Articles of Interest

April 16, 2004

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These articles appeared in recently released journals and newsletters. They include articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers; articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ; articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers; articles mentioning the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force/Put Prevention into Practice; articles mentioning the Presidents Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry and Agency-supported activities relating to the Quality Interagency Task Force; and other research using AHRQ data.

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AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
Poston WS, Foreyt JP. Sibutramine and the management of obesity. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2004 Mar; 5(3):633-42. [Supported by Grant No. 3 R01 HS011282-02S1.]

JAMA
Orosz GM, Magaziner J, Hannan EL, et al. Association of timing of surgery for hip fracture and patient outcomes. JAMA 2004 Apr 14; 291(14):1738-43. [Supported by Grant No. U18 HS09459-0 and R01 HS09973.]

Landon BE, Zaslavsky AM, Bernard SL, et al. Comparison of performance of traditional Medicare vs. Medicare managed care. JAMA 2004 Apr 14; 291(14):1744-52. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS09205-07; uses AHRQ's Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (CAHPS®) data.]

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
Berenholtz SM, Milanovich S, Faircloth A, et al. Improving care for the ventilated patient. Jt Comm J Qual Saf 2004 Apr; 30(4):195-204. [Supported by Grant No. U18 HS11902-02.]

Journal of Clinical Psychology
Redd WH. Commentary: the evolution of evidence-based psychotherapy. J Clin Psychol 2004 Apr; 60(4):443-6. [Supported by Grant No. HS10547-01A2.]

Journal of Healthcare Information Management
Blewett LA, Parente ST, Finch MD, et al. National health data warehouse: issues to consider. J Healthc Inf Manag 2004; 18(1):52-8. [Supported by Grant No. R13 HS10091-01.]

Journal of Medical Humanities
Luce J. Imaging bodies, imagining relations: narratives of queer women and "assisted conception". J Med Humanit 2004 Spring; 25(1):47-56. [Supported by Grant No. R03 HSI 1266.]

Medical Care
Weinick RM, Jacobs EA, Stone LC, et al. Hispanic healthcare disparities: challenging the myth of a monolithic Hispanic population. Med Care 2004 Apr; 42(4):313-20. [First author is researcher in AHRQ's Office of Performance Accountability, Resources, and Technology; fifth author is Helen Burstin, director of AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships.]

Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
Feldman PH, McDonald MV. Conducting translation research in the home care setting: lessons from a just-in-time reminder study. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs 2004 Mar; 1(1):49-59. [Supported by Grant No. HS10542.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

Academic Medicine
Henrich JB. Women's health education initiatives: why have they stalled? Acad Med 2004 Apr; 79(4):283-8. [Cites AHRQ publication, Women's Health Highlights, on AHRQ Web site.]

Archives of Internal Medicine
Bobb A, Gleason K, Husch M, et al. The epidemiology of prescribing errors: the potential impact of computerized prescriber order entry. Arch Intern Med 2004 Apr 12; 164(7):785-92. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Bates et al., JAMA, 1995, and Leape et al., JAMA, 1995; cites article based on work by AHRQ-funded University of California at San Francisco Evidence-based Practice Center in JAMA, 2002.]

Commonwealth Fund E-Mail Alert
Comprehensive report on the quality of children's health care. Commonwealth Fund E-Mail Alert 2004 Apr 15. Available at http://www.cmwf.org. [Describes report for which AHRQ Senior Advisor for Child Health Denise Dougherty was consultant/advisory board member and policy briefing presenter, along with former AHRQ Deputy Director Lisa Simpson.]

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
Call for applicants—John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety Awards. Jt Comm J Qual Saf 2004 Apr; 30(4):inside front cover. [Announces acceptance of applications for awards in honor of former AHRQ Director John Eisenberg.]

Goel A, MacLean CD, Walrath D, et al. Adapting root cause analysis to chronic medical conditions. Jt Comm J Qual Saf 2004 Apr; 30(4):175-86. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Bates et al., JAMA, 1995.]

Medicine and Health
So much for becoming sophisticated consumers of health data: nearly half of US adults have difficulty reading even basic health information, says IOM panel. Med Health 2004 Apr 12; 58(15):5. [Mentions release of AHRQ report on health literacy.]

Milbank Quarterly
Spillman BC. Changes in elderly disability rates and the implications for health care utilization and cost. Milbank Q 2004; 82(1):157-94. [Cites AHRQ report, Nursing Home Trends, 1987 and 1996, MEPS Chartbook No. 3, 1999.]

Nursing Outlook
Mark BA, Hughes LC, Jones CB. The role of theory in improving patient safety and quality health care. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):11-6. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Kovner and Gergen (former AHRQ researchers), Image: J Nurs Schol, 1998, and Kovner et al., Health Serv Res, 2002; cites AHRQ-funded article by Needleman et al., N Engl J Med, 2002.]

Rantz MJ, Connolly RP. Measuring nursing care quality and using large data sets in nonacute care settings: state of the science. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):23-37. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Mukamel and Spector (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets), Med Care, 2000, and Spector and Mukamel, Eval Health Prof, 1998.]

Ryan J, Stone RI, Raynor CR. Using large data sets in long-term care to measure and improve quality. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):38-44. [Cites AHRQ reports, Nursing Homes—Structure and Selected Characteristics, 1996, and Future Directions for Residential Long-term Care Health Services Research, 1999.]

Brooten D, Youngblut JM, Kutcher J, et al. Quality and the nursing workforce: APNs, patient outcomes and health care costs. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):45-52. [Describes and cites AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) databases and Quality Indicators.]

Dunton N, Gajewski B, Taunton RL, et al. Nurse staffing and patient falls on acute care hospital units. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):53-9. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Kovner and Gergen (former AHRQ researchers), Image: J Nurs Schol, 1998.]

Jennings BM. Translational research: disrupting the status quo. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):66. [Describes AHRQ as "a forerunner in the field as reflected in its funding of 2 Translating Research into Practice (TRIP) programs".]

Pediatrics
Lehmann CU, Conner KG, Cox JM. Preventing provider errors: online total parenteral nutrition calculator. Pediatrics 2004 Apr; 113(4):748-53. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Leape et al., JAMA, 1995, and Kaushal, et al., JAMA, 2001.]

Pink Sheet
AHRQ comparative research agenda due June 8; HHS priorities will be key. Pink Sheet 2004 Apr 12; 66(15):28. [Quotes remarks by AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy at AHRQ advisory council meeting and reviews AHRQ taskings under Medicare prescription drug law.]

Report on Medical Guidelines and Outcomes Research
Levenson D. Studies evaluate hysterectomy as treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding. Rep Med Guidelines Outcomes Res 2004 Apr 16; 15(8):1, 6-7. [Reviews AHRQ-funded article by Kuppermann et al., JAMA, 2004.]

Social Science and Medicine
Borrell C, Muntaner C, Benach J, et al. Social class and self-reported health status among men and women: what is the role of work organization, household material standards and household labour? Soc Sci Med 2004 May; 58(10):1869-87. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Marmot et al., Lancet 1997.]

Zimmerman FJ, Christakis DA, Vander Stoep A. Tinker, tailor, soldier, patient: work attitudes and depression disparities among young adults. Soc Sci Med 2004 May; 58(10):1889-901. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Sherbourne et al., J Gen Intern Med, 1997.]

Vaananen A, Pahkin K, Kalimo R, et al. Maintenance of subjective health during a merger: the role of experienced change and pre-merger social support at work in white- and blue-collar workers. Soc Sci Med 2004 May; 58(10):1903-15. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Marmot et al., J Epidemiol Community Health, 1995.]

US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice-Related Articles

American Family Physician
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for obesity in adults: recommendations and rationale. Am Fam Physician 2004 Apr 15; 69(8):1973-1976. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on obesity screening as posted on AHRQ Web site.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Fowler-Brown A, Pignone M, Pletcher M, et al. Exercise tolerance testing to screen for coronary heart disease; a systematic review for the technical support for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med 2004 Feb 17; 140(4):W9-W24. Epub Mar 1. [Supported by Contract No. 290-97-0011, Task Order No. 3, to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center.]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening and behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce alcohol misuse: recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2004 Apr 6; 140(7):554-6. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on behavioral counseling interventions to reduce alcohol misuse as published on AHRQ Web site.]

Whitlock EP, Polen MR, Green CA, et al. Behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce risky/harmful alcohol use by adults: a summary of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med 2004 Apr 6; 140(7):557-68. [Supported by Contract No. 290-97-0018, Task Order No. 2, to Oregon Health & Science University Evidence-based Practice Center.]

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for coronary heart disease: recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med 2004 Apr 6; 140(7):569-72. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on screening for coronary heart disease as posted on the AHRQ Web site.]

Geriatrics
New USPSTF recommendations on CHD issues. Geriatrics 2004 Apr; 59(4):10. [Summarizes and reviews USPSTF recommendations on coronary heart disease as published in Ann Intern Med, 2004.]

JAMA
Nelson HD. Commonly used types of postmenopausal estrogen for treatment of hot flashes: scientific review. JAMA 2004 Apr 7; 291(13):1610-20. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy as published in Ann Intern Med, 2002.]

Nelson HD. Postmenopausal estrogen for treatment of hot flashes: clinical applications. JAMA 2004 Apr 7; 291(13):1621-5. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy as published in Ann Intern Med, 2002.]

Report on Medical Guidelines and Outcomes Research
Task force recommends alcohol abuse screening. Rep Med Guidelines Outcomes Res 2004 Apr 16; 15(8):3. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on alcohol screening as cited in Ann Intern Med, 2004.]

HCV testing is recommended for high-risk patients. Rep Med Guidelines Outcomes Res 2004 Apr 16; 15(8):3. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on hepatitis C virus infection screening as published in Ann Intern Med, 2004.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Nursing Outlook
Lang NM, Mitchell PH. Guest editorial: quality as an enduring and encompassing concept. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):1-2. [Cites AHRQ evidence report, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001, as an example of recent examinations of the evidence base for quality improvement.]

President's Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry/Quality Inter-agency Coordination (QuIC) Task Force-Related Articles

Nursing Outlook
Jennings BM, McClure ML. Strategies to advance health care quality. Nurs Outlook 2004 Jan-Feb; 52(1):17-22. [Cites Commission's final report, Quality First: Better Health Care for All Americans, 1998; cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessments, The Effect of Health Care Working Conditions on Patient Safety, 2003, and Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Meyer (former AHRQ center director) and Massagli, Jt Comm J Qual Improv, 2001, and Tunis et al., JAMA, 2003.]

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
Lyder CH, Grady J, Mathur D, et al. Preventing pressure ulcers in Connecticut hospitals by using the plan-do-study-act model of quality improvement. Jt Comm J Qual Saf 2004 Apr; 30(4):205-14. [Uses AHRQ guideline, Pressure Ulcers in Adults: Prediction and Prevention, 1992, as basis of selection of study performance measures.]

Social Science and Medicine
Meer J, Rosen HS. Insurance and the utilization of medical services. Soc Sci Med 2004 May; 58(9):1623-32. [Uses Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 1996 to 1998.]

Joyce T. Un-assured instruments: a comment on "insurance and the utilization of medical services". Soc Sci Med 2004 May; 58(9):1633-34. [Uses Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 1996 to 1998.]

Current as of April 2004