Articles of Interest

April 30, 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

American Heart Journal
Wyrwich KW, Spertus JA, Kroenke K, et al. Clinically important differences in health status for patients with heart disease: an expert consensus panel report. Am Heart J 2004 Apr 147(4):615-22. [Supported by Grant Nos. R01 HS10234 and K02 HS11635.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Numans ME, Lau J, de Wit NJ, et al. Short-term treatment with proton-pump inhibitors as a test for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Ann Intern Med 2004 Apr 6; 140(7):518-27. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS 013328.]

Covinsky KE, Yaffe K. Dementia, prognosis, and the needs of patients and caregivers [editorial]. Ann Intern Med 2004 Apr 6; 140(7):573-4. [Supported by Grant No. K02 HS00006.]

Archives of General Psychiatry
Wells K, Sherbourne C, Schoenbaum M, et al. Five-year impact of quality improvement for depression: results of a group-level randomized controlled trial. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2004 Apr; 61(4):378-86. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS08349.]

British Medical Journal
Clancy C. Commentary: reinventing continuing medical education. BMJ 2004 Apr 17; 328(7445):E291. [Author is director of AHRQ.]

Critical Care Medicine
Kasal J, Jovanovic Z, Clermont G, et al. Comparison of Cox and Gray's survival models in severe sepsis. Crit Care Med 2004 Mar; 32(3):700-7. [Supported by AHRQ/NHLBI Grant No. R01 HS/HL11620-1.]

Osmon S, Harris CB, Dunagan C, et al. Reporting of medical errors: an intensive care unit experience. Crit Care Med 2004 Mar; 32(3):727-33. [Supported by AHRQ Grant No. HS11898-01.]

Gerontologist
Dobalian A. Nursing facility compliance with do-not-hospitalize orders. Gerontologist 2004 Apr; 44(2):159-65. [Supported by Grant No. HS00046; uses data from AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).]

International Journal for Quality in Health Care
Marshall MN, Romano PS, Davies HT. How do we maximize the impact of the public reporting of quality of care? Int J Qual Health Care 2004 Apr; 16 Suppl 1:i57-i63. [Supported by Grant No. R18 HS10985.]

Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Amin MG, Tighiouart H, Weiner DE, et al. Hematocrit and left ventricular mass: the Framingham Heart Study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004 Apr 7; 43(7):1276-82. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS00060.]

Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions
Wutoh R, Boren SA, Balas EA. eLearning: a review of Internet-based continuing medical education. J Contin Educ Health Prof 2004 Winter; 24(1):20-30. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10472.]

Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Roberts J, Hunter L, Gravel J, et al. Otitis media, hearing loss, and language learning: controversies and current research. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2004 Apr; 25(2):110-22. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R13 HS12072-01.]

Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings
Chen SC, Bayoumi AM, Soon SL, et al. A catalog of dermatology utilities: a measure of the burden of skin diseases. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 2004 Mar; 9(2):160-8. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS00028.]

Journal of the National Medical Association
Husaini BA, Hull PC Sherkat DE, et al. Diabetes, depression, and healthcare utilization among African Americans in primary care. J Natl Med Assoc 2004 Apr; 96(4):476-84. [Supported by Grant No. 1 U18 HS11131.]

Journal of Nursing Scholarship
Rose LE, Mallinson RK, Walton-Moss B. Barriers to family care in psychiatric settings. J Nurs Scholarsh 2004; 36(1):39-47. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R03 HS10378-01.]

JPEN Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Silver HJ, Wellman NS, Arnold DJ, et al. Older adults receiving home enteral nutrition: enteral regimen, provider involvement, and health care outcomes. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2004 Mar-Apr; 28(2):92-98. [Supported by Grant No. R03 S11276.]

Medical Care
Riley AW, Forrest CB, Starfield B, et al. The Parent Report Form of the CHIP-Child Edition: reliability and validity. Med Care 2004 Mar; 42(3):210-20. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS08829.]

Riley AW, Forrest CB, Rebok GW, et al. The Child Report Form of the CHIP-Child Edition: reliability and validity. Med Care 2004 Mar; 42(3):221-31. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS08829.]

Forrest CB, Riley AW, Vivier PM, et al. Predictors of children's healthcare use: the value of child versus parental perspectives on healthcare needs. Med Care 2004 Mar; 42(3):232-8. [Supported by Grant Nos. R01 HS08829 and K02 HS00003.]

Romano PS, Zhou H. Publicized risk-adjusted outcomes reports affect hospital volume? Med Care 2004 Apr; 42(4):367-77. [Supported by Grant No. R29 HS08574.]

Managed Care Interface
Shen JJ, Washington EL, Aponte-Soto L. Racial disparities in the pathogenesis and outcomes for patients with ischemic stroke. Manag Care Interface 2004 Mar; 17(3):28-34. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R03 HS13056.]

Methods in Enzymology
Schmid CH, Cappelleri JC, Lau J. Bayesian methods to improve sample size approximations. Methods Enzymol 2004; 383:406-27. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS10064.]

New England Journal of Medicine
Cornia PB, Lipsky BA, Dhaliwal G, et al. Clinical problem-solving. Red snapper or crab? N Engl J Med 2004 Apr 1; 350(14):1443-8. [Supported by Grant No. P20 HS11540.]

Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal
Everett WW, Zaoutis TL, Halpern SC, et al. Preevent vaccination against smallpox: a survey of pediatric emergency health care providers. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2004 Apr; 23(4):332-7. [Supported by Grant No. U18 HS10399.]

Pharmacotherapy
Ornstein SM, Nietert PJ, Dickerson LM. Hypertension management and control in primary care: a study of 20 practices in 14 states. Pharmacotherapy 2004 Apr; 24(4):500-7. [Supported by Grant No. 1 U18 HS11132-01.]

Quality and Safety in Health Care
Weinger MB, Gonzales DC, Slagle J, et al. Video capture of clinical care to enhance patient safety. Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Apr; 13(2):136-44. [Supported by Grant Nos. R0111375 and P20 HS11521; cites memorandum from AHRQ Senior Attorney Susan Merewitz and AHRQ authorizing statutes.]

Womens Health Issues
Correa-de-Araujo R. A wake-up call to advance women's health. Women's Health Issues 2004 Mar-Apr; 14(2):31-4. [Author is researcher in AHRQ's Office of Extramural Research, Education and Priority Populations (OEREP).]

AHRQ-Related Articles

American Health Line
Disparities: Thompson announces new board, affirms commitment. Am Health Line 2004 Apr 20; #3. [Mentions AHRQ's National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR).]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Childs JD, Flynn TW. Spinal Manipulation for low back pain. Ann Intern Med 2004 Apr 20; 140(8):665; author reply 665-6. [Cites funded study by Shekelle et al., Ann Intern Med, 1992.]

Shapiro CM. Spinal Manipulation for low back pain. Ann Intern Med 2004 Apr 20; 140(8):665; author reply 665-6. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Acute Low Back Problems in Adults: Assessment and Treatment, 1994.]

Blue Sheet
AHRQ comparative research agenda due June 8; HHS priorities will be key. Blue Sheet Apr 19; 47(16):11. [Mentions future AHRQ cost-effectiveness research as specified in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA); includes comments by AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy.]

BNAs Health Care Policy Report
Quality of care for U.S. children falling short, foundations report claims. BNAs Health Care Policy Rep 2004 Apr 19; 12(16):547. [Describes the report, Quality of Health Care for Children and Adolescents, 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.]

BNA's Health Plan and Provider Report
Ebeler J. Health care quality provisions in the new Medicare law. BNA Health Plan Provider Rep 2004 Apr 21; 10(16):425-7. [Mentions MMA provision for AHRQ to conduct and support cost-effectiveness and outcomes research related to health care services, including prescription drugs.]

Commonwealth Fund E-Mail Alert
Fourth National Conference on Quality Health Care for Culturally Diverse Populations: Integrating Community Needs into the National Health Agenda September 28-October 1, 2004 Hilton Washington, Washington D.C. Commonwealth Fund E-Mail Alert 2004 Apr 15. [Announces conference at which AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy is scheduled speaker conference information is available at http://www.diversityrx.org/CCCONF/04/index.html.]

Health Grants and Contracts Weekly
Health information technology demonstrations (AHRQ). Health Grants Contracts Weekly 2004 Apr 22; 27(16):13. [Summarizes AHRQ grant announcement.]

Health News Daily
Uhlendorf K. Cost-effectiveness research pros and cons to be debated during April 27th audio conference. Health News Daily 2004 Apr 22; 16(78):1-2. [Mentions MMA measure authorizing AHRQ to conduct comparative effectiveness research on drugs and devices.]

Steinke S. Rx cost effectiveness research is governments job, but not FDAs, AMCP says. Health News Daily 2004 Apr 23; 16(79):7. [Discusses the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacys policy statement asserting that "AHRQ, as well as the NIH, are the logical agencies to oversee comparative clinical research efforts on behalf of the federal government. Conducting research and studies is at the heart of the mission of these agencies, and they have the scientific and management expertise to fulfill this responsibility." Complete statement is at http://www.amcp.org/.]

Blanchard T. Comparative research should start with Rx drugs, AHRQ says. Health News Daily 2004 Apr 26; 16(80):6-7. [Summarizes AHRQ notice in the April 23 issue of the Federal Register regarding AHRQ's establishment of priority topics for comparative research of health care items and services as authorized in the MMA.]

Health Care Management Science
Stanford RE. A frontier analysis approach for benchmarking hospital performance in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Health Care Manag Sci 2004 Mar; 7(2):145-54. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Kiefe et al., Int J Qual Health Care, 1998.]

JAMA
Robinson JC. Reinvention of health insurance in the consumer era. JAMA 2004 Apr 21; 291(15):1880-6. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Weinick (researcher in AHRQ's Office of Performance Assessment, Resources and Technology (OPART) and J Cohen (researcher in AHRQ's, Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends (CFACT), Health Aff, 2000, and Berk and Monheit (former AHRQ researcher), Health Aff, 2001.]

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
Stevenson JG, Pearlman M, Green CR, et al. Altering Meperidine prescribing patterns in a university teaching hospital. Jt Comm J Qual Saf 2004 May; 30(5):277-81. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Acute Pain Management: Operative or Medical Procedures and Trauma, 1992.]

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Vitagliano G, Curtis JP, Concato J, et al. Association between functional status and use and effectiveness of Beta-Blocker Prophylaxis in elderly survivors of acute myocardial infarction. J Am Geriatr Soc 2004 Apr; 52(4):495-501. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Soumerai et al., JAMA, 1997, and McLaughlin et al., Arch Intern Med, 1996.]

Mold JW, Fryer GE, Thomas CH. Who are the uninsured elderly in the United States? J Am Geriatr Soc 2004 Apr; 52(4):601-6. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Zuvekas (researcher in CFACT) and Weinick (researcher in OPART), Health Serv Res, 1999; AHRQ Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) report, The Uninsured in America—1996-2001, 2002 at AHRQ Web site.]

Journal of American Board of Family Practice
Fryer GE, Consoli R, Miyoshi TJ, et al. Specialist physicians providing primary care services in Colorado. J Am Board Fam Pract 2004 Mar-Apr; 17(2):81-90. [Cites MEPS 1996 data, PUF data files, 2001.]

Deyo RA. Gaps, tensions, and conflicts in the FDA approval process: implications for clinical practice. J Am Board Fam Pract 2004 Mar-Apr; 17(2):142-149. [Cites AHRQ Health Technology Assessment report, Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing (IPPB) Therapy, 1991.]

Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law
Leichter H. Ethnic politics, policy, fragmentation, and dependent health care access in California. J Health Polit Policy Law 2004 Apr; 29(2):177-201. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Flores et al., JAMA, 2002.]

Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders
AHRQ introduces new PDA tool to aid treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Apr; 16(4):13. [Describes AHRQ's release of the Pneumonia Severity Index Calculator, a clinical decision-support tool for personal digital assistants (PDAs).]

Calendar of events. Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Apr; 16(4):16. [Announces AHRQ-sponsored conference, Quality Colloquium, at Harvard University August 22-25 in Cambridge, MA.]

Quality and Safety in Health Care
Phillips RL, Bartholomew LA, Dovey SM, et al. Learning from malpractice claims about negligent, adverse events in primary care in the United States. Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Apr; 13(2):121-6. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Thomas et al. (3rd author is Helen Burstin, researcher in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention and Clinical Partnerships (CP3), Med Care, 2000.]

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

American Journal of Nursing
Berg AO, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Counseling to prevent skin cancer: recommendations and rationale. Am J Nurs 2004 Apr; 104(4):87-91. [Summarizes Task Force recommendations on counseling to prevent skin cancer.]

Annals of Family Medicine
Berg AO, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for family and intimate partner violence: recommendation statement. Ann Fam Med 2004 Mar-Apr; 2(2):156-60. [Summarizes Task Force recommendations on screening for family and intimate partner violence.]

Health Care Management Science
Tao G, Abban BK, Gift TL, et al. Applying a mixed-integer program to model re-screening women who test positive for C: trachomatis infection. Health Care Manag Sci 2004 Mar; 7(2):135-44. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for chlamydial infection as published in Am J Prev Med, 2001.]

Journal of Family Practice
Curran DR, Stigleman S, Neher JO. Should we discontinue pap smear screening in women aged >65 years? J Fam Pract 2004 Apr; 53(4):308-10. [Reviews findings from Evidence Review, Screening for Cervical Cancer, 2002, and USPSTF guideline Cervical Cancer Screening, 2003, as posted on AHRQ Web site.]

Journal of Women's Health
Tabenkin H, Goodwin MA, Zyzanski SJ, et al. Gender differences in time spend during direct observation of doctor-patient encounters. J Women's Health 2004 Apr; 13(3):341-9. [Cites USPSTF recommendations in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Medicine and Health
Health literacy: how many patients are left behind? Med Health 2004 Apr 19; 58(16):1, 7-8. [Discusses Evidence-based report, Literacy and Health Outcomes, 2004.]

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Wipke-Tevis DD, Williams DA, Rantz MJ, et al. Nursing home quality and pressure ulcer prevention and management practice. J Am Geriatr Soc 2004 Apr; 52(4):583-8. [Uses AHRQ guidelines on prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers, 1992, 1994.]

Journal of American Board of Family Practice
Wolfe RM, Sharp LK, Wang RM. Family physicians opinions and attitudes to three clinical practice guidelines. J Am Board Fam Pract 2004 Mar-Apr; 17(2):150-7. [Uses AHRQ guideline, Managing Otitis Media with Effusion in Young Children, 1994, and cites AHRQ's Clinical Practice Guidelines at AHRQ Web site.]

Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Katz DA, Muehlenbruch DR, Brown RL, et al. Effectiveness of implementing the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality smoking cessation clinical practice guideline: a randomized controlled trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 2004 Apr 21; 96(8):594-603. [Uses PHS guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000.]

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
Findley PA, Sambamoorthi U. Employment and disability: evidence from the 1996 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey. J Occup Rehabil 2004 Mar; 14(1):1-11. [Uses MEPS data.]

Current as of April 2004