Code Status Discussions at Hospital Admission Are Not Associated with Patient and Surrogate Satisfaction with Hospital Care: Results from the Multicenter Hospitalist Study

This weekly compilation of articles appearing in recently released journals and newsletters includes:

• Articles funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or authored by AHRQ researchers.
• Articles mentioning or discussing AHRQ staff, activities, and publications/products.
• Articles related to AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Centers.
• Articles related to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force or Put Prevention into Practice program.
• Articles mentioning the National Healthcare Disparities Report and National Healthcare Quality Report.
• Other research using AHRQ data or products.

AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Anderson WG, Pantilat SZ, Meltzer D, et al. Code status discussions at hospital admission are not associated with patient and surrogate satisfaction with hospital care: results from the multicenter hospitalist study. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2011 Mar; 28(2):102-8. [Supported by grant R01 HS10597.] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Emergency Medicine
Hsia RY, Asch SM, Weiss RE, Zingmond D, Liang LJ, Han W, McCreath H, Sun BC. Hospital determinants of emergency department left without being seen rates. Ann Emerg Med 2011 Feb 21. [Epub ahead of print. Supported by grant R03 HS18098 (to eighth author).] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Internal Medicine
Curry LA, Spatz E, Cherlin E, et al. What distinguishes top-performing hospitals in acute myocardial infarction mortality rates? A qualitative study. Ann Intern Med 2011 Mar 15; 154(6):384-90. [Supported in part by grant R01 HS16929.] Select to access the abstract.

Breastfeeding Medicine
Flaherman VJ, Chien AT, McCulloch CE, et al. Breastfeeding rates differ significantly by method used: a cause for concern for public health measurement. Breastfeed Med 2011 Feb; 6(1):25-30. [Supported by grant K08 HS17146-01 (to second author); cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries, 2007.] Select to access the abstract.

Infant Behavior and Development
Tikotzky L, Chambers AS, Gaylor E, et al. Maternal sleep and depressive symptoms: links with infant Negative Affectivity. Infant Behav Dev 2010 Dec; 33(4):605-12. [Supported by grant HS09988.] Select to access the abstract.

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Dahlstrom M, Best T, Baker C, et al. Improving identification and documentation of pressure ulcers at an urban academic hospital. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 37(3):123-30. [Supported in part by Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) grant 1 U18 HS16967-01; cites AHRQ publication, Hospitalizations Related to Pressure Ulcers Among Adults 18 Years or Older, 2006, HCUP Statistical Brief 64, 2008, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.]

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Devoe JE, Tillotson CJ, Lesko SE, et al. The case for synergy between a usual source of care and health insurance coverage. J Gen Intern Med 2011 Mar 16. [Epub ahead of print. Supported in part by grants 1 K08 HS16181 and 1 R01 HS18569; uses 2002-2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC) data, citing AHRQ publication, Children's Usual Source of Care: United States, 2002, MEPS Statistical Brief 78, 2005, MEPS HC-089: Full Year Consolidated Data File, as published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site, and AHRQ-authored article by Cohen, Monheit, Beauregard, Cohen, Lefkowitz, Potter, Sommers, Taylor, et al. (fourth author is director of and other authors are former and current researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends), (Inquiry, 1996-1997), using MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Dellon EP, Shores MD, Nelson KI, et al. Caregiver perspectives on discussions about the use of intensive treatments in cystic fibrosis. J Pain Symptom Manage 2010 Dec; 40(6):821-8. [Supported in part by grant U18 HS10397-06 (principal investigator, Alan Stiles).] Select to access the abstract.

Dellon EP, Shores MD, Nelson KI, et al. Family caregiver perspectives on symptoms and treatments for patients dying from complications of cystic fibrosis. J Pain Symptom Manage 2010 Dec; 40(6):829-37. [Supported in part by grant U18 HS10397-06 (principal investigator, Alan Stiles).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Patient Safety
Rosen AK, Mull HJ, Kaafarani H, Nebeker JR, Shimada S, Helwig A, et al. Applying trigger tools to detect adverse events associated with outpatient surgery. J Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 7(1):45-59. [Sixth author is a researcher in AHRQ's Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety; supported in part by contract HHSA 290-2006-00012; uses the AHRQ Harm Scale, a component of AHRQ's Common Formats Version 1.0 (Archive), 2009, as published on AHRQ's PSO Privacy Protection Center Web site, and notes its endorsement by the World Health Organization's International Classification for Patient Safety; cites AHRQ publication, Ambulatory Surgery in U.S. Hospitals, 2003 (Executive Summary), HCUP Fact Book 9, 2007, as published on AHRQ Web site.]

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice
Andrews RM. Race and ethnicity reporting in statewide hospital data: progress and future challenges in a key resource for local and state monitoring of health disparities. J Public Health Manag Pract 2011 Mar-Apr; 17(2):167-73. [Author is a researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets; uses 1991-2008 HCUP State Inpatient Databases (SID) data, citing AHCPR Data Base Feasibility Study, 1992 (as prepared by SysteMetrics/McGraw-Hill under contract 282-90-0029); cites AHRQ's National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), 2009; cites 2009 State Snapshots, as published on AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ publication, Methods Applying AHRQ Quality Indicators to Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Data for the Seventh (2009) National Healthcare Disparities Report, HCUP Method Series Report 2009-02, 2009, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.]

New England Journal of Medicine
Needleman J, Buerhaus P, Pankratz VS, et al. Nurse staffing and inpatient hospital mortality. N Engl J Med 2011 Mar 17; 364(11):1037-45. [Supported by grant R01 HS15508; uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al,Med Care, 1998) and 2003-2006 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data, citing Pediatric Quality Indicators (PDI) Covariates used in Risk Adjustment, Version 3.1, 2007, as published on AHRQ's Quality Indicators Web site; cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Measures of Patient Safety Based on Hospital Administrative Data - The Patient Safety Indicators, 2002, as published on AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ-funded systematic review and meta-analysis by Kane et al. (Med Care, 2007) on the association of registered nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes.] Select to access the abstract.

Pediatrics
Brousseau DC, Nimmer MR, Yunk NL, et al. Nonurgent emergency-department care: analysis of parent and primary physician perspectives. Pediatrics 2011 Feb; 127(2):e375-e381. [Supported by Career Development Award grant 1 K08 HS15482-01A1 (to first author); cites AHRQ publication, Emergency Severity Index, Version 4: Implementation Handbook, 2005.] Select to access the abstract.

Perspectives in Health Information Management
Wagner PJ, Howard SM, Bentley DR, et al. Incorporating patient perspectives into the personal health record: implications for care and caring. Perspect Health Inf Manag 2010 Oct 1; 7:1e. [Supported by grant R18 HS17234.] Select to access the abstract.

Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics
Kesselheim AS, Outterson K. Improving antibiotic markets for long-term sustainability. Yale J Health Policy Law Ethics; 2011 Winter;11(1):101-67. [Supported by Career Development Award grant K08 HS18465-01 (to first author). Also refer to AHRQ-funded article by Bennett et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2011) cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.]

AHRQ-Related Articles

Academic Pediatrics
Arango P. Family-centered care. Acad Pediatr 2011 Mar-Apr; 11(2):97-9. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Finkelstein et al. (Health Serv Res, 2005) and Lozano et al. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2004).]

Homer CJ. From my head and my heart: improving quality of care for children and youth with special health care needs.Acad Pediatr 2011 Mar-Apr; 11(2):110-14. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Homer et al. (Pediatrics, 1996).]

Ghandour RM, Perry DF, Kogan MD, et al. The medical home as a mediator of the relation between mental health symptoms and family burden among children with special health care needs. Acad Pediat 2011 Mar-Apr; 11(2):161-9. [Cites article by Olfson et al. (Med Care, 2003), which uses 1997 MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

American Journal of Epidemiology
Quan H, Li B, Couris CM, et al. Updating and validating the Charlson comorbidity index and score for risk adjustment in hospital discharge abstracts using data from 6 countries. Am J Epidemiol 2011 Mar 15; 173(6):676-82. [Cites AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998); cites AHRQ-authored articles by Pine, Jordan, Elixhauser (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (JAMA, 2007), which uses AHRQ's Inpatient Quality Indicator Software, Version 2.1; cites AHRQ-funded article by Romano, Roos, and Jollis (J Clin Epidemiol, 1993) and articles by Van Walraven et al. (Med Care, 2009), Quan et al. (Health Serv Res, 2007, and Med Care, 2005 and 2002), all of which use AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures and/or the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Utter et al. (J Am Coll Surg, 2010, and Ann Surg, 2009) and White et al. (Med Care, 2009) and article by Romano et al. (Health Serv Res, 2009), all of which use AHRQ's Patient Safety Indicators; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Chaudhry, Jin, and Meltzer (Med Care, 2005), Poses et al. (J Clin Epidemiol, 1996), Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

American Journal of Managed Care
Charlton ME, Levy BT, High RR, et al. Effects on health savings account-eligible plans on utilization and expenditures. Am J Manag Care 2011 Jan; 17(1):79-86. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Trivedi, Rakowski, and Ayanian (N Engl J Med, 2008).] Select to access the abstract.

Athanasakis K, Skroumpelos AG, Tsiantou V, et al. Abolishing coinsurance for oral antihyperglycemic agents: effects on social insurance budgets. Am J Manag Care 2011 Feb; 17(2):130-5. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Rosen et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

American Journal of Surgery
Hendren S, Englesbe MJ, Brooks L, et al. Prophylactic antibiotic practices for colectomy in Michigan. Am J Surg 2011 Mar; 201(3):290-4. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Classen et al. (N Engl J Med, 1992).] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Internal Medicine
Davidoff F. Music lessons: what musicians can teach doctors (and other health professionals). Ann Intern Med. 2011 Mar 15; 154(6):426-9. [Cites article by Choudhry, Fletcher, and Soumerai (Ann Intern Med, 2005), published in the AHRQ-funded Improving Patient Care Section of the publishing journal; cites AHRQ-funded article by Mackenzie and Xiao (Qual Saf Health Care, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

BMJ
Torloni MR, Daher S, Betrán AP, et al. Portrayal of caesarean section in Brazilian women's magazines: 20 year review.BMJ 2011 Jan 25; 342:d276. [Cites National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement on Cesarean Delivery on Maternal Request.] Select to access the abstract.

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Olchanski N, Mathews C, Fusfeld L, et al. Assessment of the influence of ten characteristics on the clinical and cost impacts of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus screening programs in U.S. hospitals. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2011 Mar; 32(3):250-7. [Cites AHRQ publication, Infections with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) in U.S. Hospitals, 1993-2005, HCUP Statistical Brief 35, 2007.]

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Powers MA, Cuddihy RM, Bergenstal RM, et al. Improving blood pressure control in individuals with diabetes: a quality improvement collaborative. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 37(3):110-19. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Samuels et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2008).]

Ayello EA. Changing systems, changing cultures: reducing pressure ulcers in hospitals. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf2011 Mar; 37(3):120-2. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guidelines, Treatment of Pressure Ulcers in Adults, 1994, and Pressure Ulcers in Adults: Prediction and Prevention, 1992; cites AHRQ publication, Hospitalizations Related to Pressure Ulcers, 2006, HCUP Statistical Brief 64, 2008, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site; cites paper by Berlowitz, Putting Together a Pressure Ulcer Prevention Toolkit for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2010, as presented at the American Geriatrics Society conference, Orlando, Florida.]

Vose C, Murphy RX Jr, Burmeister DB, et al. Establishing a comprehensive networkwide pressure ulcer identification process. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 37(3):131-7. [Cites AHRQ publication, Hospitalizations Related to Pressure Ulcers Among Adults 18 Years or Older, 2006, HCUP Statistical Brief 64, 2008.]

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
Hao Y, Landrine H, Jemal A, et al. Race, neighborhood characteristics and disparities in chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. J Epidemiol Community Health 2011 Mar; 65(3):211-17. [Cites AHRQ-authored articles by Kirby, Taliaferro, and Zuvekas (first and third authors are current researchers and second author is a former researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financial, Access, and Cost Trends) (Med Care, 2006), which uses 2000-2001 MEPS data, and Franks, Gold, and Clancy (AHRQ director) (JAMA, 2000); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Schootman et al. (J Epidemiol Community Health, 2006), Ayanian et al. (J Clin Oncol, 2003), Cress et al. (Med Care, 2003), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Yao SL, Lu-Yao GL. The science and art of prostate cancer screening. J Natl Cancer Inst  2011 Mar 16; 103(6):450-1. [Comments on article by Zeliadt et al. cited in U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)/Put Prevention Into Practice (PPIP)-Related Articles below; cites AHRQ-funded article by Majumdar, Almasi, and Stafford (JAMA, 2004).]

Journal of Patient Safety
Crane RM, Raymond B. Roundtable on public policy affecting patient safety. J Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 7(1):5-10. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Clancy (Patient Saf Qual Healthc, 2009); cites Surveys on Patient Safety Culture, as published on AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ publication, CAHPS®: Assessing Health Care Quality From the Patient's Perspective, Program Brief, 2007, as published on AHRQ's Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Web site; cites AHRQ-funded article by Macinko, Starfield, and Shi (Health Serv Res, 2003).]

Clarke CM, Persaud DD. Leading clinical handover improvement: a change strategy to implement best practices in the acute care setting. J Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 7(1):11-18. [Cites AHRQ publications, Advances in Patient Safety: New Directions and Alternative Approaches. Volume 3: Performance and Tools, 2008, and Becoming a High Reliability Organization: Operational Advice for Hospital Leaders, 2008, prepared by the Lewin Group under contract 290-04-0011.]

Hastings SN, Barrett A, Weinberger M, et al. Older patients' understanding of emergency department discharge information and its relationship with adverse outcomes. J Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 7(1):1-25. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Rhodes et al. (Ann Emerg Med, 2004).]

Miller MJ, Abrams MA, Earles B, et al. Improving patient-provider communication for patients having surgery: patient perceptions of a revised health literacy-based consent process. J Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 7(1):30-8. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Schillinger et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2003).]

Mayo Clinic Proceedings
Rockey PH. Duty hours: where do we go from here? Mayo Clin Proc 2011 Mar; 86(3):176-8. [Mentions the Institute of Medicine's appointment, as requested by Congress and AHRQ in 2007, of a "committee to synthesize current evidence on medical resident schedules and health care safety and to develop strategies for implementing optimal work schedules to improve safety in health care."]

McCoy CP, Halvorsen AJ, Loftus CG, et al. Effect of 16-hour duty periods on patient care and resident education. Mayo Clin Proc 2011 Mar; 86(3):192-6. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Vidyarthi et al. (Acad Med, 2006), Landrigan et al. (N Engl J Med, 2004), and Lockley et al. (N Engl J Med, 2004).] Select to access the abstract.

Hays JT, Croghan IT, Schroeder DR, et al. Residential treatment compared with outpatient treatment for tobacco use and dependence. Mayo Clin Proc 2011 Mar; 86(3):203-9. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, 2008; cites article by Cromwell et al. (JAMA, 1997), which uses AHRQ-sponsored guideline Smoking Cessation, 1996.] Select to access the abstract.

MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vital signs: central line—associated blood stream infections—United States, 2001, 2008, and 2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011 Mar 4; 60(8):243-8. [Mentions that state and federal efforts coordinated and supported by CDC, AHRQ, and CMS and implemented by numerous health-care providers likely have helped drive reductions in central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) in ICUs; mentions the AHRQ-supported On the CUSP: Stop BSI program; mentions that "AHRQ is expanding the highly successful CUSP CLABSI prevention campaigns into more health-care facilities and outside of ICUs, and expanding this same methodology to other HAIs" and that "CDC, AHRQ, CMS, and HHS will continue to support HAI prevention in collaboration with state-based and facility partners"; cites AHRQ-authored article by Steiner, Elixhauser, and Schnaier (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets (Eff Clin Pract, 2002), using various HCUP data sets; cites AHRQ-funded article by Pronovost et al. (N Engl J Med, 2006).] Select to access the abstract.

Physician Executive
Lazarus A. NFL concussions and common sense: a recipe for medical errors and a lesson for physician leaders. Physician Exec 2011 Jan-Feb; 37(1):6-9. [Mentions that "errors related to missed, incorrect, or delayed diagnoses are a frequent cause of harm, occurring at a rate twice that of medication errors, yet diagnostic inaccuracies receive relatively little attention and are not directly captured in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality database", citing Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory publication, Diagnostic Error in Acute Care, 2010, published on the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority Web site.]

Wisconsin Medical Journal
Lindholm C, Adsit R, Bain P, et al. A demonstration project for using the electronic health record to identify and treat tobacco users. WMJ 2010 Dec; 109(6):335-40. [Cites AHRQ-sponsored guideline, Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, 2008.] Select to access the abstract.

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

Academic Pediatrics
Park MJ, Adams SH, Irwin CE Jr. Health care services and the transition to young adulthood: challenges and opportunities. Acad Pediatr 2011 Mar-Apr; 11(2):115-22. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statements, Screening for Obesity in Children and Adolescents, 2010, Screening for Depression in Adults, 2009, Major Depressive Disorder in Children and Adolescents, 2009, and Screening for Obesity in Adults, 2003, all published on USPSTF Web site; cites USPSTF Web site; cites article by Irwin et al. (Pediatrics, 2009), which uses 2001-2004 MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

American Family Physician
Ortiz DD. Improving the delivery of preventive services to children. Am Fam Physician 2011 Mar 15; 83(6):664-5. [Cites articles by Riley, Locke, and Skye cited below in this section; cites AHRQ-funded article by Margolis et al. (BMJ, 2004).]

CME Quiz. Am Fam Physician 2011 Mar 15; 83(6):671-3. [Includes questions based on articles by Riley, Locke, and Slye and on USPSTF recommendations on screening for obesity in children and adolescents, all cited below in this section.]

Riley M, Locke AB, Skye EP. Health maintenance in school-aged children: Part 1. History, physical examination, screening, and immunization. Am Fam Physician 2011 Mar 15; 83(6):683-8. [Cites USPTF recommendation statements Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Ages 1 to 5 Years, 2011, Screening for Obesity in Children and Adolescents, 2010, Major Depressive Disorder in Children and Adolescents, 2009, Universal Screening for Hearing Loss in Newborns, 2008, Screening for Lipid Disorders in Children, 2007, Screening for Idiopathic Scoliosis in Adolescents, 2004, and Screening for Testicular Cancer, 2004, all published on USPSTF Web site; cites article by Riley, Locke, and Skye cited below in this section.] Select to access the abstract.

Riley M, Locke AB, Skye EP. Health maintenance in school-aged children: Part II. Counseling recommendations. Am Fam Physician 2011 Mar 15; 83(6):689-94. [Cites USPSTF recommendation statements, Screening for Obesity in Children and Adolescents, 2010, Behavioral Counseling to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2008, Screening for Illicit Drug Use, 2008, Screening for Chlamydial Infection, 2007, Screening for Gonorrhea, 2005, Screening for HIV, 2005,Screening and Behavioral Counseling Interventions in Primary Care to Reduce Alcohol Misuse, 2004, Screening for Syphilis Infection, 2004, and Counseling to Prevent Tobacco Use and Tobacco-Caused Disease, 2003, all published on USPSTF Web site; cites AHRQ-authored/USPSTF-sponsored article by Meyers, Wolff, Gregory, Marion, Moyer, Nelson, Petitti, Sawaya (first and second authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships, and third-fifth, six, and seventh authors are members of the USPSTF) (Am Fam Physician, 2008), which gives an overview of USPSTF recommendations for sexually transmitted infections screening; cites article by Riley, Locke, and Skye cited above in this section.] Select to access the abstract.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for obesity in children and adolescents: recommendation statement. 2011 Mar 15; 83(6):739 732-3. [Summarizes USPSTF recommendations on screening for obesity in children and adolescents, 2010 (as originally published in Pediatrics, 2010, and on USPSTF Web site).]

Lin KW, Lam C. Screening for obesity in children and adolescents. Am Fam Physician 2011 Mar 15; 83(6):737. [Presents case study and questions based on USPSTF recommendation statement Screening for Obesity in Children and Adolescents, 2010 (as originally published in Pediatrics, 2010, and on USPSTF Web site), cited above; first author is former medical officer for the USPSTF in AHRQ's Center for Primary Care, Prevention, and Clinical Partnerships; cites USPSTF-sponsored targeted systematic review on effectiveness of weight management interventions in children (Pediatrics, 2010).]

Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice
Chaudhry R, Tulledge-Scheitel SM, Parks DA, et al. Use of a Web-based clinical decision support system to improve abdominal aortic aneurysm screening in a primary care practice. J Eval Clin Pract 2011 Mar 15. [Epub ahead of print. Cites USPSTF recommendation statement Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Recommendation Statement, 2005, as published on USPSTF Web site; cites USPSTF-sponsored best-evidence systematic review on screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (Ann Intern Med, 2005); cites AHRQ-funded article by Weingart et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Hall IJ, Taylor YJ, Ross LE, et al. Discussions about prostate cancer screening between U.S. primary care physicians and their patients. J Gen Intern Med 2011 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print. Notes the study's finding that "there is a difference in what major organizations such as ACS [American Cancer Society] and USPSTF recommend and what clinicians actually do in practice; cites guideline synthesis Screening for Prostate Cancer, as posted on AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse™ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Zeliadt SB, Hoffman RM, Etzioni R, et al. Influence of publication of US and European prostate cancer screening trials on PSA testing practices. J Natl Cancer Inst 2011 Mar 16; 103(6):520-3. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored evidence update on benefits and harms of prostate-specific antigen screening for prostate cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2008); cites USPSTF-sponsored article by Harris et al. (Am J Prev Med, 2002) on USPSTF methodologies.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Clinics of North America
Ratner RE, Sathasivam A. Treatment recommendations for prediabetes. Med Clin North Am 2011 Mar; 95(2):385-95, viii-ix. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults (Ann Intern Med, 2008).] Select to access the abstract.

Nutrition in Clinical Practice
Kolasa KM, Rickett K. Barriers to providing nutrition counseling cited by physicians: a survey of primary care practitioners. Nutr Clin Pract 2010 Oct; 25(5):502-9. [Discusses and cites USPSTF recommendations on health counseling by physicians (in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 1989), screening for obesity in adults (Ann Intern Med, 2003), and screening and counseling obese adults and providing dietary counseling to adult patients with hyperlipidemia and other known risk factors for cardiovascular and diet-related chronic disease (in Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2009.] Select to access the abstract.

Pediatric Nursing
Porter RM. Children's hospitals focus on pediatric obesity: news from NACHRI. Pediatr Nurs 2011 Jan-Feb; 37(1):39-40. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for obesity in children and adolescents (Pediatrics, 2010).]

Social Science and Medicine
Barker KK, Galardi TR. Dead by 50: lay expertise and breast cancer screening. Soc Sci Med 2011 Mar 6. [Epub ahead of print. Examines reactions of women with breast cancer to 2009 USPSTF recommendations on breast cancer screening; cites U.S. Preventive Services Task Force topic page on AHRQ Web site and USPSTF recommendations on screening for breast cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2002 and 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Mark TL, Joish VN, Hay JW, et al. Antidepressant use in geriatric populations: the burden of side effects and interactions and their impact on adherence and costs. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2011 Mar; 19(3):211-21. [Cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness review Comparative Effectiveness of Second-Generation Antidepressants in the Pharmacologic Treatment of Adult Depression, 2007, prepared by the RTI International-University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract 290-02-0016).] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Internal Medicine
Al-Majed NS, McAlister FA, Bakal JA, et al. Meta-analysis: cardiac resynchronization therapy for patients with less symptomatic heart failure. Ann Intern Med 2011 Mar 15; 154(6):401-12. [Cites AHRQ systematic review by Ezekowitz et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2007) on implantable cardioverter defibrillators for adults with left ventricular systolic dysfunction; cites AHRQ-funded article by Piccini et al. (Circulation, 2008).] Select to access the abstract.

Bennett WL, Maruthur NM, Singh S, et al. Comparative effectiveness and safety of medications for type 2 diabetes: an update including new drugs and 2-drug combinations. Ann Intern Med 2011 Mar 14. [Epub ahead of print. Supported by contract 290-02-0018 and based on research conducted by the Johns Hopkins University EPC; acknowledges AHRQ task order officer Steven Fox (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence) "for his support throughout the project and for his helpful suggestions for improving the clarity and presentation of the findings"; cites AHRQ comparative effectiveness reviews Oral Diabetes Medications for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: An Update, 2011, and Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Diabetes Medications for Adults with Types 2 Diabetes, 2007, both published on AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program Web site; cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Outcomes of Genetic Testing in Adults with a History of Venous Thromboembolism, 2009; cites AHRQ-funded systematic reviews by Selvin et al. (Arch Intern Med, 2008) on cardiovascular outcomes in trials of oral diabetes medications, and Bolen et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2007) on comparative effectiveness and safety of oral medications for type 2 diabetes mellitus; cites AHRQ publication Methods Reference Guide for Effectiveness and Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, 2007.] Select to access the abstract.

BMJ
Moynihan R. Beware the fortune tellers peddling genetic tests. BMJ 2011 Jan 6; 342:c7233. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessments, Outcomes of Genetic Testing in Adults with a History of Venous Thromboembolism, 2009, and Testing for Cytochrome P450 Polymorphisms (CYP450) in Adults with Non-Psychotic Depression Prior to Treatment with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), 2007, both published on AHRQ Web site.]

Blackwood B, Alderdice F, Burns K, et al. Use of weaning protocols for reducing duration of mechanical ventilation in critically ill adult patients: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2011 Jan 13; 342:c7237. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Criteria for Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation, 2000.] Select to access the abstract.

Shah SM, Carey IM, Harris T, et al. Quality of chronic disease care for older people in care homes and the community in a primary care pay for performance system: retrospective study. BMJ 2011 Mar 12; 342(7797): Online. [Cites AHRQ-funded meta-regression analysis by Shojania et al. (JAMA, 2006) on effects of quality improvement strategies for type 2 diabetes on glycemic control, performed by the Sanford-UCSF EPC under contract 290-02-0017; cites AHRQ-funded article by Lewis et al. (Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 2007).] Select to access the abstract.

Breastfeeding Medicine
Zubarian C, Foresti K. The correlation between breastfeeding and maternal quality of life in southern Brazil. Breastfeed Med 2011 Feb; 6(1):25-30. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries, 2007.] Select to access the abstract.

Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Biffl WL, Beno M, Goodman P, et al. "Leaning" the process of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2011 Mar; 37(3):99-109. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001; cites AHRQ publication, Guide to Patient Safety Indicators, Version 3.1, 2007, as published on AHRQ Quality Indicators Web site.]

Mayo Clinic Proceedings
Antiel RM, Thompson SM, Hafferty FW, et al. Duty hour recommendations and implications for meeting the ACGME core competencies: views of residency directors. Mayo Clin Proc 2011 Mar; 86(3):185-91. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Fletcher et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2004), Nuckols et al. (N Engl J Med, 2009), Landrigan et al. (Pediatrics, 2008), Volpp and Landrigan (JAMA, 2008), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Clinics of North America
Colagiuri S. Epidemiology of prediabetes. Med Clin North Am 2011 Mar; 95(2):299-307, vii. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment of Impaired Glucose Tolerance and Impaired Fasting Glucose, 2005. Also refer to articles by Needleman et al. (N Engl J Med, 2011) and Flaherman et al. cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.] Select to access the abstract.

National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)/National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR)-Related Articles

Modern Healthcare
McKinney M. Lacking in equality: AHRQ report shows little change in disparities. Mod Healthc 2011 Mar 7; 41(10):14-15. [Reviews findings from AHRQ's NHQR and NHDR, 2010; quote remarks by AHRQ director Carolyn Clancy. Also refer to AHRQ-funded article by Andrews (J Public Health Manag Pract, 2011) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles and article by Lê Cook et al. (Health Serv Res, 2011) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products.]

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

American Journal of Managed Care
Leider HL, Dhaliwal J, Davis EJ, et al. Healthcare costs and nonadherence among chronic opioid users. Am J Manag Care2011 Jan; 17(1):32-40. [Uses HCUP Comorbidity Software version 3.2 and the Charlson comorbidity index described in AHRQ-funded article by Deyo, Cherkin, and Ciol (J Clin Epidemiol, 1992).] Select to access the abstract.

Boulding W, Glickman SW, Manary MP, et al. Relationship between patient satisfaction with inpatient care and hospital readmission within 30 days. Am J Manag Care 2011 Jan; 17(1):41-8. [Uses Hospital CAHPS (HCAHPS) survey for the period July 2007 through June 2008; cites HCAHPS fact sheet Hospital Care Quality Information from the Consumer Perspective as published on HCAHPS Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Naessens JM, Stroebel RJ, Finnie DM, et al. Effect of multiple chronic conditions among working-age adults. Am J Manag Care 2011 Feb; 17(2):118-22. [Uses AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCS); cites AHRQ publication, Health Care Expenses for Adults with Chronic Conditions: 2005, 2008, and cites article by Paez, Zhao, and Hwang (Health Aff, 2009) which uses 2005 MEPS data.]

Butler RJ, Davis TK, Johnson WG, et al. Effects of nonadherence with prescription drugs among older adults. Am J Manag Care 2011 Feb; 17(2):153-60. [Uses 1999-2005 MEPS data on AHRQ's MEPS Web site.]

American Journal of Surgery
Fry DE, Pine M, Jones BL, et al. Comparative effectiveness and efficiency in peripheral vascular surgery. Am J Surg 2011 Mar; 201(3):363-8. [Uses 2002-2005 HCUP NIS data; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Pine, Jordan, Elixhauser (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (JAMA, 2007), which uses AHRQ's Inpatient Quality Indicator software, version 2.1, and Fry, Pine, Elixhauser, et al. (Ann Surg, 2007); cites articles by Pine et al. (Med Care, 2010) and Fry et al. (Arch Surg, 2010, and Am J Surg, 2009), all of which use various HCUP NIS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Archives of Internal Medicine
Zhang Y, Zhou L, Gellad WF. Potential savings from greater use of $4 generic drugs. Arch Intern Med 2011 Mar 14; 171(5):468-9. [Uses 2007 MEPS data, citing Outpatient Prescription Drugs: Data Collection and Editing in the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (HC-010A), 2001.]

BMJ
Moschetti I, Brandt D, Perera R, et al. Adequacy of reporting monitoring regimens of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in clinical guidelines: systematic review. BMJ 2011 Mar 14; 342:d1289:1-5. [Uses AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse™ as a source for relevant guidelines.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Services Research
Lê Cook B, McGuire TG, Alegría M, et al. Crowd-out and exposure effects of physical comorbidities on mental health care use: implications for racial-ethnic disparities in access. Health Serv Res 2011 Mar 17. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2000-2007 MEPS HC and Medical Provider data, citing MEPS HC-113: 2007 Full Year Consolidated Data File, 2009, and MEPS HC-114: Panel 11 Longitudinal Data File, 2009, both published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ's NHDR, 2009; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Machlin, Cohen, Elixhauser, Beauregard, Steiner (first/second authors are current and fourth author is former researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, and third and last authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) (Med Care, 2009), Selden (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Health Serv Res, 2009), Kirby, Taliaferro, and Zuvekas (current, former, and current researchers, respectively, in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends), and Zuvekas (Health Aff, 2001), all of which use various MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Lokhandwala T, Khanna R, West-Strum D. Hospitalizations burden among individuals with autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2011 Mar 15. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2007 HCUP NIS data; cites article by Liptak, Stuart, and Auinger (J Autism Dev Disord, 2006), which uses MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Family and Economic Issues
Witt WP, Litzelman K, Mandic CG, et al. Healthcare-related financial burden among families in the US: the role of childhood activity limitations and income. J Fam Econ Issues 2011 Mar 17. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 1996-2006 MEPS data, citing MEPS HC-097: 2005 Full Year Consolidated Data File, MEPS Data Documentation, 2007, as published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ-authored article by Banthin and Bernard (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (JAMA, 2006), which uses 1996 and 2003 MEPS data, and Fiscella, Franks, Gold, and Clancy (AHRQ director) (JAMA, 2000); cites AHRQ-funded articles Newacheck (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2005), Witt et al. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 2003), and Altman et al. (Milbank Q, 1999).]

Medical Care
Le QA, Doctor JN. Probabilistic mapping of descriptive health status responses onto health state utilities using Bayesian networks: an empirical analysis converting SF-12 into EQ-5D Utility Index in a national US sample. Med Care 2011 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2003 MEPS, citing MEPS HC-079: 2003 Full Year Consolidated Data File, 2005, as published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Setodji CM, Reise SP, Morales LS, et al. Differential item functioning by survey language among older Hispanics enrolled in Medicare managed care: a new method for anchor item selection. Med Care 2011 Mar 18. [Epub ahead of print. Uses AHRQ's CAHPS® 2.0 Medicare survey to evaluate the equivalence of English and Spanish version; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Hargraves et al. (Health Serv Res, 2003), Weech-Maldonado et al. (Health Serv Res, 2001), Marshall et al. (Psychol Assess, 2001), and others, and articles by Morales et al. (Health Serv Res, 2001) and Goldstein et al. (Health Care Financ Rev, 2001), all of which use CAHPS® surveys. Also refer to articles by Andrews (J Public Health Manag Pract, 2011), Devoe et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2011), and Needleman et al. (N Engl J Med, 2011) cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles.] Select to access the abstract.