National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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.
Results
1 to 15 of 15 Research Studies DisplayedPatel SA, Krasnow M, Long K
Excess 30-day heart failure readmissions and mortality in black patients increases with neighborhood deprivation.
Researchers examined whether neighborhood environment modifies the disparity in 30-day heart failure (HF) readmissions and mortality between Black and White patients in the Southeastern United States. They created a geocoded retrospective cohort of patients hospitalized for acute HF from 2010-2018 within Emory Healthcare. They found that excess 30-day HF readmissions and mortality were present among Black patients in every neighborhood strata and increased with progressive neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026081.
Citation: Patel SA, Krasnow M, Long K .
Excess 30-day heart failure readmissions and mortality in black patients increases with neighborhood deprivation.
Circ Heart Fail 2020 Dec;13(12):e007947. doi: 10.1161/circheartfailure.120.007947..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospital Readmissions, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Mortality, Social Determinants of Health, Low-Income, Disparities
Joyce NR, Pfeiffer MR, Zullo AR
Individual and geographic variation in driver's license suspensions: evidence of disparities by race, ethnicity and income.
Using data from the New Jersey Safety Health Outcomes data warehouse 2004-2018, the authors compared characteristics of suspended drivers, their residential census tract, as well as access to public transportation and jobs, by reason for the suspension. They found that 91% of license suspensions were for non-driving-related events, with the most common reason for a suspension being failure to pay a fine. Non-driving-related suspended drivers lived in census tracts with a lower household median income, higher proportion of black and Hispanic residents and higher unemployment rates, but also better walkability scores and better access to public transportation and jobs. They recommended additional work to determine what effect this has for the social and economic well-being of suspended drivers.
AHRQ-funded; HS022998.
Citation: Joyce NR, Pfeiffer MR, Zullo AR .
Individual and geographic variation in driver's license suspensions: evidence of disparities by race, ethnicity and income.
J Transp Health 2020 Dec;19. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2020.100933..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Low-Income, Vulnerable Populations, Social Determinants of Health
Leifheit KM, Schwartz GL, Pollack CE
Severe housing insecurity during pregnancy: association with adverse birth and infant outcomes.
This study measured the association of severe housing insecurity with adverse birth and infant outcomes. Data was analyzed from 3248 mother-infant dyads enrolled in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. This prospective cohort study represented births in 20 large U.S. cities from 1998 to 2000. Severe housing insecurity was defined as threatened eviction or homelessness. Adverse outcomes included low birth weight and/or preterm birth, admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or stepdown facility, extended hospitalization after delivery, and infant health and temperament. There were statistically significant associations found between severe housing insecurity during pregnancy and low birth weight and/or preterm births. Housing insecurity and infant fair or poor health and poor temperament were not found to have statistically significant associations. Population attributable fraction (PAF) estimates suggested that up to 3% of adverse birth and infant outcomes could be avoided by eliminating severe housing insecurity among low-income, pregnant women.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Leifheit KM, Schwartz GL, Pollack CE .
Severe housing insecurity during pregnancy: association with adverse birth and infant outcomes.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 Nov 21;17(22):8659. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17228659..
Keywords: Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery, Vulnerable Populations, Outcomes, Adverse Events, Women, Low-Income, Newborns/Infants
Roberts ET, McGarry BE, Glynn A
Cognition and take-up of the Medicare Savings Programs.
In this study, the investigators examined the association between cognition and Medicare Savings Program (MSP) enrollment among elderly Medicare beneficiaries who qualified for these programs. They also examined enrollment in the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), a separate program that provides premium and cost-sharing assistance in Medicare Part D that Medicare beneficiaries automatically received if they are enrolled in an MSP.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Roberts ET, McGarry BE, Glynn A .
Cognition and take-up of the Medicare Savings Programs.
JAMA Intern Med 2020 Nov;180(11):1529-31. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2783..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Low-Income, Dementia, Neurological Disorders
Fung V, Price M, Nierenberg AA
Assessment of behavioral health services use among low-income Medicare beneficiaries after reductions in coinsurance fees.
This study looked at outcomes from reducing behavioral health care Medicare coinsurance from 50% to 20% from 2009 to 2013. The sample of patients looked at included some diagnosed with SMI (serious mental illness) including schizophrenia, bipolar, or major depressive disorder). Data analysis was performed on 793,275 beneficiaries with SMI in 2008 and compared them with costs in 2013. The mean adjusted out-of-pocket costs for outpatient behavioral care decreased from $132 annually to $64, but the number of visits only increased slightly. No association was found between cost-sharing reductions and changes in behavioral health care visits.
AHRQ-funded; HS024725.
Citation: Fung V, Price M, Nierenberg AA .
Assessment of behavioral health services use among low-income Medicare beneficiaries after reductions in coinsurance fees.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Oct;3(10):e2019854. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.19854..
Keywords: Medicare, Health Insurance, Depression, Behavioral Health, Low-Income, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization
Roberts ET, Mehrotra A
Assessment of disparities in digital access among Medicare beneficiaries and implications for telemedicine.
In this study, the investigators examined disparities in digital access (ie, access at home to technology that enables video telemedicine visits) among Medicare beneficiaries by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The investigators concluded that the proportion of beneficiaries who lacked digital access was higher among those with low socioeconomic status, those 85 years or older, and in communities of color.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Roberts ET, Mehrotra A .
Assessment of disparities in digital access among Medicare beneficiaries and implications for telemedicine.
JAMA Intern Med 2020 Oct;180(10):1386-89. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2666..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Disparities, Access to Care, Social Determinants of Health, Low-Income, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Khouja T, Burgette JM, Donohue JM
Association between Medicaid expansion, dental coverage policies for adults, and children's receipt of preventive dental services.
Researchers examined whether low-income children's use of preventive dental services is linked to variation in state Medicaid policies that affect parents' access to dental care in Medicaid. Using MEPS data along with Area Health Resources File and Medicaid adult dental coverage policies, they found no change in children's receipt of preventive dental care associated with Medicaid expansions in states that covered vs did not cover preventive dental services for adults. They concluded that factors other than parental access to dental benefits through Medicaid may be more salient determinants of preventive dental care use among low-income children.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Khouja T, Burgette JM, Donohue JM .
Association between Medicaid expansion, dental coverage policies for adults, and children's receipt of preventive dental services.
Health Serv Res 2020 Oct;55(5):642-50. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13324..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Low-Income, Access to Care, Policy
Aguilera A, Figueroa CA, Hernandez-Ramos R
mHealth app using machine learning to increase physical activity in diabetes and depression: clinical trial protocol for the DIAMANTE study.
In this randomized controlled trial, the researchers’ goal is to examine the effect of a text-messaging smartphone application to encourage physical activity in low-income ethnic minority patients with comorbid diabetes and depression. They will compare passively collected daily step counts, self-reported PHQ-8 and most recent hemoglobin A1c from medical records at baseline and at intervention completion at 6-month follow-up. They plan to submit manuscripts describing their user-designed methods and testing of the adaptive learning algorithm and will submit the results of the trial for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific meetings.
AHRQ-funded; HS025429.
Citation: Aguilera A, Figueroa CA, Hernandez-Ramos R .
mHealth app using machine learning to increase physical activity in diabetes and depression: clinical trial protocol for the DIAMANTE study.
BMJ Open 2020 Aug 20;10(8):e034723. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034723..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Low-Income, Health Promotion
Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Hung MC
Estimating the impact of increasing cervical cancer screening in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program among low-income women in the USA.
The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides free cervical cancer screening to low-income women. This study estimated the health benefits gained in terms of life years (LYs) saved and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained if cervical cancer screening by the NBCCEDP increased to reach more eligible women. The investigators found that the reported estimates emphasized the value of cervical cancer screening program by extending LE in low-income women.
Citation: Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC Pollack LM, Ekwueme DU, Hung MC, Hung MC .
Estimating the impact of increasing cervical cancer screening in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program among low-income women in the USA.
Cancer Causes Control 2020 Jul;31(7):691-702. doi: 10.1007/s10552-020-01314-z..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Cancer: Cervical Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Women, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Low-Income
Jannat-Khah DP, Khodneva Y, Bryant K
Depressive symptoms do not discriminate: racial and economic influences between time-varying depressive symptoms and mortality among REGARDS participants.
This study examined whether time-varying depressive symptoms (TVDS) predict mortality and if racial and income differences moderate the association in a large cohort. The cohort from the REGARDS study was used to look at that determination. The REGARDS study used community-dwelling U.S. adults aged 45 years or older. They found that there was similar and statistically significant differences with white, black, and low-income ($35,000 or less) participants for the association between TVDS and mortality. High-income participants were found to have a lower hazard.
AHRQ-funded; HS025198.
Citation: Jannat-Khah DP, Khodneva Y, Bryant K .
Depressive symptoms do not discriminate: racial and economic influences between time-varying depressive symptoms and mortality among REGARDS participants.
Ann Epidemiol 2020 Jun;46:31-40.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.04.004..
Keywords: Depression, Behavioral Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Cardiovascular Conditions, Cancer, Low-Income, Social Determinants of Health, Mortality
Fiori KP, Rehm CD, Sanderson D
Integrating social needs screening and community health workers in primary care: the community linkage to care program.
This study used logistic regression to identify factors associated with successful social service uptake in an urban pediatric practice. Out of 4948 households screened for social needs from December 2017 to November 2018, 20% self-reported at least one factor. Only 43% of the 287 households with unmet needs reported social service uptake. Greater than 4 outreach encounters were significantly associated with successful referrals. This study suggests the need for additional research and an opportunity for further program optimization.
AHRQ-funded; HS026396.
Citation: Fiori KP, Rehm CD, Sanderson D .
Integrating social needs screening and community health workers in primary care: the community linkage to care program.
Clin Pediatr 2020 Jun;59(6):547-56. doi: 10.1177/0009922820908589..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Community-Based Practice, Primary Care, Social Determinants of Health, Implementation, Low-Income
Klawetter S, McNitt C, Hoffman JA
Perinatal depression in low-income women: a literature review and innovative screening approach.
This paper is a literature review of perinatal depression prevalence, consequences, and screening among low-income women and women of color. The Warm Connections program has an innovative perinatal depression screening protocol and was used with WIC participants. The literature showed mixed findings of perinatal prevalence among low-income women and women of color. There were lower perinatal depression rates in the Warm Connections program in studies using less specific perinatal depression screening instruments with similar samples.
AHRQ-funded; HS026370.
Citation: Klawetter S, McNitt C, Hoffman JA .
Perinatal depression in low-income women: a literature review and innovative screening approach.
Curr Psychiatry Rep 2020 Jan 7;22(1):1. doi: 10.1007/s11920-019-1126-9.
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Keywords: Depression, Pregnancy, Women, Low-Income, Social Determinants of Health, Screening, Behavioral Health, Maternal Care, Disparities, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Abasaeed R, Kranz AM, Rozier RG
The impact of the Great Recession on untreated dental caries among kindergarten students in North Carolina.
This study to determine the impact of the Great Recession on untreated dental caries in kindergarten-aged children in North Carolina found there were a higher proportion of children with more than one untreated decayed primary tooth as well as fewer children receiving dental treatment after 2006. The study covering 7 school years from 2003 to 2010 and 1,215 schools used increased participation in the National School Lunch Program as an indicator of the Great Recession.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032
Citation: Abasaeed R, Kranz AM, Rozier RG .
The impact of the Great Recession on untreated dental caries among kindergarten students in North Carolina.
J Am Dent Assoc. 2013 Sep;144(9):1038-46..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Healthcare Costs, Access to Care, Low-Income
Goff SL, Pekow PS, White KO
IDEAS for a healthy baby--reducing disparities in use of publicly reported quality data: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
This study's goals were to determine the efficacy of a patient navigator intervention to assist low-income pregnant women in the use of publicly available information about quality of care when choosing a pediatrician; to evaluate the relative importance of factors influencing women's choice of pediatric practices; to evaluate the effect of the intervention on patient engagement in management of their own and their child's health care; and to assess variation in efficacy of the intervention for sub-groups based on parity, age, and race/ethnicity. Successful completion of the study aims is expected to yield important new knowledge about the value of guided website navigation as a strategy to increase the impact of publicly reported quality data and to reduce disparities in use of these data.
AHRQ-funded; HS021864.
Citation: Goff SL, Pekow PS, White KO .
IDEAS for a healthy baby--reducing disparities in use of publicly reported quality data: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Trials 2013 Aug 7;14:244. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-14-244.
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Keywords: Education: Patient and Caregiver, Newborns/Infants, Low-Income, Pregnancy, Public Reporting
Bruckner TA, Rehkopf DH, Catalano RA
Income gains and very low-weight birth among low-income black mothers in California.
The researchers examined pregnant women in California in the 1990s who likely received a lump sum federal tax refund as a result of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in order to determine the effect, if any, on their infant’s birthweight. Contrary to expectation, the odds of a very low birthweight (VLBW) infant increase above expected values two months immediately following the tax disbursement.
AHRQ-funded; HS0008609.
Citation: Bruckner TA, Rehkopf DH, Catalano RA .
Income gains and very low-weight birth among low-income black mothers in California.
Biodemography Soc Biol 2013;59(2):141-56. doi: 10.1080/19485565.2013.833802..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Low-Income, Social Determinants of Health, Labor and Delivery