Factors that Mediate Racial/ethnic Disparities in U.S. Fetal Death Rates

October 12, 2012

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
Lorch SA, Kroelinger CD, Ahlberg C, et al. Factors that mediate racial/ethnic disparities in US fetal death rates. Am J Public Health 2012 Oct; 102(10):1902-10. [Supported in part by grant R01 HS15696.] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Surgery
LaPar DJ, Kron IL, Jones DR, Stukenborg GJ, Kozower BD. Hospital procedure volume should not be used as a measure of surgical quality. Ann Surg 2012 Oct; 256(4):606-15. [Supported by grants K08 HS18049 (to last author) and R01 HS17693-01A1 (to fourth author); uses 2008 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data, citing AHRQ publication, HCUP Methods Series 2004 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) Comparison Report, HCUP Methods Series Report 2007-03, 2007, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site, and AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998); discusses AHRQ's adoption of "procedure volume as a quality indicator for several high-risk surgical procedures," citing article by Ngaage (Eur J Cardiothorac Surg, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Chien AT. Can pay for performance improve the quality of adolescent substance abuse treatment? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2012 Oct; 166(10):964-65. [Author is supported by Career Development Award grant K08 HS17146-01; comments on article by Garner et al. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Surgery
Haut ER, Lau BD, Kraenzlin FS, Hobson DB, Kraus PS, Carolan HT, Haider AH, Holzmueller CG, Efron DT, Pronovost PJ, et al. Improved prophylaxis and decreased rates of preventable harm with the use of a mandatory computerized clinical decision support tool for prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism in trauma. Arch Surg 2012 Oct; 147(10):901-7. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Bright et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2012), prepared by the Duke EPC under contract 290-2007-10066-I; notes that first author is the primary investigator of the Mentored Clinician Scientist Development Award K08 1K08HS017952-01 from AHRQ entitled "Does Screening Variability Make DVT an Unreliable Quality Measure of Trauma Care?", and tenth author reports previous AHRQ funding; mentions that AHRQ "suggests that appropriate VTE prophylaxis is the number one patient safety initiative needed to prevent in-hospital death," citing AHRQ publication, Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality Improvement, 2008; quotes AHRQ director Dr. Carolyn Clancy, citing AHRQ-authored article by Clancy (Government HealthIT, 2011); cites AHRQ-funded article by Pronovost, Miller, and Wachter (JAMA, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

Gerontologist
Fishman PA, Johnson EA, Coleman K, et al. Impact on seniors of the patient-centered medical home: evidence from a pilot study. Gerontologist 2012 Oct; 52(5):703-11. [Supported in part by grant 1 R18 HS19129-01.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
Kesselheim AS, Avorn J. The Food And Drug Administration has the legal basis to restrict promotion of flawed comparative effectiveness research. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2200-5. [Supported in part by Career Development Award grant K08 HS18465-01; refer to comments by Griffin et al. (Health Aff, 2012) and Klasmeier (Health Aff, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

Zhou C, Zhang Y. The vast majority of Medicare Part D beneficiaries still don't choose the cheapest plans that meet their medication needs. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2259-65. [Supported in part by grant R01 HS18657 (to second author).] Select to access the abstract.

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Kundrapu S, Sunkesula V, Jury LA, Sitzlar BM, Donskey CJ. Daily disinfection of high-touch surfaces in isolation rooms to reduce contamination of healthcare workers' hands. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012 Oct; 33(10):1039-42. [Supported in part by grant R18 HS20004-01A1 (to last author).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Urology
Barocas DA, Gray DT, Fowke JH, et al. Racial variation in the quality of surgical care for prostate cancer. J Urol 2012 Oct; 188(4):1279-85. [Second author is a researcher in AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety; uses 1996-2007 HCUP State Inpatient Databases (SID) data (including the HCUP disparities analytical file and HCUP Central Distributor) for Florida, Maryland, and New York State, citing Overview of the State Inpatient Databases (SID), 2011, and AHRQ publication, Methods Applying AHRQ Quality Indicators to Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Data for the Eighth (2010) National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) and National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), HCUP Methods Series Report 2010-06, 2010, both published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site; also uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998).] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Virtanen M, Oksanen T, Kawachi I, et al. Organizational justice in primary-care health centers and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Med Care 2012 Oct; 50(10):831-5. [Attributes funding to "Agency for Health Care Policy Research" grant 5 R01 AG34454.] Select to access the abstract.

Spector WD, Mutter R, Owens P, Limcangco R. Thirty-day, all-cause readmissions for elderly patients who have an injury-related inpatient stay. Med Care 2012 Oct; 50(10):863-9. [Authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets; uses 2006 HCUP SID and State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) data (as accessed AHRQ's HCUPnet Web site) from 11 states, HCUP Procedure Classes, HCUP Clinical Classifications Software, and AHRQ's HCUP definition of bed size, citing, respectively, Overview of the State Inpatient Databases (SID), 2006, Overview of the State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD), 2006, Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) for ICD-9-CM, 2009, and NIS Description of Data Elements, 2008, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site; also uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998), AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators, and AHRQ's Quality Indicator Software Version 3.2, citing AHRQ Quality Indicators Software, Version 3.2, 2006, as published on AHRQ's Quality Indicators Web site; cites AHRQ publications Emergency Department Visits for Injurious Falls among the Elderly, 2006, HCUP Statistical Brief 80, 2009, and Frequency and Costs of Hospital Admissions for Injury, 2004, HCUP Statistical Brief 18, 2006.] Select to access the abstract.

Laxmisan A, Sittig DF, Pietz K, et al. Effectiveness of an electronic health record-based intervention to improve follow-up of abnormal pathology results: a retrospective record analysis. Med Care 2012 Oct; 50(10):898-904. [Supported in part by AHRQ, grant information not given.] Select to access the abstract.

New England Journal of Medicine
Lee GM, Kleinman K, Soumerai SB, et al. Effect of nonpayment for preventable infections in U.S. hospitals. N Engl J Med 2012 Oct 11; 367(15):1428-37. [Supported by grant 5 R01 HS18414-03 (to first author); cites Healthcare-Associated Infections, 2012, as published on the AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science
Holden RJ. Social and personal normative influences on healthcare professionals to use information technology: towards a more robust social ergonomics. Theor Issues Ergon 2012 Sep 1; 13(5):546-69. [Supported by grant 5 T32 HS00083-11.] Select to access the abstract.

AHRQ-Related Articles

Academic Medicine
Ogdie AR, Reilly JB, Pang WG, et al. Seen through their eyes: residents' reflections on the cognitive and contextual components of diagnostic errors in medicine. Acad Med 2012 Oct; 87(10):1361-7. [Cites AHRQ publication, Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation, Volume 2: Concepts and Methodology, 2005; cites AHRQ-funded/authored article by Singh, Graber, Kissam, Sorensen, Lenfestey, Tant, Henriksen (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety) et al. (BMJ Qual Saf, 2012) and AHRQ-funded articles by Newman-Toker and Pronovost (JAMA, 2009), Schiff et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2009), and Croskerry (Acad Med, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Amin MM, Graber M, Ahmad K, et al. The effects of a mid-day nap on the neurocognitive performance of first-year medical residents: a controlled interventional pilot study. Acad Med 2012 Oct; 87(10):1428-33. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Barger et al. (PLoS Med, 2006), Ayas et al. (JAMA, 2006), and Lockley et al. (N Engl J Med, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Internal Medicine
Cunningham W. HIV racial disparities: time to close the gaps. Arch Intern Med 2012 Oct 8. [Epub ahead of print. Comments on article by Simard et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2012) cited in National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)/National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)-Related Articles; cites AHRQ-authored article by Cunningham, Markson, Andersen, Crystal, Fleishman (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) et al. (J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 2000) and AHRQ-funded articles by Cunningham et al. (J Health Care Poor Underserved, 2005 and 2000).]

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Garner BR, Godley SH, Dennis ML, et al. Using pay for performance to improve treatment implementation for adolescent substance use disorders: results from a cluster randomized trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2012 Oct; 166(10):1-7. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Rosenthal and Frank (Med Care Res Rev, 2006), Rosenthal et al. (N Engl J Med, 2006), and Dudley (JAMA, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Casamassimo PS. Nothing is free in life—not even prevention! Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2012 Oct; 166(10):965-6. [Comments on article by Stearns et al. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2012) cited in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles.]

Gerontologist
Rahman AN, Applebaum RA, Schnelle JF, et al. Translating research into practice in nursing homes: can we close the gap? Gerontologist 2012 Oct; 52(5):597-606. [Cites AHRQ publication, Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses, Section I: Patient Safety and Quality, 2008, as published on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Jones et al. (Worldviews Evid Based Nurs, 2004) and Watson et al. (J Am Geriatr Soc, 2003), which uses AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Urinary Incontinence in Adults: Acute and Chronic Management, 1996.] Select to access the abstract.

Abrahamson K, Clark D, Perkins A, et al. Does cognitive impairment influence quality of life among nursing home residents? Gerontologist 2012 Oct; 52(5):632-40. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Castle and Ferguson (Gerontologist, 2010).] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
Dentzer S. Forging new trails over novel research terrain. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2162. [Comments on article by Fischer and Avorn (Health Aff, 2012) cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.]

Timbie JW, Schneider EC, Van Busum, et al. Five reasons that many comparative effectiveness studies fail to change patient care and clinical practice. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2168-75. [Mentions that AHRQ and other federal agencies "are already positioned to create the infrastructure for effective generation of comparative effectiveness evidence."] Select to access the abstract.

Griffin JP, Godfrey BM, Sherman RE. Regulatory requirements of the Food and Drug Administration would preclude product claims based on observational research. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2188-92. [Mentions that requirements to provide comparative effectiveness research funding for AHRQ and other agencies are among the factors driving the development of comparative effectiveness information on various interventions; comments on article by Kesselheim and Avorn (Health Aff, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles, and articles by Selby et al. and Fischer and Avorn (both in Health Aff, 2012) cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

Perfetto EM, Bailey JE Jr, Gans-Brangs KR, et al. Communication about results of comparative effectiveness studies: a pharmaceutical industry view. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2213-19. [First author is a former AHRQ researcher and third  author reports leading AstraZeneca's "scientific interactions" with AHRQ.] Select to access the abstract.

Klasmeier C. Congress should clarify the circumstances under which drug makers can communicate results on comparative effectiveness. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2220-4. [Comments on article by Kesselheim and Avorn (Health Aff, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles, and article by Perfetto et al. cited above in this section.] Select to access the abstract.

Caplan A. Enhancing patient autonomy through peer review to replace the FDA's rigorous approval process. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10): 2236-40. [Comments on article by Epstein (Health Aff, 2012) cited in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles and article by Selby et al. (Health Aff, 2012) cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

How can policy protect public health and still foster innovation? Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2241. [Mentions the addition of a line item for comparative effectiveness research (CER) in AHRQ's 2007 federal budget and its resulting impacts on subsequent health policy initiatives.]

Hoadley JF, Merrell K, Hargrave E, et al. In Medicare Part D plans, low or zero copays and other features to encourage the use of generic statins work, could save billions. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2266-75. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Kesselheim et al. (JAMA, 2008), Schneeweiss et al. (Circulation, 2007), and Landon et al. (Am J Manag Care, 2007).] Select to access the abstract.

Grabowski DC, Lakdawalla DN, Goldman DP, et al. The large social value resulting from use of statins warrants steps to improve adherence and broaden treatment. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2276-85. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Volpp et al. (BMC Health Serv Res, 2008) and Goldman et al. (JAMA, 1991).] Select to access the abstract.

Amin T, Kesselheim AS. Secondary patenting of branded pharmaceuticals: a case study of how patents on two HIV drugs could be extended for decades. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2286-24. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Kesselheim et al. (PLoS Med, 2011).] Select to access the abstract.

Lee BY, Bartsch SM, Wong KF, et al. Simulation shows hospitals that cooperate on infection control obtain better results than hospitals acting alone. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2295-303. [Cites AHRQ publication, Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation, Volume 3: Surveillance, 2005; cites article by Pronovost (Am J Infect Control, 2008) on the AHRQ-sponsored Keystone intensive care unit project and cites AHRQ-funded articles by Ward et al. (Am J Med Qual, 2012) and Sirio et al. (Health Aff, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Baugh CW, Venkatesh AK, Hilton JA, et al. Making greater use of dedicated hospital observation units for many short-stay patients could save $3.1 billion a year. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2314-23. [Mentions data on nonobstetric inpatient admissions resulting from emergency room visits, citing AHRQ publication, Hospital Admissions That Began in the Emergency Department, 2003, HCUP Statistical Brief 1, 2006.] Select to access the abstract.

Arora NK. A complex patient or complex illnesses? Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2354. [Comments on article by MacKenzie et al. (Health Aff, 2012) cited in National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)/National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)-Related Articles.]

MacKenzie TD, House R, Mehler PS. 'Complex patients': the authors reply. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2354. [Replies to comments by Arora cited above in this section.]

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Kuntz JL, Johnson ES, Raebel MA, et al. Epidemiology and healthcare costs of incident Clostridium difficile infections identified in the outpatient healthcare setting. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012 Oct; 33(10):1031-8. [Cites AHRQ publication, Clostridium Difficile-Associated Disease in U.S. Hospitals, 1993-2005, HCUP Statistical Brief 50, 2008.] Select to access the abstract.

JAMA
Milstein A, Shortell S. Innovations in care delivery to slow growth of US health spending. JAMA 2012 Oct 10; 308(14):1439-40. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zuvekas and Cohen (authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Health Aff, 2007) and AHRQ-funded article by Needleman et al. (N Engl J Med, 2011).]

Medical Care
Mukamel DB, Kang T, Collier E, et al. The relationship of California's Medicaid reimbursement system to nurse staffing levels. Med Care 2012 Oct; 50(10):836-42. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Spector (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Health Serv Res, 2011) and Cohen (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) and Spector (J Health Econ, 1996); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Grabowski (J Health Econ, 2001, and J Gerontol Soc Sci, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

Bauer MS, Leader D, Un H, et al. Primary care and behavioral health practice size: the challenge for health care reform. Med Care 2012 Oct; 50(10):843-8. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Ryan and Blustein (Health Serv Res, 2011), Ketcham et al. (Health Aff, 2007), and Gans et al. (Health Aff, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Benjamins MR. Race/ethnic discrimination and preventive service utilization in a sample of whites, blacks, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans. Med Care 2012 Oct; 50(10):870-6. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Dailey et al. (Am J Epidemiol, 2007).] Select to access the abstract.

French DD, Margo CE, Campbell RR. Reoperation rates and administrative databases. Med Care 2012 Oct; 50(10):905-6. [Cites measure summary "Eye care: percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of uncomplicated cataract who had cataract surgery and had any of a specified list of surgical procedures in the 30 days following cataract surgery which would indicate the occurrence of any of the following major complications: retained nuclear fragments, endophthalmitis, dislocated or wrong power IOL, retinal detachment, or wound dehiscence," 2010, from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement®, and the National Committee for Quality Assurance, as posted on AHRQ's National Quality Measures Clearinghouse Web site; cites AHRQ-funded article by McDonald et al. (Pediatrics, 2008).]

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

American Journal of Nursing
Kayyali A. Journal Watch: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adolescents (Pediatrics, 2012, 1035) Am J Nurs 2012 Oct; 112(10):60. [Summarizes and comments on article by May, Kuklina, and Yoon (Pediatrics, 2012), which discusses USPSTF recommendations on screening for obesity in children and adolescents (Pediatrics, 2010.]

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Stearns SC, Rozier RG, Kranz AM, et al. Cost-effectiveness of preventive oral health care in medical offices for young Medicaid enrollees. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2012 Oct; 166(1):945-51. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence summary on physicians' roles in preventing dental caries in preschool children (Am J Prev Med, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

BMC Women's Health
Allen SV, Solberg Nes L, Marnach ML, et al. Patient understanding of the revised USPSTF screening mammogram guidelines: need for development of patient decision aids. BMC Womens Health 2012 Oct 10; 12(1):36. [Examines patients' understanding of updated 2009 USPSTF recommendations on screening for breast cancer, citing USPSTF recommendation statement Screening for Breast Cancer, 2009 (as published on the USPSTF Web site) and associated evidence update by Nelson et al. and AHRQ-funded article by Mandelblatt et al. (both in Ann Intern Med, 2009), and previous USPSTF-sponsored evidence summary on breast cancer screening (Ann Intern Med, 2002); cites commentary on above recommendations by Woolf (JAMA, 2010), Petitti and Calonge (Am J Prev Med, 2011), Hendrick and Helvie (AJR Am J Roentgenol, 2011), and Squiers et al. (Am J Prev Med, 2011).] Select to access the abstract.

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Brauer PM, Goy R, Sergeant LA, et al. Patient reports of lifestyle advice in primary care. Can J Diet Pract Res 2012 Fall; 73(3):122-7. [Mentions 2011 USPSTF recommendations related to promoting diet and exercise, citing the USPSTF Web site; cites Surveys and Tools to Advance Patient-Centered Care, 2010, as published on AHRQ's Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Contraception
Tepper NK, Curtis KM, Steenland MW, et al. Blood pressure measurement prior to initiating hormonal contraception: a systematic review. Contraception 2012 Oct 10. [Epub ahead of print. Uses USPTF grading criteria, citing USPSTF-sponsored article by Harris et al. (Am J Prev Med, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

Current Opinion in Pediatrics
O'Connor CA, Shubkin CD. Adolescent STIs for primary care providers. Curr Opin Pediatr 2012 Oct; 24(5):647-55. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on screening for chlamydial infection (Ann Intern Med, 2007), screening for gonorrhea (Ann Fam Med, 2005), and screening for HIV (Ann Intern Med, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
Sox H. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute should focus on high-impact problems that can be solved quickly. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2176-82. [Describes AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program as the "leading US program of comparative effectiveness research … since its authorization by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003;" cites article by VanLare, Conway, and Sox (N Engl J Med, 2010), which discusses AHRQ's allocation of CER funding from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; notes that the author previously served as the chair of the USPSTF and that this article was adapted from his 2011 John M. Eisenberg Legacy Lecture.] Select to access the abstract.

Epstein RS. The hypothetical migraine drug comparative effectiveness study: a payer's recommendations for obtaining more useful results. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2225-30. [Notes that the USPSTF "now bases its own recommendations for practice on 'well-designed, well-conducted studies in representative populations that directly assess effects on health outcomes,' " citing Grade Definitions, 2008, as published on the USPTF Web site; comments on AHRQ-funded article by Kesselheim and Avorn (Health Aff, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles above, on article by Caplan (Health Aff, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Related Articles, and on articles by Selby et al. (Health Aff, 2012) and Fischer and Avorn (Health Aff, 2012) cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

Henderson C. Book Reviews. Guide to the 'right' answers in medicine? Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2351-2. [Mentions that the author of the reviewed book "ignored … the conclusions of the Preventive Services Task Force" regarding the routine use of prostate-specific antigen tests.]

JAMA
Gourlay ML, Preisser JS, Ensrud KE. Bone density testing in older women. JAMA 2012 Oct 10; 308(14):1428-9. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for osteoporosis (Ann Intern Med, 2011).]

Journal of the American College of Radiology
Ellenbogen PH. Thank you, USPSTF. J Am Coll Radiol 2012 Oct; 9(10):673-4. [Discusses USPSTF recommendations on breast cancer screening and prostate cancer screening, citing U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, as published on the AHRQ Web site.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

American Journal of Public Health
Findley SE, Matos S, Hicks AL, et al. Building a consensus on community health workers' scope of practice: lessons from New York. Am J Public Health 2012 Oct; 102(10):1981-7. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Outcomes of Community Health Worker Interventions, 2009.] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Internal Medicine
Wilt TJ, Qaseem A. Implementing high-value, cost-conscious diabetes mellitus care through the use of low-cost medications and less intensive glycemic control target. Arch Intern Med 2012 Oct 8. [Epub ahead of print. Cites article by Qaseem et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2012), which is based on AHRQ-sponsored systematic review by Bennett et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2011) and associated AHRQ comparative effectiveness review, Oral Diabetes Medications for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: An Update, 2011, and article by Owens et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2011), which notes that "organizations that have led notable systematic reviews include the Evidence-based Practice Centers funded by" AHRQ; comments on article by Gellad et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2012) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.]

Health Affairs
Selby JV, Fleurence R, Lauer M, et al. Reviewing hypothetical migraine studies using funding criteria from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2193-9. [Differences and similarities in review criteria between AHRQ and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, citing Peer Review Process, 2011, as published on the AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ research protocol Comparative Effectiveness of Preventive Pharmacological Treatments for Migraine, 2011, as published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Fischer MA, Avorn J. Academic detailing can play a key role in assessing and implementing comparative effectiveness research findings. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2206-12. [Noted that authors are co-directors of the National Resource Center for Academic Detailing supported by AHRQ grant R18 HS19202; notes that some literature reviews used by academic detailing programs are "performed well by" AHRQ's EPCs, whose reports "are comprehensive, rigorous, detailed, evidence-based, and unbiased," citing AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Centers Web site; comments on article by Selby et al. cited above in this section, article by Griffin et al. (Health Aff, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Related Articles above, and article by Epstein et al. (Health Aff, 2012) cited in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

Boutin M. Among other flaws, hypothetical migraine study lacks independent evaluation and patient engagement. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2231-35. [Cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness review, Effectiveness and Safety of Antiepileptic Medications in Patients With Epilepsy, 2011, as published on the National Library of Medicine's NCBI Web site, and related commentary by Welty et al. (Epilepsy Curr, 2012); notes author's participation in AHRQ's Effective Healthcare Stakeholders Group.] Select to access the abstract.

New England Journal of Medicine
Sartor O. Radical prostatectomy versus observation for prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2012 Oct 11; 367(15):1467. [Comments on and cites AHRQ-authored article by Wilt et al. (N Engl J Med, 2012), which is based on the baseline characteristics of the patients and the design of the Prostate Cancer Intervention versus Observation Trial (PIVOT), VA/NCI/AHRQ Cooperative Studies Program 407 and cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness review, Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer, 2008 (as published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site) and related AHRQ-funded systematic review by Wilt et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008), both supported by the Minnesota EPC under contract 290-02-0009.]

Vickers AJ, Eastham JA, Scardino PT. Radical prostatectomy versus observation for prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2012 Oct 11; 367(15):1467-8. [Comments on AHRQ-authored article by Wilt et al. (N Engl J Med, 2012), which is based on the baseline characteristics of the patients and the design of the Prostate Cancer Intervention versus Observation Trial (PIVOT), VA/NCI/AHRQ Cooperative Studies Program 407 and cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness review, Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer, 2008 (as published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site) and related AHRQ-funded systematic review by Wilt et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008), both supported by the Minnesota EPC under contract 290-02-0009; cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Wilt et al. (J Urol, 2008) on the association between hospital and surgeon radical prostatectomy volume and patient outcomes, prepared by the Minnesota EPC under contract 290-02-0009.]

Tyldesley S, McKenzie MR, So AI. Radical prostatectomy versus observation for prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2012 Oct 11; 367(15):1468. [Comments on and cites AHRQ-authored article by Wilt et al. (N Engl J Med, 2012), which is based on the baseline characteristics of the patients and the design of the Prostate Cancer Intervention versus Observation Trial (PIVOT), VA/NCI/AHRQ Cooperative Studies Program 407 and cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness review, Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer, 2008 (as published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site) and related AHRQ-funded systematic review by Wilt et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008), both supported by the Minnesota EPC under contract 290-02-0009; see also commentary by Sartor and Vickers et al., both cited above, and Rosenthal and author reply, cited below.]

Rosenthal M. Radical prostatectomy versus observation for prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2012 Oct 11; 367(15):1468. [Comments on and cites AHRQ-authored article by Wilt et al. (N Engl J Med, 2012), which is based on the baseline characteristics of the patients and the design of the Prostate Cancer Intervention versus Observation Trial (PIVOT), VA/NCI/AHRQ Cooperative Studies Program 407 and cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness review, Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer, 2008 (as published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site) and related AHRQ-funded systematic review by Wilt et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008), both supported by the Minnesota EPC under contract 290-02-0009.]

Wilt TJ, Brawer MK, Aronson WJ, et al. Radical prostatectomy versus observation for prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2012 Oct 11; 367(15):1468-9. [Responds to comments by Sartor, Vickers et al, Tyldesley et al., and Rosenthal cited above in this section; cites AHRQ-funded article by Wilt et al. (Contemp Clin Trials, 2009) on the Prostate Cancer Intervention versus Observation Trial (PIVOT), VA/NCI/AHRQ Cooperative Studies Program 407; cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Wilt et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008) on the comparative effectiveness and harms of treatments for clinically localized prostate cancer, and Wilt et al. (J Urol, 2008) on the association between hospital and surgeon radical prostatectomy volume and patient outcomes, both prepared by the Minnesota EPC under contract 290-02-0009.]

Psychiatric Services
AHRQ review finds evidence of the effectiveness of collaborative care interventions. Psychiatr Serv 2012 Oct; 63(10):1055. [Summarizes and comments on AHRQ comparative effectiveness reviews, Practice-Based Interventions Addressing Concomitant Depression and Chronic Medical Conditions in the Primary Care Setting, 2012, and First-Generation Versus Second-Generation Antipsychotics in Adults: Comparative Effectiveness, 2012, both published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site. Also refer to article by Gellad et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2012) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.]

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

Archives of Internal Medicine
Simard EP, Fransua M, Naishadham D, et al. The influence of sex, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment on human immunodeficiency virus death rates among adults, 1993-2007. Arch Intern Med 2012 Oct 8. [Epub ahead of print. Cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2011.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Affairs
MacKenzie TD, Kukolja T, House R, et al. A discharge panel at Denver Health, focused on complex patients, may have influenced decline in length-of-stay. Health Aff 2012 Aug; 31(8):1786-95. [Cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2009. Also refer to article by Barocas et al. (J Urol, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles, article by Arora (Health Aff, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Related Articles, and article by Wang and Qiao (Res Social Adm Pharm, 2012) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.] Select to access the abstract.

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Advances in Skin and Wound Care
Shannon RJ, Brown L, Chakravarthy D. Pressure ulcer prevention program study: a randomized, controlled prospective comparative value evaluation of 2 pressure ulcer prevention strategies in nursing and rehabilitation centers. Adv Skin Wound Care 2012 Oct; 25(10):450-64. [Evaluates standard care and education using recommendations presented in AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Pressure Ulcers in Adults: Prediction and Prevention, 1992, as part of the study protocol;   cites AHRQ publications Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation, Volume 3: Implementation Issues, 2005, as published on the AHRQ Web site, and Hospitalizations Related to Pressure Ulcers among Adults 18 Years and Older, 2006, HCUP Statistical Brief 64, 2008; mentions results from article by Lyder et al. (Ostomy Wound Manage, 2002), which uses prevention process measures "based on AHRQ prevention guidelines."] Select to access the abstract.

American Surgeon
Kang CY, Chaudhry OO, Halabi WJ, et al. Risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infection and urinary retention in patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. Am Surg 2012 Oct; 78(10):1100-4. [Uses 2006-2009 HCUP NIS data, citing Databases, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Internal Medicine
Gellad W, Mor M, Zhao X, et al. Variation in use of high-cost diabetes mellitus medications in the VA healthcare system. Arch Intern Med 2012 Oct 8. [Epub ahead of print. Uses the AHRQ-funded adaptation of the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992); cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Bolen et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2007) on the comparative effectiveness and safety of oral medications for type 2 diabetes mellitus, prepared by the Johns Hopkins EPC under contract 290-02-0018.]

Health Affairs
Howard D, Brophy R, Howell S. Evidence of no benefit from knee surgery for osteoarthritis led to coverage changes and is linked to decline in procedures. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2242-9. [Uses 1998-2010 HCUP State Ambulatory Surgery Database (SASD) for Florida; calculates "the significance of changes in procedure rates using a regression spline approach," citing AHRQ-authored article by Gross, Steiner (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (JAMA, 2000), which uses 1988-1996 HCUP SID data for seven states (including Florida).] Select to access the abstract.

Mechanic RE, Altman SH, McDonough JE. The new era of payment reform, spending targets, and cost containment in Massachusetts: early lessons for the nation. Health Aff 2012 Oct; 31(10):2334-42. [Uses MEPS data as the source for Exhibit 1, "Average Annual Employer-Based Family Health Insurance Premiums, Massachusetts And The United States, 1996-2011".] Select to access the abstract.

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Stone ND, Ashraf MS, Calder J, et al. Surveillance definitions of infections in long-term care facilities: revisiting the McGeer criteria. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012 Oct; 33(10):965-77. [Uses AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse™ and USPSTF recommendations for literature review.] Select to access the abstract.

JAMA
Dodwell E, Snyder B, Wright J. Off-label use of bone morphogenetic proteins in pediatric spinal arthrodesis. JAMA 2012 Oct 10; 308(14):1429-32. [Uses 2009 HCUP KID data and HCUP Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files, citing Overview of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), 2006 and 2009, both published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.]

Joynt KE, Blumenthal DM, Orav EJ, et al. Association of public reporting for percutaneous coronary intervention with utilization and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries with acute myocardial infarction. JAMA 2012 Oct 10; 308(14):1460-8. [Uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998).] Select to access the abstract.

Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy
Wang J, Qiao Y. Historical trend of disparity implications of Medicare MTM eligibility criteria. Res Social Adm Pharm 2012 Oct 9. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 1996-1997 and 2007-2008 MEPS data as accessed on AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ's NHQR/NHDR, 2011. Also refer to AHRQ-authored/funded articles by LaPar et al. (Ann Surg, 2012), Barocas et al. (J Urol, 2012) and Spector et al. (Med Care, 2012) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles] Select to access the abstract.