Research Activities March 2013, No. 391 March 2013, No. 391 ContentsAbout Research ActivitiesFeature StoryIntensive care units for newborns in nine States see sharp drop in bloodstream infectionsFrom the DirectorAHRQ director stepping down later this yearPatient Safety and QualityStandard written checklists can improve patient safety during surgical crisesPhysicians face diagnostic difficulties in primary care for a variety of reasonsComplications after kidney cancer surgery are linked with decreased long-term survivalChronic DiseaseSulfonylurea medication linked to kidney function decline among patients with diabetesSelf-management programs for patients with diabetes have a positive impactLow-income women with breast cancer are less likely to initiate chemotherapyHepatitis C infection does not increase the risk for heart attackRetention in HIV care is a problem for many patientsEmergency CareOvercrowding in emergency departments increases the risk of preventable medical errorsTrauma patients often receive repeat CT imaging that increases radiation exposure and costsAdmission rates from emergency departments vary widelyChild/Adolescent HealthHeart block in children following heart surgery increases length of hospital stay and total costsUse of standardized feeding evaluation following surgery for congenital heart defect improves growth in affected newbornsCare process model to treat feverish infants with possible serious bacterial infections improves outcomes, lowers costsModifying pediatric quality care measures may capture more care servicesHaving a usual source of care is as important as having insurance in reducing children’s unmet health care needs Pediatricians need to make greater efforts to screen and counsel overweight adolescentWomen's HealthLow-income women with breast cancer are less likely to initiate chemotherapyCharacteristics of care facilities may influence when elderly breast cancer patients receive radiation therapyDisparities/Minority HealthCultural myths may prevent low-income black women from exercising during pregnancyHospitals serving large minority populations have higher ambulance diversion ratesDisparities in adherence to blood pressure medications exist among older minoritiesRace linked to lower use of shared electronic medical records by patients with diabetesEducation and income influence the black–white crossover in mortality at advanced agesSame-sex couples report more barriers to care and poorer interactions with providers than those in heterosexual marriagesHispanics settling in "new" destinations are more likely to have unmet health needs than those settling in traditional areasSouth Asians may not perceive themselves as being overweight or obeseMental HealthHaving poor family relationships increases the risk for depressionElderly Health/Long-Term CareSeasonal influenza has a substantial impact on activities of daily living in nursing home residentsPrimary CarePrimary care physicians feel responsible for assessing patients’ medication adherence, but rarely ask older patients about it directlyExperienced primary care physicians want to know about your clinical status while you are in the hospitalHealth Information TechnologyPatient-centered interactive health records can improve use of preventive servicesWeb-based patient portal improves perceptions of patient-centeredness and receipt of preventive servicesElectronic health record tools help physicians identify and counsel overweight patientsStudies identify patients most and least likely to communicate with physicians using a secure Internet-based portalBehavioral health providers are generally positive about health information exchangesElectronic alerts do not increase risk-appropriate care for patients with chest painClinical quality measures useful in estimating quality across different electronic health recordsNews and NotesAHRQ StatsNew children’s electronic health record format announcedAHRQ reviews highlight treatment options for rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritisAnnouncementsTeamSTEPPS® training module for primary care practices now availableAHRQ report reveals use of Medicaid home and community-based servicesExperts propose new Health Literate Care ModelAHRQ reports summarize quality gaps across health careLaunch of open-access journal on electronic clinical dataSave May date for two AHRQ data user workshopsResearch BriefsResearch BriefsHealthcare 411Follow AHRQ news on Twitter AHRQ Publication No. 13-RA006Current as of March 2013 Current as of March 2013 Internet Citation: Research Activities March 2013, No. 391: March 2013, No. 391. March 2013. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/research-activities/13mar/index.html
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