National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Brain Injury (1)
- Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Prostate Cancer (1)
- Case Study (1)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Education: Academic (1)
- Education: Curriculum (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (2)
- Guidelines (1)
- Low-Income (1)
- Maternal Care (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Primary Care (1)
- Provider: Nurse (1)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (2)
- Respiratory Conditions (1)
- Screening (1)
- Skin Conditions (1)
- (-) Sleep Problems (9)
- Trauma (1)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (1)
- Women (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 9 of 9 Research Studies DisplayedAnan YH, Kahn NF, Garrison MM
Associations between sleep duration and positive mental health screens during adolescent preventive visits in primary care.
The objective of this paper was to understand associations between low sleep duration and positive mental health screens among adolescents seen for preventive visits in primary care. Data were taken from two randomized controlled trials that tested the efficacy of an electronic health risk behavior screening and feedback tool for adolescent preventive visits. The results showed that low sleep duration was associated with greater odds of positive depression screen, but not with a positive anxiety or co-occurring positive depression and anxiety screens. The authors concluded that, as pediatric primary care guidelines for sleep continue to evolve, further research, training, and support for sleep screening are necessary to ensure effective early intervention for adolescent sleep and mental health problems.
AHRQ-funded; HS023383.
Citation: Anan YH, Kahn NF, Garrison MM .
Associations between sleep duration and positive mental health screens during adolescent preventive visits in primary care.
Acad Pediatr 2023 Aug; 23(6):1242-46. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2023.02.013..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sleep Problems, Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Screening
Watach AJ, McPhillips MV, Saconi B
Exploring nurse practitioner students' perceptions of a sleep e-learning program.
The objective of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore nurse practitioner students' perceptions of a sleep e-learning program. Twenty-four students participated in two focus groups. The students embraced sleep education; they spoke of content relevance to themselves and patients and of their intentions to adopt sleep assessment practices. Two overarching themes emerged: perceptions of course design, and content. The authors concluded that their study highlighted the feasibility of increasing curricular exposure to sleep education and ensuring nurse practitioners have the skills to recognize implications of poor and disordered sleep for patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Watach AJ, McPhillips MV, Saconi B .
Exploring nurse practitioner students' perceptions of a sleep e-learning program.
Nurs Educ Perspect 2023 Jul-Aug; 44(4):229-36. doi: 10.1097/01.Nep.0000000000001132..
Keywords: Education: Curriculum, Education: Academic, Sleep Problems, Provider: Nurse
Morrow EL, Mayberry LS, Duff MC
The growing gap: a study of sleep, encoding, and consolidation of new words in chronic traumatic brain injury.
Evidence from neuroscience emphasizes sleep as a crucial support for longitudinal memory and word learning. In numerous lab-based word learning experiments, participants encode and then retrieve new words within the same session. Single session designs are not adequate for capturing the full word learning process. Single session studies also inhibit exploration of the role of behavioral and lifestyle factors such as sleep in supporting longitudinal word learning. Adults with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), who experience challenges in the memory systems that support word learning and report related sleep disturbance, provide a unique opportunity to explore linkages between memory, sleep, and word learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate longitudinal word learning and the influence of sleep on short- and long-term word recall in 50 adults with chronic moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 50 demographically matched neurotypical peers. Participants took part in the study over a two week period in their homes in an attempt to capture the process of real-world word learning and to measure sleep within normal living conditions. The study found that participants with TBI demonstrated a deficit in word learning that started at encoding, continued across time, and increased over the course of the week. The gap in performance between groups was greater at the 1-week post-test than the immediate post-test. Participants with and without TBI recalled more words when they slept after learning.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Morrow EL, Mayberry LS, Duff MC .
The growing gap: a study of sleep, encoding, and consolidation of new words in chronic traumatic brain injury.
Neuropsychologia 2023 Jun 6; 184:108518. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108518..
Keywords: Brain Injury, Chronic Conditions, Sleep Problems, Trauma
Kim B, Troxel WM, Dubowitz T
Neighborhood built environment and sleep health: a longitudinal study in low-income and predominantly African-American neighborhoods.
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between physical characteristics of neighborhoods and sleep health outcomes and evaluated the mediating role of physical activity in these relationships. The researchers conducted the longitudinal Pittsburgh Hill/Homewood Research on Eating, Shopping, and Health (PHRESH) Zzz Study in 2 low-income, primarily African-American neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (n = 1,051). The study included repeated measures of neighborhood characteristics and sleep health outcomes from 2013 to 2018, and systematic field observations captured built environment measures of walkability, urban design, and neighborhood disorder. Sleep health outcomes included insufficient sleep, sleep duration, wakefulness after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency. Urban design features were correlated with lower levels of wakefulness after sleep onset. Neighborhood disorder and crime rate were negatively related with sleep efficiency. Neighborhood walkability was not associated with sleep outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026120.
Citation: Kim B, Troxel WM, Dubowitz T .
Neighborhood built environment and sleep health: a longitudinal study in low-income and predominantly African-American neighborhoods.
Am J Epidemiol 2023 May 5; 192(5):736-47. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwad016..
Keywords: Sleep Problems, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Low-Income
Lucchini M, Rayport Y, Valeri L
Racial/ethnic disparities in sleep-disordered breathing during pregnancy in the nuMoM2b study.
This study’s aim was to assess the prevalence and severity of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) across racial/ethnic groups in 3702 pregnant people at 6 to 15 and 22 to 31 weeks gestational age; examine whether BMI modifies the association between race/ethnicity and SDB; and investigate whether interventions to reduce weight might reduce racial/ethnic disparities in SDB. The study cohort consisted of comprised 61.2% non-Hispanic White (nHW), 11.9% non-Hispanic Black (nHB), 18.5% Hispanic, and 3.7% Asian persons. SDB prevalence was higher for nHB compared with nHW pregnant people at 6 to 15 weeks, whereas at 21 to 32 weeks, Asian pregnant people had a higher SDB prevalence than nHW. The severity of SDB differed across racial/ethnic groups in early pregnancy, with nHB pregnant people having a higher apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) compared with nHW. Having overweight/obesity was associated with a higher AHI.
AHRQ-funded; HS024274.
Citation: Lucchini M, Rayport Y, Valeri L .
Racial/ethnic disparities in sleep-disordered breathing during pregnancy in the nuMoM2b study.
Obesity 2023 Apr;31(4):923-33. doi: 10.1002/oby.23697.
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Sleep Problems, Women, Maternal Care
Donovan LM, Parsons EC, McCall CA
Impact of mail-based continuous positive airway pressure initiation on treatment usage and effectiveness.
Traditional care for patients starting continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy has involved face-to-face visits with a trained professional for hands-on guidance and mask fitting assessment. However, in an effort to increase accessibility, numerous healthcare systems are transitioning to remote CPAP initiation by mailing equipment to patients. Although this method offers potential advantages, the impact on patient outcomes remains uncertain. Specifically, concerns have been raised about the potential decrease in CPAP adherence due to the absence of in-person training. The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment usage following either in-person or mailed CPAP initiation. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the researcher’s medical center transitioned from in-person to mailed CPAP distribution in March 2020. A cohort of newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients who began CPAP therapy in the months preceding (n = 433) and following (n = 186) this shift was form. The researchers then compared 90-day adherence between the two groups. The study found the average nightly PAP usage was moderate in both cohorts. No significant differences were observed in unadjusted or adjusted analyses.
AHRQ-funded; HS026369
Citation: Donovan LM, Parsons EC, McCall CA .
Impact of mail-based continuous positive airway pressure initiation on treatment usage and effectiveness.
Sleep Breath 2023 Mar;27(1):303-08. doi: 10.1007/s11325-022-02608-z.
Keywords: Respiratory Conditions, Sleep Problems, Patient Adherence/Compliance
Mills J, Harding MC
AHRQ Author: Mills J
Screening for obstructive sleep apnea in adults.
This Putting Prevention into Practice case study was created to increase understanding of the USPSTF final recommendation on screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults. A case study was presented using a 41-year-old man with a history of class 1 obesity but was otherwise feeling well. The patient has an uncle who was recently diagnosed with OSA, and the patient has some questions. Three multiple-choice questions are presented regarding USPSTF recommendations whether to screen for OSA for that patient.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Mills J, Harding MC .
Screening for obstructive sleep apnea in adults.
Am Fam Physician 2023 Mar;107(3):297-98.
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Sleep Problems, Guidelines, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice, Case Study
Gong F, Loeb S, Siu K
Sleep disturbances are underappreciated in prostate cancer survivorship.
Limited research exists on the prevalence of sleep issues in prostate cancer (PCa) survivors and the degree of urologist involvement in addressing sleep-related concerns. The researchers conducted a survey with PCa survivors (n = 167) and urologists (n = 145) to examine sleep problems and survivorship care practices. The study found a significant number of PCa survivors experienced sleep difficulties, with 50.9% reporting suboptimal sleep quality, 18.0% suffering from moderate/severe insomnia, and 36.5% at an elevated risk for sleep apnea. However, only a small number of urologists consistently screened for sleep disruptions, as advised in national cancer survivorship guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS026120
Citation: Gong F, Loeb S, Siu K .
Sleep disturbances are underappreciated in prostate cancer survivorship.
Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2023 Mar;26(1):210-12. doi: 10.1038/s41391-022-00630-6.
Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Sleep Problems
Fishbein AB, Lor J, Penedo FJ
Patient-reported outcomes for measuring sleep disturbance in pediatric atopic dermatitis: cross-sectional study of the patient reported outcomes measurement information system pediatric sleep measures and actigraphy.
The purposes of this cross-sectional study were to test the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) sleep measures in pediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) and to develop an algorithm to screen, evaluate, and intervene to reduce sleep disturbances. Participants were children with AD aged 5 to 17 and one parent who completed sleep, itch, and AD-specific questionnaires. Clinicians assessed disease severity. PROMIS sleep disturbance parent proxy reliability was high and was differentiated among Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM)-determined disease severity groups. The authors concluded that sleep disturbance in pediatric AD should be screened using the POEM sleep question, and further assessment using the PROMIS sleep disturbance measure or objective sleep monitoring if it is needed.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Fishbein AB, Lor J, Penedo FJ .
Patient-reported outcomes for measuring sleep disturbance in pediatric atopic dermatitis: cross-sectional study of the patient reported outcomes measurement information system pediatric sleep measures and actigraphy.
J Am Acad Dermatol 2023 Feb; 88(2):348-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.05.138..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sleep Problems, Skin Conditions, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice