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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 8 of 8 Research Studies DisplayedLin JS, Hoffman L, Bean SI
Addressing racism in preventive services: methods report to support the US Preventive Services Task Force.
The purpose of this report was to articulate the definitional and conceptual issues around racism and health inequity and to describe how racism and health inequities are currently addressed in preventive health. An audit was conducted assessing published literature on policy and position statements addressing racism, a subset of cancer and cardiovascular topics in USPSTF reports, recent systematic reviews on interventions to reduce health inequities, and societies, organizations, agencies, and funding bodies to gather information about how they address racism and health equity. Findings showed that racism is complex and pervasive, operates at multiple interrelated levels, and exerts negative effects on other social determinants and health and well-being through multiple pathways. The most directly relevant and immediately useful guidance identified is that from the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) working group.
AHRQ-funded; 290201600006C.
Citation: Lin JS, Hoffman L, Bean SI .
Addressing racism in preventive services: methods report to support the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2021 Dec 21;326(23):2412-20. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.17579..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Social Determinants of Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Research Methodologies, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice
Caughey AB, Krist AH, Wolff TA
AHRQ Author: Wolff TA
USPSTF approach to addressing sex and gender when making recommendations for clinical preventive services.
The USPSTF reviewed its past recommendations that included the use of sex and gender terms, reviewed the approaches of other guideline-making bodies, and pilot-tested strategies to address sex and gender diversity. Based on the findings, the USPSTF intends to use an inclusive approach to identify issues related to sex and gender at the start of the guideline development process; assess the applicability, variability, and quality of evidence as a function of sex and gender; ensure clarity in the use of language regarding sex and gender; and identify evidence gaps related to sex and gender. The USPSTF recognizes limited evidence to inform the preventive care of populations based on gender identity.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Caughey AB, Krist AH, Wolff TA .
USPSTF approach to addressing sex and gender when making recommendations for clinical preventive services.
JAMA 2021 Nov 16;326(19):1953-61. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.15731..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention, Research Methodologies
Davidson KW, Krist AH, Tseng CW
AHRQ Author: Mills J, Borsky A
Incorporation of social risk in US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations and identification of key challenges for primary care.
The authors assessed how social risks have been considered in USPSTF recommendation statements and identified current gaps in evidence needed to expand the systematic inclusion of social risks in future recommendations. They concluded that their report serves as a benchmark and foundation for ongoing work to advance the goal of ensuring that health equity and social risks are incorporated into USPSTF methods and recommendations.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Davidson KW, Krist AH, Tseng CW .
Incorporation of social risk in US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations and identification of key challenges for primary care.
JAMA 2021 Oct 12;326(14):1410-15. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.12833..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Primary Care, Social Determinants of Health, Risk, Evidence-Based Practice, Research Methodologies, Guidelines
Krist AH, Barry MJ, Wolff TA
AHRQ Author: Wolff TA, Fan TM
Evolution of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's methods.
In this commentary on an article appearing in the same issue, the authors stated that the methods used by the USPSTF deliberately set a high bar for making evidence-based recommendations. They indicated that consumers of preventive service guidelines need to know concretely what is known and unknown and further need confidence that what is being recommended is not influenced by economic or political pressures or by professional opinion with a limited evidence basis.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Krist AH, Barry MJ, Wolff TA .
Evolution of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's methods.
Am J Prev Med 2020 Mar;58(3):332-35. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.11.003..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention, Research Methodologies
Krist AH, Davidson KW, Ngo-Metzger Q
AHRQ Author: Ngo-Metzger Q, Mills J
Social determinants as a preventive service: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force methods considerations for research.
The authors offer a brief review of the social determinants of health that may be germane to the USPSTF, the methods the USPSTF uses to evaluate relevant evidence, and current evidence gaps for social risks. Their road map for research is intended to spark ingenuity and purpose in the next generation of research studies, thereby ensuring that future recommendations to address and prevent social risks in primary care are informed by high-quality evidence.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS026664.
Citation: Krist AH, Davidson KW, Ngo-Metzger Q .
Social determinants as a preventive service: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force methods considerations for research.
Am J Prev Med 2019 Dec;57(6s1):S6-s12. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.07.013..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Social Determinants of Health, Research Methodologies, Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Villani J, Ngo-Metzger Q, Vincent IS
AHRQ Author: Ngo-Metzger Q
Sources of funding for research in evidence reviews that inform recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force.
This study characterizes the sources of funding for the scientific evidence base used by the USPSTF. One or more funding sources were identified for 79 percent of the 1,650 research articles. Government agencies provided support for 931 articles (56 percent). The remaining support came from nonprofits or universities (530 articles, 32 percent) and industry (282 articles, 17 percent).The sources of funding varied by recommendation topic.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Villani J, Ngo-Metzger Q, Vincent IS .
Sources of funding for research in evidence reviews that inform recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2018 May 22;319(20):2132-33. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.5404.
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Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Prevention, Research Methodologies, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
Bibbins-Domingo K, Whitlock E, Wolff T
AHRQ Author: Wolff T, Ngo-Metzger Q
Developing recommendations for evidence-based clinical preventive services for diverse populations: methods of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) summarizes the principles and considerations that guide development of its recommendations for diverse U.S. populations. It uses these principles through each step in the evidence-based guideline process: developing the research plan, conducting the evidence review, developing the recommendation, and communicating to guideline users. A comprehensive list of recommendations that includes considerations for specific populations is provided.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Bibbins-Domingo K, Whitlock E, Wolff T .
Developing recommendations for evidence-based clinical preventive services for diverse populations: methods of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Ann Intern Med 2017 Apr 18;166(8):565-71. doi: 10.7326/m16-2656.
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Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention, Research Methodologies, Guidelines
DeFrank JT, Barclay C, Sheridan S
The psychological harms of screening: the evidence we have versus the evidence we need.
The study’s purpose was to understand the extent of evidence on psychological harms. The researchers reviewed 68 studies and developed an evidence map that quantifies the distribution of evidence on psychological harms for five adult screening services. They found that the evidence for psychological harms of screening is inadequate in number of studies and in research design and measures.
AHRQ-funded; HS021133.
Citation: DeFrank JT, Barclay C, Sheridan S .
The psychological harms of screening: the evidence we have versus the evidence we need.
J Gen Intern Med 2015 Feb;30(2):242-8. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-2996-5..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Screening, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Evidence-Based Practice, Research Methodologies