Research Activities, June 2011, No. 370 ContentsAbout Research ActivitiesFeature StoryCommunity hubs ensure better care for the most vulnerableFrom the DirectorDisparities/Minority HealthTreatment by physicians with same race and language as the patient may improve medication adherenceDifferent attitudes among blacks and whites affect their preference for same-race physiciansHispanics with HIV have different communication styles with their health care providers than whitesImmigrants to the United States and Canada have worse access to care than native-born counterpartsPatient gender does not influence the management or diagnosis of acute abdominal pain in the elderly, but affects outcomeHealth Care Costs and FinancingIncreasing premiums and other costs in Oregon's Medicaid program in 2003 led many to drop outPatients with chronic diseases who pay coinsurance less likely to refill their medication than those with fixed copayments"Piece-rate" performance incentives for physicians improve childhood immunization ratesHalf of all annual medical expenditures are for chronic diseasesPatient Safety and QualityNursing homes more often voluntarily terminate from Medicare and Medicaid programs in States with strong quality regulationsLength of stays in emergency departments varies considerablyAn automated phone response system can help track adverse drug events in primary care patientsOutcomes/Effectiveness ResearchOrganizational culture distinguishes top-performing hospitals in patient outcomes from heart attackNo consistent association found between volume or quality and outcomes of complex surgeries for cancerChemotherapy and radiation therapy for lung cancer linked to cardiac disordersCombination diuretic therapy for heart failure appears useful, but needs a stronger evidence basePatients with sickle cell disease employ various strategies to control their painChild/Adolescent HealthDoctor's comments during a child's physical exam can affect whether parents push for antibioticsObesity among South Carolina children differs by age, gender, and raceDilators more cost-effective than surgery for correcting congenital condition in femalesElderly/Long-Term CareMental status deficits a major factor in elderly falls in the hospitalOlder persons with chronic kidney disease and lower systolic blood pressure have higher mortality ratesElders' preferences for end-of-life care are not captured by documentation in their medical recordsHealth Information TechnologyPhysicians' unfamiliarity with electronic personal health records may slow their adoptionPhysicians weigh the costs and benefits of integrating e-prescribing systems with electronic health recordsAgency News and NotesMedication side effects, injuries up dramaticallyUse of episiotomy and forceps during childbirth down, C-section rates upAnnouncementsPartnership for Patients initiative launched to improve care and lower costs for AmericansNew comparative effectiveness review released on traumatic brain injury and depressionNew guide helps TeamSTEPPS® trainers�learn how�to teach simulationHCUP offers new online tutorial series modulesAHRQ's Effective Health Care Program presentations from the Eisenberg Conference Series 2010 are now availableNew AHRQ podcasts focus on cystic fibrosis and health literacyGrant applications requested that focus on health care for priority populationsResearch BriefsSubscribe to AHRQ's Electronic NewsletterHealthcare 411Follow AHRQ News on Twitter Current as of June 2011 Internet Citation: Research Activities, June 2011, No. 370. June 2011. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/newsletters/research-activities/jun11/index.html
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