Research Activities July 2009, No. 347 ContentsAbout Research ActivitiesFeature StoryFewer families can afford to purchase their own health insurance than previously thoughtDisparities/Minority HealthUnderresourced clinics with more challenging patients may underlie poor chronic disease outcomes of minoritiesDisparities in outpatient care and expenditures have widened for Hispanics, but not for blacksInner-city Hispanic adults with limited English proficiency have poorer asthma control and quality of lifeBetter short-term survival of blacks with heart failure is linked to less severe illness at hospital admissionThe time spent in office visits with psychiatrists has equalized among blacks and whites in recent yearsStudies explore survival and treatment disparities among black and white elderly patients with cancerMore comprehensive American Indian and Alaska Native diabetes education programs are linked to better diabetes careChronic DiseaseFewer than half of patients with diabetes are referred for lifestyle counseling, nutrition, and exercisePatients with diabetes and depression are less likely to achieve goals for glucose controlLow omega-3 fatty acid levels found in patients with acute coronary syndrome and depressionObesity boosts risk of diverticulitis and diverticular bleedingPersonality factors influence how patients with chronic disease view their health and functioningThe prevalence of chronic, impairing low back pain has risen significantly in North CarolinaUsing a chronic care model improves smoking cessation programs in primary care clinicsChild/Adolescent HealthQuality and accessible primary care is linked to fewer emergency department visits by Medicaid-insured childrenFamily and insurance factors are linked to poorer control of children's asthmaChildren with acute bone infections can be switched from intravenous to oral antibiotics before hospital dischargeThe number of hospitalized children on antifungal therapy has increased along with use of newer antifungal agentsPharmaceutical ResearchRisk factors for resistance to fluoroquinolone antibiotics change over timePrevious antimicrobial use is linked to drug resistance in Candida glabrata bloodstream infectionsElderly/Long-Term CareElderly patients on digoxin, recently discharged from the hospital, are at higher risk for drug-related toxicityDramatic changes in family structure have altered the care of disabled elderly parentsWomen's HealthElderly women still see lifelong cervical cancer screening as importantTool helps women decide if prenatal genetic testing is the right decision for themHealth Information TechnologyStaff "super users" who train others on clinical information systems help shape positive employee attitudesPhysician practices appear ready for electronic health record implementationData derived from electronic health records is not superior to administrative data for measuring performanceElectronic medication administration records improve communication and decisionmaking in nursing homesAcute Care/HospitalizationGetting patients admitted to a hospital floor reduces length of stay and congestion in emergency departmentsEvidence-based practices improve pain management and lower costs for patients hospitalized for hip fractureSurgical Apgar score can help pinpoint patients at risk for major complications and/or death after surgeryPatient Safety and QualitySurgeons are skeptical about how surgeon-specific quality outcomes should be measured and reportedAnesthesiologists who read during operations are as vigilant as those who do not readSeveral practices of hospital governing boards are linked to improved quality of careExamining processes, not outcomes, improves patient safety in hospitalsNurses feel left out of the medical error disclosure processOutcomes/Effectiveness ResearchStudy underscores the positive impact of patient-centered care delivered by nurses on cancer patient outcomesNonelderly patients have more negative perceptions of patient-provider communication than the elderlyPatients who are connected to their doctors tend to receive care that adheres to guidelinesRural HealthStudy uncovers factors that determine when rural hospitals convert to critical access hospital designationHealth Care Costs and FinancingBoth patient and hospital factors drive discharge costs of coronary artery bypass graft surgeryInformation on past-year drug use improves the accuracy of Medicare Part D prescription drug payments to health plansAgency News and NotesHospitalizations for asthma, diabetes, and other conditions are much higher among the poorKeeping diabetes under control is still elusive for many AmericansMinorities and the poor find communicating with doctors more difficultNearly 25 million U.S. women treated for high blood pressureNearly two in three publicly insured adults under age 65 suffer from one or more chronic conditionsNew AHRQ report finds no clear evidence for which erectile dysfunction drugs work bestResearch BriefsResearch BriefsHealthcare 411Subscribe to AHRQ's Electronic NewsletterVisit the AHRQ Patient Safety Network Web Site Current as of July 2009 Internet Citation: Research Activities: July 2009, No. 347. July 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/research-activities/jul09/index.html
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