Hepatic Steatosis Associated with Increased Central Body Fat by Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry and Uncontrolled HIV in HIV/Hepatitis C Co-infected Persons

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

AIDS
Brown TT, Mehta SH, Sutcliffe C, et al. Hepatic steatosis associated with increased central body fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and uncontrolled HIV in HIV/hepatitis C co-infected persons. AIDS 2010 Mar 27; 24(6):811-17. [Supported in part by grant HS07809.] Select to access the abstract.

Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions
Brown JR, Robb JF, Block CA, et al. Does safe dosing of iodinated contrast prevent contrast-induced acute kidney injury?Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2011 Aug; 3(4):346-50. [Supported by grants K01 HS18443 and T32 HS00070.] Select to access the abstract.

Clinical Medicine and Research
Stevens AB, Sanghi S. Emerging frontiers in healthcare research and delivery: the 16th Annual HMO Research Network Conference, March 21-24, 2010, Austin, Texas. Clin Med Res 2010 Dec; 8(3-4):176-8. [Supported by conference grant 1 R13 HS18886-01; briefly summarizes second plenary address given by AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy.] Select to access the abstract.

Critical Care Medicine
Erickson SE, Vasilevskis EE, Kuzniewicz MW, Cason BA, Lane RK, Dean ML, Rennie, DJ, Dudley RA. The effect of race and ethnicity on outcomes among patients in the intensive care unit: a comprehensive study involving socioeconomic status and resuscitation preferences. Crit Care Med 2011 Mar; 39(3):429-35. [Supported by grant R01 HS13919-01; notes that last author received funding from AHRQ.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Services Research
Clancy CM. Patient engagement in health care. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):389-93. [Author is AHRQ director; mentions Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) surveys; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Conway, Goodrich, Machlin, Sasse, Cohen (Health Serv Res, 2011) cited below and by Fiscella, Franks, and Clancy (Med Care, 1998); cites AHRQ-funded article by Skolasky et al. cited below.]

Skolasky RL, Green AF, Scharfstein D, et al. Psychometric properties of the patient activation measure among multimorbid older adults. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):457-78. [Supported in part by AHRQ, grant number not given; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Skolasky et al. (Qual Life Res, 2009, and Spine, 2008).] Select to access the abstract.

Conway P, Goodrich K, Machlin S, Sasse B, Cohen J. Patient-centered care categorization of U.S. health care expenditures. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):479-90. [Third and last authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends and first author is former AHRQ researcher; uses 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data, citing AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Conway and Clancy (AHRQ director) (JAMA, 2009) and Sing, Banthin, Selden et al. (researchers in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) (Health Care Financ Rev, 2006), which uses 2002 MEPS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Park J, Konetzka RT, Werner RM. Performing well on nursing home report cards: does it pay off? Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):531-54. [Supported in part by grant R01 HS16478-01; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Mukamel, Ladd, Weimer, Spector (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Gerontologist, 2009), Mukamel, Spector, Zinn, et al. (J Gerontol Soc Sci, 2007), and Zinn, Spector, and Hsieh (Gerontologist, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Werner RM, Konetzka RT, Stuart EA, et al. Changes in patient sorting to nursing homes under public reporting: improved patient matching or provider gaming? Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):555-71. [Supported in part by grant R01 HS16478-01; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Mukamel, Ladd, Weimer, Spector (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets) et al. (Gerontologist, 2009), Mukamel, Glance, Li, Weimer, Spector, et al. (Med Care, 2008), and Mukamel, Weimer, Spector, et al. (Health Serv Res, 2008).] Select to access the abstract.

Heart Rhythm
Kramer DB, Kesselheim AS, Brock DW, et al. Ethical and legal views of physicians regarding deactivation of cardiac implantable electrical devices: a quantitative assessment. Heart Rhythm 2010 Nov; 7(11):1537-42. [Supported by Career Development Award grant K08 HS18465-01 (to second author).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Critical Care
Vasilevskis EE, Kuzniewicz MW, Cason BA, et al. Predictors of early postdischarge mortality in critically ill patients; a retrospective cohort study from the California Intensive Care Outcomes project. J Crit Care 2011 Feb; 26(1):65-75. [Supported by grant R01 HS13919-01.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Nursing Administration
Seago JA, Spetz J, Ash M, et al. Hospital RN job satisfaction and nurse unions. J Nurs Admin 2011 Mar; 41(3):109-14. [Supported by grant R01 HS14207-01A2.] Select to access the abstract.

Newhouse RP, Morlock L, Pronovost P, et al. Rural hospital nursing: results of a national survey of nurse executives. J Nurs Admin 2011 Mar; 41(3):129-37. [Supported by grant K08 HS15548.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care Research and Review
Cook NL, Orav EJ, Liang CL, et al. Racial and gender disparities in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement: are they due to overuse or underuse? Med Care Res Rev 2011 Apr; 68(2):226-46. [Supported in part by National Research Service Award (NRSA) grant 5 T32 HS00020-21 (to first author); cites AHRQ's National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), 2007).] Select to access the abstract.

NeuroImage
Rodrigue KM, Haacke EM, Raz N. Differential effects of age and history of hypertension on regional brain volumes and iron. Neuroimage 2011 Jan 15; 54(2):750-9. [Supported by grant T32 13819 (to first author).] Select to access the abstract.

Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation
Stineman MG. The clinician's voice of brain and heart: a biopsycho-ecological framework for merging the biomedical and holistic. Top Stroke Rehabil 2011 Jan-Feb; 18(1):55-9. [Supported by grant R01 HS18540-01.] Select to access the abstract.

AHRQ-Related Articles

Applied Clinical Trials
Gliklich R, Leavy M. Patient registries and rare diseases. Appl Clin Trials 2011 Mar; 85(3):35-44. [Notes AHRQ's publication of the "landmark handbook," Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes, 2007, "with a second edition in 2010," and that the handbook "describes good practices for patient registry design, operation, and evaluation; mentions the issuance by AHRQ and NIH of "several new funding opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that specifically focus on registries."]

Archives of Internal Medicine
Gibson R, Grady D. Patient experience of overtreatment. Arch Intern Med 2011 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print. Cites article by Gibson, The Role of the Patient in Patient Safety, 2007, as published on AHRQ's Morbidity and Mortality Rounds on the Web (Web M&M) Web site.]

Bariatric Nursing and Surgical Patient Care
Gallagher SM. Individualism and collectivism: impact on outcome and effectiveness research, policy, and bariatric patient care. Bariatr Nurs Surg Patient Care 2011 Mar; 6(1):11-14. [Cites AHRQ fact sheet Outcomes Research and AHRQ publication, The Outcomes of Outcomes Research at AHCRP: Final Report, both published on AHRQ Web site.]

Naranjo LL, Smitz K, Viswanatha P. Applying Donabedian's theory as a framework for bariatric surgery accreditation.Bariatr Nurs Surg Patient Care 2011 Mar; 6(1):33-7. [Mentions AHRQ's "measures" as an example of current quality outcomes projects.]

BMJ
Horwitz LI. Why have working hour restrictions apparently not improved patient safety? 2011 Apr 2; 342(7800):719-20. [Cites AHRQ-funded systematic reviews by Fletcher et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2004) on the effects of resident work hours on patient safety and by Fletcher et al. (JAMA, 2005) on the effects of work hour reduction on residents' lives; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Barger et al. (N Engl J Med, 2005), Ayas et al. (JAMA, 2006), and Nuckols et al. (N Engl J Med, 2009); comments on article by Moonesinghe et al. cited below in this section.]

Bottle A, Jarman B, Aylin P. Strengths and weaknesses of hospital standardized mortality ratios. BMJ 2011 Apr 2; 342(7800):749-53. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Pine, Jordan, Elixhauser, et al. (Med Decis Making, 2009).]

Moonesinghe SR, Lowery J, Shahi N, et al. Impact of reduction in working hours for doctors in training on postgraduate medical education and patients' outcomes: systematic review. BMJ 2011 Apr 2; 342:d1580. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Poulose et al. (Ann Surg, 2005), Ghaferi et al. (Ann Surg, 2009, and J Am Coll Surg, 2010), and Ghaferi, Birkmeyer, and Dimick (N Engl J Med, 2009).] Select to access the abstract.

Families, Systems, and Health
Eubank D, Orzano J, Geffken D, et al. Teaching team membership to family medicine residents: what does it take? Fam Syst Health 2011 Mar; 29(1):29-43. [Cites TeamSTEPPS® Curriculum Tools and Materials, Version 06.1 [software], as published on AHRQ Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Services Research
Escarce JJ, Flood AB. Introduction to special section: causality in health services research. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):394-6. [Authors mention that "In 2002, the [AHRQ] defined health services research as "research [that] examines how people get access to health care, how much care costs, and what happens to patients as a result of this care. The main goals of health services research are to identify the most effective ways to organize, manage, finance, and deliver high quality care; reduce medical errors; and improve patient safety."]

O'Malley AJ. Commentary on Bryan Dowd's paper "Separated at birth: statisticians, social scientists, and causality in health services research." Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):430-6. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by O'Malley et al. (Health Serv Res, 2005) which uses AHRQ's Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) survey data.]

Sinaiko AD. How do quality information and cost affect patient choice of provider in a tiered network setting? Results from a survey. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):437-56. [Cites Kaiser Family Foundation/AHRQ publication, National Survey on Americans as Health Care Consumers: An Update on the Role of Quality Information, 2000.] Select to access the abstract.

Chi DL, Momany ET, Neff J, et al. Impact of chronic condition status and severity on the time to first dental visit for newly Medicaid-enrolled children in Iowa. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):572-95. [Cites AHRQ publications Pediatric Hospital Stays for Cancer, 2005, HCUP Statistical Brief 37, 2007, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site, and Visits and Expenses, United States, 2003, MEPS Statistical Brief 117, 2006, as published on AHRQ's MEPS Web site; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Damiano et al. (Med Care, 2008) and Mayer et al. (Inquiry, 2000).] Select to access the abstract.

Hansen LO, Williams MV, Singer SJ. Perceptions of hospital safety climate and incidence of readmission. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):596-616. [Cites AHRQ press release "Educating Patients Before They Leave the Hospital Reduces Readmissions, Emergency Department Visits and Saves Money", 2009, as published on AHRQ Web site; cites AHRQ Patient Safety Primer "Adverse Events After Hospital Discharge", 2009, as published on AHRQ's Patient Safety Network (PSNet)Web site; cites AHRQ-sponsored publication, Psychometric Analysis of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety: Final Report to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2003; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Singer et al. (Health Care Manage Rev and Health Serv Res, 2009, and Med Care, 2009 and 2008), Sexton et al. (BMC Health Serv Res, 2006), and Pronovost et al. (J Patient Saf, 2005).] Select to access the abstract.

Hofer TP. Commentary on Sharek: adverse events and errors-important to differentiate and difficult to measure. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):679-84. [Comments on article by Sharek et al. (Health Serv Res, 2011) cited in Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products below; cites AHRQ-funded article by Localio et al. (Ann Intern Med, 1996).]

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Norris SL, McNally TK, Zhang X, et al. Published norms underestimate the health-related quality of life among persons with type 2 diabetes. J Clin Epidemiol 2011 Apr; 64(4):358-65. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Lee et al. (Qual Life Res, 1995), Greenfield et al. (Diabetes Care, 1994), Ware and Sherbourne (Med Care, 1992), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Smeets HM, de Wit NJ, Hoes AW. Routine health insurance data for scientific research: potential and limitations of the Agis Health Database. J Clin Epidemiol 2011 Apr; 64(4):424-30. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Schneeweiss and Avorn (J Clin Epidemiol, 2005) and Schneeweiss et al. (Am J Epidemiol, 2001).] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Healthcare Management
Abraham J, Sick B, Anderson J, et al. Selecting a provider: what factors influence patients' decision making? J Healthc Manag 2011 Mar/Apr; 56(2):99-115. [Cites AHRQ/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health publication, National Survey on Consumers' Experiences with Patient Safety and Quality Information, 2004; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Fanjiang et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2007), Hoerger and Howard (Med Care, 1995), and Hibbard and Weeks (Med Care, 1987).]

Kalisch B, Tschanen, Lee H. Does missed nursing care predict job satisfaction? J Healthc Manag 2011 Mar/Apr; 56(2):117-33. [Cites Glossary, as published on AHRQ's PSNet Web site.]

Medical Care
Holman KH, Hayward RA. How to make market competition work in healthcare. Med Care 2011 Mar; 49(3):240-44. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Hofer et al. (JAMA, 1999).]

Ndumele CD, Trivedi AN. Effect of copayments on use of outpatient mental health services among elderly managed care enrollees. Med Care 2011 Mar; 49(3):281-6. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Pincus et al. (JAMA, 1998), Trivedi, Moloo, and Mor (N Engl J Med, 2010), and Trivedi, Rakowski, and Ayanian (N Engl Med, 2008).] Select to access the abstract.

Murata A, Matsuda S, Kuwabara K, et al. An observational study using a national administrative database to determine the impact of hospital volume on compliance with clinical practice guidelines. Med Care 2011 Mar; 49(3):313-20. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Birkmeyer et al. (N Engl J Med, 2002) and Hibbard, Stockard, and Tusler (Health Aff, 2003).] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care Research and Review
Gruneir A, Silver MJ, Rochon PA. Review: emergency department use by older adults: a literature review on trends, appropriateness, and consequences of unmet health care needs. Med Care Res Rev 2011 Apr; 68(2):131-55. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Carter and Gupta (Am J Emerg Med, 2008), Hustey et al. (J Am Geriatr Soc, 2007), Miller (J Am Geriatr Soc, 2004), and others.] Select to access the abstract.

Maciejewski ML, Weaver EM, Hebert PL. Synonyms in health services research methodology. Med Care Res Rev 2011 Apr; 68(2):156-76. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Finkelstein, Trogdon, Cohen (researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends) et al. (Health Aff, 2009), which uses 1998-2006 MEPS data; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Yin et al. (Ann Intern Med, 2008), Hebert, McBean, and Kane (Med Care Res Rev, 2005), and Bazzoli et al. (Inquiry, 2000).] Select to access the abstract.

Roblin DW, Howard DH, Ren J, et al. An evaluation of the influence of primary care team functioning on the health of Medicare beneficiaries. Med Care Res Rev 2011 Apr; 68(2):177-201. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Bierman, Lawrence, Haffer, and Clancy (first author is former researcher in AHRQ's Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends and last author is AHRQ director) (Health Serv Res, 2001); cites AHRQ-funded articles by Kahn et al. (Health Serv Res, 2007), Fiscella et al. (Med Care, 2004), and Shortell et al. (Med Care, 1994).] Select to access the abstract.

Chukmaitov A, Devers KJ, Harless DW, et al. Strategy, structure, and patient quality outcomes in ambulatory surgery centers (1997-2004). Med Care Res Rev 2011 Apr; 68(2):202-25. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Chukmaitov et al. (Med Care, 2009), which uses 1995-2000 HCUP State Inpatient Databases (SID) data.] Select to access the abstract.

Partnership to Improve Patient Care (PIPC)
Priority-setting for comparative effectiveness research: a review of key elements. Partnersh Improve Patient Care 2011 Mar; Online. [Mentions AHRQ's receipt of comparative effectiveness research [CER funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010; notes that AHRQ "has taken steps to implement the recommendations for broad stakeholder participation" presented in the Institute of Medicine report Setting Priorities for Health Technology Assessment: A Model Process, 1992, and "is setting up a community forum as a mechanism to engage members of the public in discussions related to CER," citing PIPC report A Procedural Framework for the Conduct of Comparative Effectiveness Research; notes the participation of experts from AHRQ in a panel meeting at the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC).]

Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
Bucknall T. Using evidence to improve patient safety and the quality of health care. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs 2011 First Qtr; 8(1):1-3. [Cites AHRQ-authored article by Leape, Berwick, Clancy, Conway, et al. (Qual Saf Health Care, 2009) and AHRQ-funded article by Shojania et al. (JAMA, 2002).]

Bosch M, Halfens RJ, van der Weijden T, et al. Organizational culture, team climate, and quality management in an important patient safety issue: nosocomial pressure ulcers. Evid Based Nurs 2011 First Qtr; 8(1):4-14. [Cites AHRQ publication, Hospitalizations Related to Pressure Ulcers Among Adults 18 Years and Older, 2006, HCUP Statistical Brief 64, 2008, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site; cites AHRQ-funded article by Shortell et al. (Med Care, 2000).] Select to access the abstract.

Popescu A, Currey J, Botti M. Multifactorial influences on and deviations from medication administration safety and quality in the acute medical/surgical context. Evid Based Nurs 2011 First Qtr; 8(1):15-24. [Cites AHRQ-funded article by Bates et al. (JAMA, 1995).] Select to access the abstract.

Jones TL. A retrospective exploration of patient-ventilator monitoring intensity, therapeutic intervention intensity, and compliance with lung protective guidelines in a cohort of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome. Evid Based Nurs 2011 First Qtr; 8(1):40-50. [Cites AHRQ-funded articles by Aiken (JAMA, 2003) and Tarlov (JAMA, 1989).] Select to access the abstract.

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

American Family Physician
Hainer BL, Gibson MV. Vaginitis: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician 2011 Apr 1; 83(7):807-15. [Cites USPSTF recommendations on screening for bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy to prevent preterm delivery (Ann Intern Med, 2008).]

Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
Tu SP, Yip MP, Li L, et al. Continuity of care and colorectal cancer screening by Vietnamese American patients. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2010; 11(4):1125-31. [Uses USPSTF recommendations on screening for colorectal cancer (Ann Intern Med, 2008) to define the study sample and assess screening adherence.] Select to access the abstract.

Bariatric Nursing and Surgical Patient Care
Idzik S, Davenport J. Implementing an educational program for primary care providers on obesity management and bariatric surgery. Bariatr Nurs Surg Patient Care 2011 Mar; 6(1):25-32. [Notes the USPSTF recommendation that "all adults be screened for obesity using bodymass index (BMI) as the measurement" and that "clinicians offer intensive counseling and behavioral interventions to promote sustained weight loss for obese adults," citing USPSTF recommendation statement Screening for Obesity in Adults, as published on AHRQ Web site.]

Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics
Davis CS, Somers S. National health care reform and the public's health. J Law Med Ethics 2011 Mar; 39 Suppl 1:65-8. [Mentions PPACA provisions that reorganize and fund the USPTF and restrict "funding for a number of services and limitations to those that USPSTF determines are supported by available evidence".]

Medical Care
Brezis M, Wiist WH. Vulnerability of health to market forces. Med Care 2011 Mar; 49(3):232-9. [Cites USPSTF-sponsored article by Solberg et al. (Am J Prev Med, 2006), which uses USPSTF recommendation statement, Counseling to Prevent Tobacco Use and Tobacco-Caused Disease, 2003, in its analysis; cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Bell et al. (BMJ, 2006) on bias in published cost effectiveness.] Select to access the abstract.

Bray JW, Cowell AJ, Hinde JM. A systematic review and meta-analysis of health care utilization outcomes in alcohol screening and brief intervention trials. Med Care 2011 Mar;49(3):287-94. [Cites UPSTF-sponsored evidence summary on behavioral counseling adults (Ann Intern Med, 2004); cites USPSTF-sponsored article by Solberg, Maciosek, and Edwards (Am J Prev Med, 2008), on screening and behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce alcohol misuse.] Select to access the abstract.

Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles

Am Fam Physician
Cole SZ, Lanham JS. Failure to thrive: an update. Am Fam Physician 2011 Apr 1; 83(7):829-34. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Failure to Thrive: Criteria for Determining Disability in Infants and Children, 2003.]

Alternative Medicine Review
Carpenter DJ. St. John's wort and S-adenosyl methionine as "natural" alternatives to conventional antidepressants in the era of the suicidality boxed warning: what is the evidence for clinically relevant benefit? Altern Med Rev 2011 Mar; 16(1):17-39. [Cites AHRQ evidence report/technology assessment S-adenosyl-L-methionine for treatment of depression, osteoarthritis, and liver disease, 2002, prepared by the Southern California Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract 290-97-0001.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Straus SE, Shepperd S. Challenges in guideline methodology.J Clin Epidemiol 2011 Apr; 64(4):347-8. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Systems to Rate the Strength of Scientific Evidence, 2002, prepared by the Research Triangle Institute-University of North Carolina EPC under contract 290-97-0011; notes that a "quick search" of AHRQ's National Guideline Clearinghouse™ database revealed "that there are more than 400 guidelines on heart failure."]

Jordan JE, Osborne RH, Buchbinder R. Critical appraisal of health literacy indices revealed variable underlying constructs, narrow content and psychometric weaknesses. J Clin Epidemiol 2011 Apr; 64(4):366-79. [Cites AHRQ-funded systematic review by Dewalt et al. (J Gen Intern Med, 2004) on literacy and health outcomes, performed by the RTI International/University of North Carolina EPC.] Select to access the abstract.

Guyatt GH, Oxman AD, Vist G, et al. GRADE guidelines: 4. Rating the quality of evidence—study limitations (risk of bias).J Clin Epidemiol 2011 Apr; 64(4):407-15. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Systems to Rate the Strength of Scientific Evidence, 2002, prepared by the Research Triangle Institute-University of North Carolina EPC under contract 290-97-0011); thirteenth author (Atkins D Atkins) is a former AHRQ researcher.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Schousboe JT, Davison ML, Dowd B, et al. Predictors of patients' perceived need for medication to prevent fracture. Med Care 2011 Mar; 49(3):273-80. [Cites AHRQ-funded systematic review of the comparative effectiveness of treatments to prevent fractures in men and women with low bone density or osteoporosis (Ann Intern Med, 2008), performed by the Southern California/RAND EPC.] Select to access the abstract.

New England Journal of Medicine
The PROTECT Investigators for the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group and the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group. Dalteparin versus unfractionated heparin in critically ill patients. N Engl J Med 2011 Apr 7; 364(14):1305-14. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism After Injury, 2000.] Select to access the abstract.

Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing
Duff J, Walker K, Omari A. Translating venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention evidence into practice: a multidisciplinary evidence implementation project. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs 2011 First Qtr; 8(1):30-39. [Cites AHRQ Evidence Report/Technology Assessments, Patient Safety Practices Rated by Strength of Evidence, 2001, and Making Health Care Safer: A Critical Analysis of Patient Safety Practices, 2001.] Select to access the abstract.

Research by Others Using AHRQ Data or Products

American Journal of Emergency Medicine
Xiang Y, Zhao W, Xiang H, et al. ED visits for drug-related poisoning in the United States, 2007. Am J Emerg Med 2011 Feb. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2007 HCUP Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) data, citing Introduction to the HCUP Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), 2007, Version 2, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site; cites AHRQ publication, Population Denominator Data for Use with the HCUP Databases (Updated with 2009 Population Data), HCUP Methods Series Report 2010-02, 2010.] Select to access the abstract.

American Journal of Surgery
Lesperance K, Causey MW, Spencer M, et al. The morbidity of Clostridium difficile infection after elective colonic resection results from a national population database. Am J Surg 2011 Feb; 201(2):141-8. [Uses 2004-2006 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data.] Select to access the abstract.

Annals of Surgical Oncology
Abdollah F, Sun M, Schmitges J, et al. Surgical caseload is an important determinant of continent urinary diversion rate at radical cystectomy: a population-based study. Ann Surg Oncol 2011 Feb 23. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 1998 and 2007 NCUP NIS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Digestive Diseases and Sciences
Ali M, Ananthakrishnan AN, McGinley EL, et al. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis: a nationwide analysis. Dig Dis Sci 2011 Jan 30. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2005 HCUP NIS data, citingOverview of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), 2005, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site; cites articles by Bajaj et al. (Am J Gastroenterol, 2008), Nguyen et al. (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2007), Wu and Nguyen (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2010), all of which use various HCUP NIS data sets.] Select to access the abstract.

Health Services Research
Weinick RM, Elliott MN, Volandes AE, et al. Using standardized encounters to understand reported racial/ethnic disparities in patient experiences with care. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):491-509. [Uses modified CAHPS Clinician and Group Doctor Communication survey items; cites AHRQ publication, CAHPS Clinician and Group Survey and Reporting Kit 2008: Fielding the CAHPS Clinician and Group Survey, 2008, and Findings From the Second HCAHPS Mode Experiment, 2009, both published on AHRQ's CAHPS Web site; cites AHRQ-authored articles by Dayton, Zhan, Sangl, Bierman, et al. (first, second, and third authors are researchers in AHRQ's Center for Outcomes and Evidence, Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, and Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, respectively) (Am J Manag Care, 2003); cites article by Morales et al. (Health Serv Res, 2001), which uses CAHPS.] Select to access the abstract.

Sharek PJ, Parry G, Goldmann D, et al. Performance characteristics of a methodology to quantify adverse events over time in hospitalized patients. Health Serv Res 2011 Apr; 46(2):654-78. [Uses 2000 HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data, citing AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of the American College of Surgeons
Lautz TB, Raval MV, Reynolds M, et al. Adhesive small bowel obstruction in children and adolescents: operative utilization and factors associated with bowel loss. J Am Coll Surg 2011 Mar 22. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2003 and 2006 HCUP Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), citing Overview of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), 2003 and 2006, both published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Laparoendoscopic and Advanced Surgical Techniques Part A
Raval MV, Lautz TB, Browne M. Bile duct injuries during pediatric laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a national perspective. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A2011 Mar; 21(2):113-18. [Uses 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006 HCUP KID data, citingOverview of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) landing page on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Journal of Neurosurgery
Smith GA, Dagostino P, Maltenfort MG, et al. Geographic variation and regional trends in adoption of endovascular techniques for cerebral aneurysms. J Neurosurg 2011 Feb 11. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2002-2008 HCUP NIS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care
Frogner BK, Anderson GF, Cohen RA, et al. Incorporating new research into Medicare risk adjustment. Med Care 2011 Mar; 49(3):295-300. [Uses AHRQ's Elixhauser comorbidity measures (Elixhauser et al., Med Care, 1998) and Clinical Classifications Software (CCS), citing Clinical Classifications Software (CCS), 2010, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Medical Care Research and Review
Neuman MD, David G, Silber JH, et al. Changing access to emergency care for patients undergoing outpatient procedures at ambulatory surgery centers: evidence from Florida. Med Care Res Rev 2011 Apr; 68(2):247-58. [Uses AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) "to develop meaningful groupings of CPT [Current Procedural Terminology] codes", citingClinical Classifications Software for Services and Procedures, 2009, as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

National Association of Community Health Centers
Community health centers: the local prescription for better quality and lower costs. Natl Assoc Community Health Cent 2011 Mar; Online. [Uses 2008 MEPS Tables of Expenditures by Health Care Services; cites AHRQ-funded articles by Hicks et al. ( Health Aff, 2006) and Cramptom et al. ( Int J Health Serv, 2005).]

Neurology
Alshekhlee A, Li CC, Chuang SY, et al. Does dementia increase risk of thrombolysis? A case-control study. Neurology 2011 Mar 30. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 2000-2007 HCUP NIS data; cites article by Schumacher et al. (Ann Emerg Med, 2007) which uses 1999-2004 HCUP NIS data.] Select to access the abstract.

Ninth Annual International Industrial Organization Conference
Barbos A, Deng Y. The impact of a public option in health insurance markets. Ninth Int Indust Org Conf 2011 Mar 27; Online. [Uses 2007 MEPS data.]

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Squitieri L, Steggerda J, Yang LJ, et al. A national study to evaluate trends in the utilization of nerve reconstruction for treatment of neonatal brachial plexus palsy. Plast Reconstr Surg 2011 Jan; 127(1):277-83. [Uses 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006 HCUP KID data, citing Overview of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2006, and Introduction to the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), 2006, all published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site.] Select to access the abstract.

Surgical Neurology International
Walcott BP, Hanak BW, Caracci JR, et al. Trends in inpatient setting laminectomy for excision of herniated intervertebral disc: population-based estimates from the U.S. Nationwide Inpatient Sample.Surg Neurol Int2011 Jan 24. [Epub ahead of print. Uses 1993-2007 HCUP NIS data, citing Overview of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), as published on AHRQ's HCUP Web site. Also refer to AHRQ-authored article by Conway, Goodrich, Machlin, Sasse, and Cohen (Health Serv Res, 2011), cited in AHRQ-Funded/Authored Articles and article by Straus and Shepperd (J Clin Epidemiol, 2011), cited in Evidence-based Practice Centers-Related Articles.] Select to access the abstract.