Research Activities, July 2012, No. 383 July 2012, No. 383 ContentsAbout Research ActivitiesFeature StoryExperts seek better diagnosis and treatment for women's urinary incontinence and chronic pelvic painFrom the DirectorUrinary Incontinence—New HopePatient Safety and QualityHigh-volume hospitals have low rates of adverse events for high-risk surgeriesComplications and in-hospital deaths more frequent among patients who undergo anterior rather than posterior spine fusionAdjusting hospital admissions by day can help with overcrowding in children's hospitalsMarket ForcesPerceived reputation and other factors influence consumers' hospital choicesMarket competition has only marginal effect on hospital performance for heart failureAcute Care/HospitalizationMany surgeons do not discuss advance directives with their patients before surgeryLarge vessel occlusion after a mini stroke predicts functional declineChronic DiseaseTumor necrosis factor-antagonists in patients with autoimmune diseases showed no overall increased risk of hospitalizations for serious infections than non-biologic drugsCostly, ineffective tests used more often than more effective, but inexpensive tests to diagnose peripheral neuropathyDepressed patients with anxiety who fail initial antidepressant therapy may benefit from adding a second drugMen's Health"Tough guy" mentality prevents some men from seeking help for depressionBlack male prisoners in North Carolina have considerably lower mortality rates than black residents of that State Child/Adolescent HealthStudy looks at impact of FDA suicide risk advisory on antidepressant prescribing in childrenImplementing a clinical practice guideline helps children with pneumonia get proper antibioticsStudy identifies signals that may predict infant neurological impairmentHaving a usual source of care promotes preventive health counseling for childrenElderly Health/Long-Term CareStudy results argue against decisions about screening colonoscopy based on age aloneKey treatments for high blood pressure and high blood lipids do not reduce elderly patients' risk of limited mobilityStudy identifies demographic and clinical factors related to fractures among older AmericansHealth Care Costs and FinancingRise in prescription copays puts different patients at risk for nonadherence to medicationsHealth Information TechnologyElectronic health records can help detect diagnostic errors in primary carePrimary CarePrimary care practices can boost clinical preventive services with electronic health records and quality improvement supportAlthough the patient-centered medical home is a promising model of care, more studies are needed to assess its effectivenessDisparities/Minority HealthHard-of-hearing individuals more likely to report difficulties in accessing careTool assesses the readiness of black churches to engage in health disparities researchAgency News and NotesStudy projects savings by Affordable Care Act to individual health insurance policyholdersWeb videonovela series helps Spanish-speaking patients compare treatments for diabetesLimited evidence prevents firm conclusions on rheumatoid arthritis drug therapiesAHRQ report finds teamwork and followup as strengths of medical offices but work pressure and pace are problematicConsumer and clinician summaries now available on chronic pelvic pain treatment optionsAnnouncementsPodcast series discusses the AHRQ Quality Indicators™ Toolkit for HospitalsNew patient decision aid and other resources available on osteoporosis medicationsNew clinician research summary available on adjunctive devices for acute coronary syndromeCall for papers for special issue of Health Services Research on mixed methods in health care delivery system researchResearch BriefsResearch BriefsSubscribe to AHRQ's Electronic NewsletterHealthcare 411Follow AHRQ news on Twitter Current as of July 2012 Internet Citation: Research Activities, July 2012, No. 383: July 2012, No. 383. July 2012. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/research-activities/jul12/index.html
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