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
Topics
- Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (2)
- Care Coordination (3)
- Caregiving (5)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (8)
- (-) Communication (14)
- Cultural Competence (1)
- (-) Elderly (14)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (3)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (8)
- Hospital Readmissions (1)
- Medication (1)
- Medication: Safety (1)
- Palliative Care (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (2)
- Patient and Family Engagement (2)
- Patient Experience (1)
- Patient Safety (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Provider: Health Personnel (1)
- Quality of Life (1)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (2)
- Screening (1)
- Shared Decision Making (2)
- Web-Based (2)
- Women (2)
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 14 of 14 Research Studies DisplayedWust KL, Carayon P, Werner NE
Older adult patients and care partners as knowledge brokers in fragmented health care.
This study explores the knowledge broker roles of older adult patients and their care partners during emergency department (ED) visits. The research concludes that patients and care partners serve as information liaisons between fragmented care systems, providing details on diagnostic testing, medications, health history, and care accommodations. They engage in proactive and reactive knowledge brokering within and across ED work systems, aiding in communication and care coordination to mitigate healthcare fragmentation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026624.
Citation: Wust KL, Carayon P, Werner NE .
Older adult patients and care partners as knowledge brokers in fragmented health care.
Hum Factors 2024 Mar; 66(3):701-13. doi: 10.1177/00187208221092847.
Keywords: Elderly, Emergency Department, Caregiving, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Becker MW, Kashy DA, Harben A
A novel strategy to optimize critical information on over the counter labels for older adults.
In this article, the authors described two experiments in which they evaluated the impact of over-the-counter (OTC) medication label designs that employ highlighting and warning labels placed on package fronts on the attention and use of critical information by older consumers. In both experiments. participants aged 65 or over were required to access and use critical label information to respond correctly to questions. Highlighting or placing critical information on the front of packaging significantly improved response accuracy. The authors concluded that these results are relevant for regulations which dictate label design to further ease and safety of use of medications for older adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS025386.
Citation: Becker MW, Kashy DA, Harben A .
A novel strategy to optimize critical information on over the counter labels for older adults.
Health Sci Rep 2023 Jan 25; 6(1):e1062. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.1062..
Keywords: Elderly, Medication: Safety, Medication, Patient Safety, Communication
Dossett LA, Mott NM, Bredbeck BC
Using tailored messages to target overuse of Low-Value breast cancer care in older women.
The purpose of this study was to examine the role that an individual’s maximizing-minimizing trait, an inherent preference for more or less medical care, may influence the preference for low-value care in the omission of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and post-lumpectomy radiotherapy in women 70 years of age or higher with early-stage, hormone-receptor positive invasive breast cancer. The researchers recruited women 70 years of age or higher (n=1600) who were maximizers (515), minimizers (550), or neutral (535), and presented them with a hypothetical breast cancer diagnosis and then randomized exposure to one of three follow-up messages. Messages included: 1) maximizer-tailored, 2) minimizer-tailored, or 3) neutral. The study reported that higher maximizing tendency correlated positively with electing both SLNB and radiotherapy on logistic regression. Any maximizer- or minimizer-tailoring decreased preference for SLNB in maximizing and neutral women but had no effect in minimizing women. Tailoring had no impact on radiotherapy decision, except for an increased probability of minimizers electing radiotherapy when presented with maximizer-tailored messaging. The study concluded that among women facing a hypothetical breast cancer diagnosis, tendencies for maximizing-minimizing are correlated with preferences for treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS026030.
Citation: Dossett LA, Mott NM, Bredbeck BC .
Using tailored messages to target overuse of Low-Value breast cancer care in older women.
J Surg Res 2022 Feb;270:503-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.10.005..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Shared Decision Making, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Clarke MA, Fruhling AL, Sitorius M
Impact of age on patients' communication and technology preferences in the era of meaningful use: mixed methods study.
Impact of age on patients' communication and technology preferences in the era of meaningful use: mixed methods study.
AHRQ-funded; HS022110.
Citation: Clarke MA, Fruhling AL, Sitorius M .
Impact of age on patients' communication and technology preferences in the era of meaningful use: mixed methods study.
J Med Internet Res 2020 Jun;22(6):e13470. doi: 10.2196/13470..
Keywords: Elderly, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Patient and Family Engagement, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Hoover DS, Pappadis MR, Housten AJ
Preferences for communicating about breast cancer screening among racially/ethnically diverse older women.
The purpose of this study was to examine preferences for communicating about screening mammography among racially/ethnically diverse older women. Through in-depth interviews, findings revealed that older women desire information about the benefits and harms of screening mammography and would prefer to learn this information through discussions with healthcare providers and multiple other formats. Results were consistent regardless of participants' age, race/ethnicity, or education.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Hoover DS, Pappadis MR, Housten AJ .
Preferences for communicating about breast cancer screening among racially/ethnically diverse older women.
Health Commun 2019 Jun;34(7):702-06. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1431026..
Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Elderly, Women, Prevention, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Screening
Chan B, Goldman LE, Sarkar U
High perceived social support and hospital readmissions in an older multi-ethnic, limited English proficiency, safety-net population.
This study examined the association between perceived social support and 30-day hospital readmission or death in older adults. The study used the cohort from the Support From Hospital to Home for Elders (SHHE) trial. Participants were English, Chinese and Spanish-speaking adults living in the community who were admitted to wards at an urban safety-net hospital in San Francisco. Overall readmission or death rate was 15%. Participants had a mean age of 66.2 with the majority being Asian (31.9%), then Black (24.8%), Latino (19.3%) and White (18.8%). Researchers found that those with high social support had half the odds of admission or death than those with low social support. The protection however seemed true only among minorities, and seemed to have the opposite effect among whites.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Chan B, Goldman LE, Sarkar U .
High perceived social support and hospital readmissions in an older multi-ethnic, limited English proficiency, safety-net population.
BMC Health Serv Res 2019 May 24;19(1):334. doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-4162-6..
Keywords: Communication, Cultural Competence, Elderly, Hospital Readmissions, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Son H, Nahm ES
Older adults' experience using patient portals in communities: challenges and opportunities.
The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived usability of patient portals currently used by older adults. 272 older adults were recruited from an online trial testing the effects of a 3-week Theory-Based Patient Portal eLearning Program. Self-efficacy and perceived usability of patient portals were both low; difficulties with using patient portals were primarily associated with login/access and specific portal functions. Favored features were review of medical information and eMessaging.
AHRQ-funded; HS024739.
Citation: Son H, Nahm ES .
Older adults' experience using patient portals in communities: challenges and opportunities.
Comput Inform Nurs 2019 Jan;37(1):4-10. doi: 10.1097/cin.0000000000000476..
Keywords: Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Elderly, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient Experience, Web-Based
Quintana Y, Fahy D, Crotty B
InfoSAGE: Supporting elders and families through online family networks.
With an increasingly elderly population, families are finding it increasingly challenging to coordinate care for their older family members. This paper reports on the findings of InfoSAGE, an online private social network that has tools for communication and care coordination for elders and their families.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495; HS024869.
Citation: Quintana Y, Fahy D, Crotty B .
InfoSAGE: Supporting elders and families through online family networks.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2018 Dec 5;2018:932-41..
Keywords: Elderly, Caregiving, Health Information Technology (HIT), Communication, Clinician-Patient Communication, Care Coordination
Quintana Y, Crotty B, Fahy D
Information sharing across generations and environments (InfoSAGE): study design and methodology protocol.
This open prospective cohort study aimed to assess a novel, Internet based, family-centric communication and collaboration platform created to address the information needs of elders and their informal caregivers in a community setting. It used a mixed methods approach, utilizing qualitative survey data along with website usage analytic data.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495.
Citation: Quintana Y, Crotty B, Fahy D .
Information sharing across generations and environments (InfoSAGE): study design and methodology protocol.
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2018 Nov 20;18(1):105. doi: 10.1186/s12911-018-0697-4.
.
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2018 Nov 20;18(1):105. doi: 10.1186/s12911-018-0697-4.
.
Keywords: Caregiving, Communication, Shared Decision Making, Elderly, Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient-Centered Healthcare, Clinician-Patient Communication, Web-Based
Walker J, Crotty BH, O'Brien J
Addressing the challenges of aging: how elders and their care partners seek information.
Elders in retirement communities face many challenges concerning information and communication. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into how these elders and their families manage health information and communication. The study suggests that elders in senior living communities, and their families, piece together information primarily from word of mouth communication. It asserts that electronic social and collaborative technologies may make information gathering easier.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495.
Citation: Walker J, Crotty BH, O'Brien J .
Addressing the challenges of aging: how elders and their care partners seek information.
Gerontologist 2017 Oct 1;57(5):955-62. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnw060..
Keywords: Elderly, Caregiving, Communication, Care Coordination, Patient and Family Engagement, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Rocque GB, Dionne-Odom JN, Sylvia Huang CH
Implementation and impact of patient lay navigator-led advance care planning conversations.
Advance care planning (ACP) improves alignment between patient preferences for life-sustaining treatment and care received at end of life (EOL). This study evaluated implementation of lay navigator-led ACP and concluded that a navigator-led ACP program was feasible and may be associated with lower rates of resource utilization near EOL.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Rocque GB, Dionne-Odom JN, Sylvia Huang CH .
Implementation and impact of patient lay navigator-led advance care planning conversations.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2017 Apr;53(4):682-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.11.012.
.
.
Keywords: Communication, Elderly, Palliative Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Provider: Health Personnel
Quintana Y, Crotty B, Fahy D
InfoSAGE: use of online technologies for communication and elder care.
To identify how information and communication needs evolved with the aging process, the study authors created a living laboratory of families, supported by an online private social network with tools for care coordination.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495.
Citation: Quintana Y, Crotty B, Fahy D .
InfoSAGE: use of online technologies for communication and elder care.
Stud Health Technol Inform 2017;234:280-85..
Keywords: Care Coordination, Healthcare Delivery, Communication, Elderly, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Crotty BH, Walker J, Dierks M
Information sharing preferences of older patients and their families.
This study identified how patients older than 75 years (hereinafter, elders) and family caregivers of such patients approach sharing of health information, with the hope of applying the results to collaborative patient portals. It found that information sharing and control are complex issues even under the most well-meaning circumstances. While elders may delegate control and share information with family, they want to retain granular control of their information.
AHRQ-funded; HS021495.
Citation: Crotty BH, Walker J, Dierks M .
Information sharing preferences of older patients and their families.
JAMA Intern Med 2015 Sep;175(9):1492-7. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.2903..
Keywords: Caregiving, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Elderly, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Gustafson DH Sr, McTavish F, Gustafson DH Jr
The effect of an information and communication technology (ICT) on older adults' quality of life: study protocol for a randomized control trial.
The goal of this study is to test the effects of a technology called Elder Tree designed for and used by older adults and their family caregivers. The primary purpose of Elder Tree, a web-based information and communication technology (ICT), is to improve older adult quality of life. Recruitment for the trial began in November 2013 and the intervention period will end in November 2016.
AHRQ-funded; HS019917.
Citation: Gustafson DH Sr, McTavish F, Gustafson DH Jr .
The effect of an information and communication technology (ICT) on older adults' quality of life: study protocol for a randomized control trial.
Trials 2015 Apr 25;16:191. doi: 10.1186/s13063-015-0713-2..
Keywords: Communication, Elderly, Health Information Technology (HIT), Quality of Life