs To Reduce the Risk of Primary Breast Cancer in Women, 2010, Future Research Needs for the Management of Gestational Diabetes, 2010, Future Research Needs for Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers Added to Standard Medical Therapy for Treating Stable Ischemic Heart Disease, 2010, Future Research Needs for Comparative Effectiveness of Treatments for Localized Prostate Cancer, 2010, Future Research Needs for the Integration of Mental Health/Substance Abuse and Primary Care, 2010, Future Research Needs for the Treatment of Common Hip Fractures, 2010, Future Research Needs for the Comparison of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions with Bypass Graft Surgery in Nonacute Coronary Artery Disease, 2010, and Future Research Needs for Outcomes of Weight Gain in Pregnancy, 2010, all prepared by various EPCs under various contracts and published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site.] Select to access the abstract. 

BMC Nephrology
Crews DC, Greer RC, Fadrowski JJ, et al. Setting an agenda for comparative effectiveness reviews in CKD. BMC Nephrol 2012 Aug 1; 13(1):74. [Supported by contract HHSA 290-2007-100061 to the Johns Hopkins EPC; notes the allocation of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to AHRQ for comparative effectiveness research (CER), citing Recovery Act Awards, published on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ publication, The Effective Health Care Program Stakeholder Guide, 2011 (published on the AHRQ Web site), and AHRQ comparative effectiveness review  Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 1-3: Screening, Monitoring, and Treatment, 2010 (published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site).] Select to access the abstract.

BMJ
Tunis SR. Improving comparative effectiveness research. BMJ 2012 Aug 1; 345:e5160. [Notes AHRQ's production of methodological guides for conducting systematic literature reviews, citing AHRQ publication, Methods Guide for Effectiveness and Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, 2012, as published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site; cites AHRQ-authored article by Tunis, Stryer, and Clancy (second and third authors are former AHRQ center director and current AHRQ director, respectively) (JAMA, 2003).]

Circulation
Wenger NK. Women and coronary heart disease: a century after Herrick: understudied, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. Circulation 2012 Jul 31; 126(5):604-11. [Describes and includes in Table 1, Women and Coronary Heart Disease Milestones and Stepping Stones,  AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessments, Results of Systematic Review of Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease in Women, 2003, and Diagnosis and Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease in Women: Systematic Reviews of Evidence on Selected Topics, 2003.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
van Gestel YR, Lemmens VE, Lingsma HF, et al. The hospital standardized mortality ratio fallacy: a narrative review. Med Care 2012 Aug; 50(8):662-7. [Cites article by Birkmeyer, Dimick, and Birkmeyer (J Am Coll Surg, 2004), which uses the literature review and conclusions from AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001, as examples of process measures associated with surgical outcomes.] Select to access the abstract.

Obstetrics and Gynecology
Sclafani J, Levy B, Lawrence H, et al. Building a better safety net: taking the safety agenda to office-based women's health. Obstet Gynecol 2012 Aug; 120(2 Pt 1):355-9. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001; mentions AHRQ's Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety and TeamSTEPPS, citing Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture, 2012, and AHRQ's TeamSTEPPS®: National Implementation Web site; cites AHRQ publication, Advances in Patient Safety: New Directions and Alternative Approaches, Volume 4: Technology and Medication Safety, 2008; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Gandhi et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2006, and N Engl J Med, 2003) and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Pain Medicine
Fishbain DA, Cole B, Lewis JE, et al. Is smoking associated with alcohol-drug dependence in patients with pain and chronic pain patients? An evidence-based structured review. Pain Med 2012 Jul 30. [Epub ahead of print. Uses AHRQ level of evidence criteria, summarized in Table 1,  Levels of evidence as developed by the agency for health care policy and research for guideline development, to categorize selected studies, citing AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Systems to Rate the Strength of Scientific Evidence, 2002.] Select to access the abstract. 

PharmacoEconomics
Prosser LA. Comparative effectiveness and child health. Pharmacoeconomics 2012 Aug 1; 30(8):637-45. [Discusses AHRQ's definition of CER, citing What Is Comparative Effectiveness Research, as published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site, article by Sox (Ann Intern Med, 2010) on AHRQ's receipt of CER funding under the ARRA and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and interview between Howard Birnbaum and Jean Slutsky (director of AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence) (Pharmacoeconomics, 2010); cites AHRQ-funded article by Mandelblatt et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2009); cites AHRQ-authored articles by Simpson (former AHRQ deputy director) et al. (Health Aff, 2010), which discusses AHRQ's EPC and Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions about Effectiveness Network, and by Forrest, Simpson, and Clancy (AHRQ director) (JAMA, 1997); cites article by Wilensky (Health Aff, 2006) on developing AHRQ's comparative effectiveness center (now the Effective Health Care Program). Also refer to article by Herrin et al. (Health Serv Res, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles and article by Smith et al. (Health Serv Res, 2012) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.] Select to access the abstract.

National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)/National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)-Related Articles

Health Services Research
Hasnain-Wynia R, Beal AC. The path to equitable health care. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1411-17. [Discusses findings from AHRQ's NHDR, 2011); cites AHRQ-authored article by Fiscella, Franks, Gold, and Clancy (AHRQ director) (JAMA, 2000).]   

Quality Management in Health Care
Ramos R, Davis JL, Ross T, et al. Measuring health disparities and health inequities: do you have REGAL data? Qual Manag Health Care 2012 Jul; 21(3):176-87. [Cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2010, as published on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-funded article by Mandelblatt, Ganz, and Kahn (J Clin Oncol, 1999), which discusses AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Management of Cancer Pain, 1994. Also refer to article by Chan et al. (Med Care, 2012) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.] Select to access the abstract.

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

American Family Physician
Berland D, Rodgers P. Rational use of opioids for management of chronic nonterminal pain. Am Fam Physician 2012 Aug 1; 86(3):252-6. [Uses AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse™ as a data source.]

Widera EW, Block SD. Managing grief and depression at the end of life. Am Fam Physician 2012 Aug 1; 86(3):259-264. [Uses the AHRQ Web site as a data source.] 

American Journal of Public Health
Caspersen CJ, Thomas GD, Boseman LA, et al. Aging, diabetes, and the public health system in the United States. Am J Public Health 2012 Aug; 102(8):1482-97. [Uses 2003-2010 HCUP NIS data for hospital discharge diagnoses of nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation, shown in Table 1, Current Diabetes-Related Indicators Among Older Adults with Diabetes: United States, National Diabetes Surveillance System and National Vital Statistics System, 2003-2010; discusses USPSTF recommendations on diabetes screening, citing USPSTF recommendation statement, Screening for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Adults, 2008, and About the USPSTF, 2010, both published on the USPSTF Web site;"] Select to access the abstract.

Circulation
Fugate JE, Brinjikji W, Mandrekar JN, et al. Post-cardiac arrest mortality is declining: a study of the US National Inpatient Sample 2001 to 2009. [Uses 2001-2009 HCUP NIS data and HCUP Calculating NIS Variances Guide.] Select to access the abstract. 

Health Services Research
Smith RB, Dynan L, Fairbrother G, Chabi G, Simpson L. Medicaid, hospital financial stress, and the incidence of adverse medical events for children. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1621-41. [Last author is former AHRQ deputy director; uses 2005-2007 HCUP NIS data and AHRQ's 2006 Pediatric Quality Indicators software, version 4.2, citing AHRQ publication, AHRQ Quality Indicators: Patient Safety Quality Indicators Composite Measure Workgroup. Final Report, 2008, AHRQ Quality Indicators Software, 2010, and AHRQ technical report, Measures of Pediatric Health Care Quality Based on Hospital Administrative Data: The Pediatric Quality Indicators, 2006, all published on AHRQ's Quality Indicators Web site; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Smith, Cheung, Owens, Wilson, and Simpson (third and last authors are current researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets and former AHRQ deputy director, respectively) (Health Serv Res, 2007), Encinosa and Bernard (current researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets and former AHRQ researcher, respectively) (Inquiry, 2005), Miller and Zhan (former AHRQ researcher and current researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence, respectively) (Pediatrics, 2004), Miller, Elixhauser (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets), and Zhan (Pediatrics, 2003); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Slonim et al. (Health Serv Res, 2007), Needleman et al. (N Engl J Med, 2002), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Beebe TJ, McAlpine DD, Ziegenfuss JY, et al. Deployment of a mixed-mode data collection strategy does not reduce nonresponse bias in a general population health survey. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug; 47(4):1739-54. [Uses the AHRQ-funded adaptation of the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992).] Select to access the abstract.

Navathe AS, Silver JH, Small DS, et al. Teaching hospital financial status and patient outcomes following ACGME duty hour reform. Health Serv Res 2012 Aug 2. [Epub ahead of print. Uses AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators (PSI) and AHRQ's PSI Software, Version 3.0, both published on AHRQ's Quality Indicators Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Hypertension
Tran CL, Ehrmann BJ, Messer KL, et al. Recent trends in healthcare utilization among children and adolescents with hypertension in the United States. Hypertension 2012 Aug; 60(2):296-302. [Uses 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006 HCUP KID data, citing Overview of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), 2009 and 2006, both published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Borzecki AM, Cowan AJ, Cevasco M, et al. Is development of postoperative venous thromboembolism related to thromboprophylaxis use? A case-control study in the Veterans Health Administration. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2012 Aug; 38(8):348-58, AP1-AP2. [Uses AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators Software, Version 3.1a, and the AHRQ postoperative pulmonary embolism/deep vein thrombosis Patient Safety Indicator, citing AHRQ publications, AHRQ Quality Indicators: Guide to Patient Safety Indicators, Version 3.1, 2007, AHRQ Quality Indicators—Patient Safety Indicators: Technical Specifications, Version 3.2, 2008, and AHRQ Quality Indicators Validation Pilot, all published on AHRQ's Quality Indicators Web site; also uses AHRQ HCUP Comorbidity Software, Version 3.7, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site; cites articles by Rosen et al. (Med Care, 2012 and 2005) and Kaafarani et al. (J Am Coll Surg, 2011); cites AHRQ-authored article by Zhan and Miller (current researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence and former AHRQ researcher, respectively) (JAMA, 2003).]

Castle NG, Wagner LM, Sonon K, et al. Measuring administrators' and direct care workers' perceptions of the safety culture in assisted living facilities. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2012 Aug; 38(8):375-85. [Uses AHRQ's Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture, citing 2008 Preliminary Comparative Results: Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture, 2008, and Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture: 2007 Comparative Database Report, 2007 (both published on the AHRQ Web site), and AHRQ publication, Improving Patient Safety in Hospitals: A Resource List for Users of the AHRQ Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, 2010; cites AHRQ-funded article by Levine, Fowler, and Brown (Health Serv Res, 2005), which uses HCAHPS data.]

Medical Care
Ash AS, Ellis RP. Risk-adjusted payment and performance assessment for primary care. Med Care 2012 Aug; 50(8):643-53. [Uses AHRQ's definition for ambulatory care sensitive conditions and AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators for hospital admissions for ambulatory sensitive conditions, citing AHRQ publication, AHRQ Quality Indicators—Guide to Prevention Quality Indicators: Hospital Admission for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions, 2002, as published on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-funded article by O'Malley et al. (Health Serv Res, 2005), which uses AHRQ's HCAHPS survey; see  comments by Goroll (Med Care, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract. 

Chan KS, Gaskin DJ, Dinwiddie GY, et al. Do diabetic patients living in racially segregated neighborhoods experience different access and quality of care? Med Care 2012 Aug; 50(8):692-9. [Uses 2006 MEPS data, as accessed on the MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Gresenz, Rogowski, and Escarce (Health Serv Res, 2009) and Haas et al. (Med Care, 2004), both of which use various MEPS datasets; cites AHRQ's NHQR/NHDR, 2010; acknowledges assistance from Ray F. Kuntz, Data Center Coordinator in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends.] Select to access the abstract.

Yoon J, M Yano E, Altman L, et al. Reducing costs of acute care for ambulatory care-sensitive medical conditions: the central roles of comorbid mental illness. Med Care 2012 Aug; 50(8):705-13. [Uses the AHRQ-funded adaptation of the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992) and article by Quan et al. (Med Care, 2005); gives AHRQ's definition of ambulatory care sensitive conditions, citing Prevention Quality Indicators Overview, as published on AHRQ's Quality Indicators Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Wehby GL, Ullrich F, Xie Y. Very low birth weight hospital volume and mortality: an instrumental variables approach. Med Care 2012 Aug; 50(8):714-21. [Uses 2000-2004 HCUP State Inpatient Databases (SID) data for New Jersey, citing Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID), 2000-2004.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care Research and Review
Navathe AS, Volpp KG, Konetzka RT, et al. A longitudinal analysis of the impact of hospital service line profitability on the likelihood of readmission. Med Care Res Rev 2012 Aug; 69(4):414-31. [Uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998); cites articles by Quan et al. (Med Care, 2005) and Southern, Quan, and Ghali (Med Care, 2004), which describe adaptations of the Elixhauser measures; cites AHRQ publication, Trends in Elderly Hospitalizations, 1997-2004, HCUP Statistical Brief 14, 2006; cites AHRQ-authored article by Friedman (Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Int J Health Care Finance Econ, 2004), which uses HCUP data, and AHRQ-funded articles by Glance et al. (Health Serv Res, 2006) and others.] Select to access the abstract.

New England Journal of Medicine
Schuur JD, Venkatesh AK. The growing role of emergency departments in hospital admissions. N Engl J Med 2012 Aug 2; 367(5):391-3. [Uses 1999-2006 HCUP NIS data, as accessed using AHRQ's HCUPnet Web site, and HCUP Clinical Classifications Software (CCS).]

Obstetrics and Gynecology
Johnson K, Gee RE. Trends in and effect of private, public, and no insurance on health care coverage for women. Obstet Gynecol 2012 Aug; 120(2 Pt 1):224-6. [Uses 2009 MEPS HC data as generated on AHRQ's MEPS Web site. Also refer to articles by Kirby et al. (Am J Public Health, 2012), Schroeder et al. (Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes, 2012) Ryan et al. (Health Serv Res, 2012), and Sarpong, Bernard, and Miller (Med Care Res Rev, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles, and article by Caspersen et al. (Am J Public Health, 2012) cited in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.