Articles of Interest

December 31, 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

Advances in Neonatal Care
Yaeger KA, Halamek LP, Coyle M, et al. High-fidelity simulation-based training in neonatal nursing. Adv Neonatal Nurs 2004 Dec; 4(6):326-31. [Supported by Grant No. 1 U18 HS12022-01.]

American Journal of Public Health
Johnson RL, Roter D, Powe NR, et al. Patient race/ethnicity and quality of patient-physician communication during medical visits. Am J Public Health 2004 Dec; 94(12):2084-90. [Supported by Grant No. F31 HS13265.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Asch SM, McGlynn EA, Hogan MM, et al. Comparison of quality of care for patients in the Veterans Health Administration and patients in a national sample. Ann Intern Med 2004 Dec 21; 141(12):938-45, with supplemental material. [Supported by Grant No. 5 U18 HS09463-03 and published in AHRQ-funded Improving Patient Care section of journal.]

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Mayer ML, Skinner AC. Too many, too few, too concentrated? A review of the pediatric subspecialty workforce literature. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004 Dec; 158(12):1158-65. [Supported by Grant No. 1 K02 HS0113309-01A1.]

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Dobrez DG, Lo Sasso AT, Heinemann AW. The effect of prospective payment on rehabilitative care. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004 Dec; 85(12):1909-14. [Supported by Grant No. R03 HS10375-01.]

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science Markenson D, Redlener I. Pediatric terrorism preparedness national guidelines and recommendations: findings of an evidence-based consensus process. Biosecur Bioterror 2004; 2(4):301-19. Supported by Grant No. 1 R13 HS13855.]

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Kuo GM, Hawley ST, Weiss LT, et al. Factors associated with herbal use among urban multiethnic primary care patients: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Complement Altern Med 2004 Dec 2; 4(1):e18. [Supported by Grant No. P20 HS11187.]

BMC Health Services Research
Atkins D, Eccles M, Flottorp S, et al. Systems for grading the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations I: critical appraisal of existing approaches The GRADE Working Group. BMC Health Serv Res 2004 Dec 22; 4(1):e38. [First author is researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence.]

Circulation
Spertus JA, Salisbury AC, Jones PG, et al. Predictors of quality-of-life benefit after percutaneous coronary intervention. Circulation 2004 Dec; 110(25):3789-94. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS11282-01.]

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Vij R, Triadafilopoulos G, Owens KD, et al. Cost-effectiveness of photodynamic therapy for high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus. Gastrointest Endosc 2004 Nov; 60(5):739-56. [Supported by Grant No. 5 T32 HS00028-17.]

Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
Plantinga LC, Fink NE, Jaar BG, et al. Frequency of sit-down patient care rounds, attainment of clinical performance targets, hospitalization, and mortality in hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol 2004 Dec; 15(12):3144-53. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS08365.]

Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Schneeweiss S, Wang PS. Association between SSRI use and hip fractures and the effect of residual confounding bias in claims database studies. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2004 Dec; 24(6):632-8. [Supported by Grant No. 2 R02 HS10881.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Glasgow RE, Nutting PA, King DK, et al. A practical randomized trial to improve diabetes care. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1167-74. [Supported by Grant No. HS10123.]

Journal of the National Medical Association
Alam NM, Archer JA, Lee E. Osteoporotic fragility fractures in African Americans: under-recognized and undertreated. J Natl Med Assoc 2004 Dec; 96(12):1640-5. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R24 HS11673.]

Journal of Traumatic Stress
Ramstad SM, Russo J, Zatzick DF. Is it an accident? Recurrent traumatic life events in level I trauma center patients compared to the general population. J Trauma Stress 2004 Dec; 17(6):529-34. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R03 HS11372.]

Journal of Urban Health
Bell JF, Zimmerman FJ, Cawthon ML, et al. Jail incarceration and birth outcomes. J Urban Health 2004 Dec; 8(4):630-44. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS013853-01.]

Liver Transplantation
Amin MG, Wolf MP, TenBrook JA Jr, et al. Expanded criteria donor grafts for deceased donor liver transplantation under the MELD system: a decision analysis. Liver Transpl 2004 Dec; 10(12):1468-75. [Supported by Grant No. T32 HS00060.]

Medical Anthropology Quarterly
Horton S. Different subjects: the health care systems participation in the differential construction of the cultural citizenship of Cuban refugees and Mexican immigrants. Med Anthropol Q 2004 Dec; 18(4):472-89. [Supported by Grant No. 1 R01 HS09703.]

Pain
Tait RC, Chibmall JT, Andresen EM, et al. Management of occupational back injuries: differences among African Americans and Caucasians. Pain 2004 Dec; 112(3):389-96. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS014007-01.]

Pediatrics
Moyer VA, Butler M. Gaps in the evidence for well-child care: a challenge to our profession. Pediatrics 2004 Dec; 114(6):1511-21. [Supported by Grant No.

Wegner S, Vann JJ, Liu G, et al. Direct cost analyses of palivizumab treatment in a cohort of at-risk children: evidence from the North Carolina Medicaid program. Pediatrics 2004 Dec; 114(6):1612-19. [Supported by Grant No. 2 U28 HS10397-05.]

Quality and Safety in Health Care
Shapiro MJ, Morey JC, Small SD, et al. Simulation based teamwork training for emergency department staff: does it improve clinical team performance when added to an existing didactic teamwork curriculum? Qual Saf Health Care 2004 Dec; 13(6):417-21. [Supported by Grant Nos. P20 HS11553, U18 HS11905, and P20 HS11592.]

Radiology
Ondategui-Parra S, Bhagwat JG, Zou KH, et al. Practice management performance indicators in academic radiology departments. Radiology 2004 Dec; 5(4):359-65. [Supported by Grant No. HS13234-01.]

Transplantation
Mendeloff J, Ko K, Roberts MS, et al. Procuring organ donors as a health investment: how much should we be willing to spend? Transplantation 2004 Dec 27; 78(12):1704-10. [Supported by Grant No. R01 HS09694. See also article by DeWalt, et al., J Gen Intern Med, cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

Academic Medicine
Fiscella K, Williams DR. Health disparities based on socioeconomic inequities: implications for urban health care. Acad Med 2004 Dec; 79(12):1139-47. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Hessol, et al., Obstet Gynecol 1998 Nov; 92(5):814-22, and Schillinger, et al. Arch Intern Med 2003 Jan 13; 163(1):83-90; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Fiscella, et al. (AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy is fourth author), JAMA 2000 May 17; 283(19):2579-84, and Weissman, Moy (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety), et al., Health Aff 2003 Nov-Dec; 22(6):156-66.]

AcademyHealth Partners Newsletter
New publications: New report from AHRQ. AcademyHealth Partners 2004 Dec. [Describes AHRQ report, Setting the Agenda for Research on Cultural Competence in Health Care, 2004.]

Organizational changes: From Rutgers University. AcademyHealth Partners Newslett 2004 Dec. [Announces receipt of AHRQ grant to study the impact of state regulatory reform in reducing racial and ethnic disparities in the receipt of cardiac angiography.]

American Medical News
AHRQ budget increased. Am Med News 2004 Dec 13; 47(46):12. [Discusses AHRQ 2005 budget prospects.]

Annals of Internal Medicine
Childs JD, Fritz JM, Flynn TW, et al. A clinical prediction rule to identify patients with low back pain most likely to benefit from spinal manipulation: a validation study. Ann Intern Med 2004 Dec 21; 141(12):920-8. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Deyo and Phillips, Spine 1996 Dec 15; 21(24):2826-32, and Cherkin, et al., Ann Intern Med 2003 Jun 3; 138(11):898-906; cites AHRQ guideline, Acute Lower Back Problems in Adults, 1994.]

BNA's Health Care Policy Report
AHRQ, health plans form partnership to reduce inequities in care for minorities. BNA Health Care Policy Rep 2004 Dec 20; 12(49):1692. [Describes goals of AHRQ's National Health Plan Learning Collaborative.]

BNA's Health Plan and Provider Report
AHRQ, health plans form collaborative to reduce inequities. BNA Health Plan Provider Rep 2004 Dec 22; 10(49):1269. [Describes goals of AHRQ's National Health Plan Learning Collaborative.]

Commonwealth Fund: From the President: Top 10 Health Policy Stories of 2004
Patient safety and medical errors gain increased attention in the ongoing debate over improving the quality of care. Commonw Fund: From President 2004 Dec; 6. [Notes findings from consumer survey produced by AHRQ, the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health.]

Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health
Computer-assisted care improves outcomes in people with diabetes. Evid-based Healthc Public Health 2004 Dec; 8(6):355-56. [Critiques AHRQ-funded article by Balas, et al. Med Care 2004 Jun; 42(6):610-21.]

Gerontologist
Klein D, Turvey C, Wallace R. Elders who delay medication because of costs: health insurance, demographic, health, and financial correlates. Gerontologist 2004 Dec; 44(6):779-87. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Soumerai, et al., N Engl J Med 1987 Aug 27; 317(9):550-6.]

Health News Daily
Bristol N. Citizens' Health Care Working Group forming; panel to advise White House, Congress. Health News Daily 2004 Dec 22; 16(246):1-2. [Notes that AHRQ will oversee the panel and its two-year mandate.]

Healthcare Financial Management
Weight-loss surgery effect for extremely obese patients. Healthc Financ Manage 2004 Dec; 58(12):25. [Cites findings from AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Pharmacological and Surgical Treatment of Obesity, 2004.]

International Journal of Health Care Finance and Economics
Town R, Feldman R, Wholey D. The impact of ownership conversions on HMO performance. Int J Health Care Finance Econ 2004 Dec; 4(4):327-342. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Wholey, et al., Health Aff 1997 Nov-Dec;16(6):75-84.]

JAMA
Druss BG. Technology in American health care: policy directions for effective evaluation and management. JAMA 2004 Dec 22-29; 292(24):3036. [Reviews book of which AHRQ researcher William Encinosa (Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) is third author.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Gary TL, Brancati FL. Strategies to curb the epidemic of diabetes and obesity in primary care settings. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1242-3. [Summarizes findings from article by Glasgow, et al., cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.]

Farwell WR, Stump TE, Wang J, et al. Weight gain and new onset diabetes associated with olanzapine and risperidone. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1200-5. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by McDonald, et al., Int J Med Inform 1999 Jun; 54(3):225-53.]

Smetana GW, Davis RB, Phillips RS. Factors that influence patient response to requests to change to a unified restrictive formulary. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1212-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Schneeweiss, et al., N Engl J Med 2002 Mar 14; 346(11):822-9.]

Journal of Nursing Scholarship
Leape L. Lucian Leape on patient safety in U.S. hospitals. Interview by Peter I. Buerhaus. J Nurs Scholarsh 2004; 36(4):366-70. [Notes that AHRQ has emphasized the patient safety agenda in the U.S. in many useful ways and that it has done a great job at agenda setting and defining problems, and it commissioned the National Quality Forum to develop standards for reporting serious events... and recommended 30 safe practices.]

Milbank Quarterly
Greenhalgh T, Robert G, Macfarlane F, et al. Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: systematic review and recommendations. Milbank Q 2004; 82(4):581-629. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Gustafson, et al., Health Serv Res 2003 Apr; 38(2):751-76.]

Kilbourne AM, Schulberg HC, Post EP, et al. Translating evidence-based depression management services to community-based primary care practices. Milbank Q 2004; 82(4):631-59. [Cites AHRQ guideline, Depression in Primary Care, Vol. 2: Treatment of Major Depression, 1993.]

Pink Sheet
AHRQ drug effectiveness comparisons will focus on 10 priority conditions. Pink Sheet 2004 Dec 20; 66(51):11. [Notes that research will be conducted with $15 million authorization under Medicare Modernization Act.]

Quality Letter for Healthcare Leaders
CMS seeking public comment on quality measures. Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Dec; 16(12):11-12. [Notes CMS work with AHRQ on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (HCAHPS).]

HHS awarding $139 million to promote HIT adoption. Qual Lett Healthc Lead 2004 Dec; 16(12):15-16. [Describes AHRQ-funded health information technology grants.]

Washington Fax
AHRQ comparative effectiveness, outcomes research for Medicare priority conditions" announced. Wash Fax 2004 Dec 20. [Discusses research program to be conducted with $15 million authorization under Medicare Modernization Act.]

Washington Health Policy Week in Review (Commonwealth Fund)
Health plans, AHRQ, join forces to reduce health care disparities. Wash Health Policy Week Rev 2004 Dec 20. [Summarizes press release announcing AHRQ collaboration on reducing health care disparities.]

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

BMC Public Health
Katz ML, James AS, Pignone MP, et al. Colorectal cancer screening among African American church members: a qualitative and quantitative study of patient-provider communication. BMC Public Health 2004 Dec 15; 4(1):62. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on colorectal cancer screening in article by Pignone, et al., Ann Intern Med 2002 Jul 16;137(2):132-41, and cites AHRQ publication, Colorectal Cancer Screening: Summary, 1997.]

Evidence-based Healthcare and Public Health
Limited evidence for the effectiveness of primary care physician interventions for preventing dental caries in preschool children. Evid-based Healthc Public Health 2004 Dec; 8(6):357-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations for the prevention of dental caries in preschool children as published in article by Bader, et al., Am J Prev Med 2004 May; 26(4):315-25.]

Journal of Family Practice
Peters K, Henley E. Acting on synergies between clinic and community strategies to improve preventive medicine. J Fam Pract 2004 Dec; 53(12):970-3. [Cites USPSTF guidelines in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1996.]

Journal of Medical Screening
Law M. The vagaries of prostate cancer screening. J Med Screening 2004; 11(4):163-4. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on prostate cancer screening in article by Woolf, et al., N Engl J Med 1995 Nov 23; 333(21):1401-5.]

Gattellari M, Ward JE. Will men attribute fault to their GP for adverse effects arising from controversial screening tests? An Australian study using scenarios about PSA screening. J Med Screening 2004; 11(4):165-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on prostate cancer screening in article by Harris and Lohr, Ann Intern Med 2002 Dec 3; 137(11):917-29.]

Medical Economics
Weiss GG. Helping patients stay healthy: how to make preventive care a centerpiece of your practice. Med Econ 2004 Dec 3; 81(23):74-6. [Describes and reprints AHRQ patient brochures for men and women based on USPSTF recommendations.]

Milbank Quarterly
Kravitz RL, Duan N, Braslow J. Evidence-based medicine, heterogeneity of treatment effects, and the trouble with averages. Milbank Q 2004; 82(4):661-87. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on chemoprevention of breast cancer, Ann Intern Med 2002 Jul 2; 137(1):56-58, and AHRQ-funded article by Needleman, et al., N Engl J Med 2002 May 30;346(22):1715-22.]

New England Journal of Medicine
Woolf SH. A smarter strategy?—reflections on fecal DNA screening for colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med 2004 Dec 23; 351(26):2755-8. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on colorectal cancer screening in articles by Pignone, et al., Ann Intern Med 2002 Jul 16;137(2):96-104 and 132-41.]

Pediatrics
Zuckerman B, Stevens GD, Inkelas M, et al. Prevalence and correlates of high-quality basic pediatric preventive care. Pediatrics 2004 Dec; 114(6):1522-9. [Cites challenges of delivering all preventive services recommended by USPSTF and asserts that USPSTF recommendations are actually less comprehensive than those of the AAP or Bright Futures; cites AHRQ-authored article by Short and Lefkowitz (former and current researchers in AHRQ's Center for Finance, Access, and Cost Trends), Med Care 1992 Sep;30(9):766-80.]

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Journal of General Internal Medicine
DeWalt DA, Berkman ND, Sheridan S, et al. Literacy and health outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1228-39. [Supported by Contract No. 290-02-0016 to RTI-UNC Evidence-based Practice Center.]

Montori VM, Saha S, Clarke M. A call for systematic reviews. J Gen Intern Med 2004 Dec; 19(12):1240-1. [Reviews above study and cites establishment of AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Center program.]

Research By Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Andrews JO, Heath J, Graham-Garcia J. Management of tobacco dependence in older adults: using evidence-based strategies. J Gerontol Nurs 2004 Dec; 30(12):13-24. [Adapts intervention strategy model and pharmacotherapy guidelines from PHS guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2000.]

Pain Medicine
Fishbain DA, Cutler RB, Lewis J, et al. Do the second-generation atypical neuroleptics have analgesic properties? A structured evidence-based review. Pain Med 2004 Dec; 5(4):359-65. [Categorizes reviewed studies using AHRQ guidelines for categorizing levels of evidence as published in Institute of Medicine report, Clinical Practice Guidelines: Directions for a New Program, 1990.]

Current as of December 2004