National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
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Search All Research Studies
Topics
- Blood Pressure (2)
- (-) Cardiovascular Conditions (5)
- Clinical Decision Support (CDS) (1)
- Diabetes (1)
- Disparities (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (3)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (1)
- Health Insurance (1)
- Health Status (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (1)
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- Low-Income (1)
- Obesity (1)
- Outcomes (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Prevention (2)
- Primary Care (3)
- Quality Improvement (1)
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- Screening (1)
- Social Determinants of Health (1)
- (-) Tobacco Use (5)
- Tobacco Use: Smoking Cessation (2)
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 5 of 5 Research Studies DisplayedRoberts MM, Marino M, Wells R
Differences in use of clinical decision support tools and implementation of aspirin, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation quality metrics in small practices by race and sex.
The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association between population-based clinical decision support (CDS) tools and racial and sex disparities in the aspirin use, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation (ABCS) care quality metrics among smaller primary care practices. Researchers used practice-level data from the EvidenceNOW initiative, from practices that submitted both survey data and electronic health record (EHR)-derived ABCS data stratified by race and sex. Their findings suggested that practices using CDS tools had small disparities but were not statistically significant; however, CDS tools were not associated with reductions in disparities. They concluded that more research was needed on effective practice-level interventions to mitigate disparities.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Roberts MM, Marino M, Wells R .
Differences in use of clinical decision support tools and implementation of aspirin, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation quality metrics in small practices by race and sex.
JAMA Netw Open 2023 Aug; 6(8):e2326905. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.26905..
Keywords: Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Cardiovascular Conditions, Tobacco Use, Tobacco Use: Smoking Cessation, Primary Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Kowitt SD, Goldstein AO, Cykert S
A heart healthy intervention improved tobacco screening rates and cessation support in primary care practices.
This study investigated the outcomes of an evidence-based cardiovascular disease risk reduction tool called Heart Health Now to improve rates for tobacco cessation screening and counseling in small primary care practices in North Carolina. This tool was developed as part of AHRQ’s EvidenceNow initiative. This stepped wedge, stratified, cluster randomized trial looked at 28 practices that were staffed by 10 or fewer clinicians and had an electronic health record. Heart Health Now consisted of education tools, onsite practice facilitation for a year, and a practice-specific cardiovascular population management dashboard that included monthly, measure-specific run charts to help guide quality improvement. The practices included in their analyses consisted of 78,120 patients, and 17,687 smokers. From pre- to post-intervention, screening rates significantly increased from 82.7 to 96.2%. Cessation support rates also significantly increased from 44.3% to 50.1%. Some of the practices associated with improvement included being in an academic health center or faculty, having more clinicians, and having a lower percentage of White patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS023912.
Citation: Kowitt SD, Goldstein AO, Cykert S .
A heart healthy intervention improved tobacco screening rates and cessation support in primary care practices.
J Prev 2022 Jun;43(3):375-86. doi: 10.1007/s10935-022-00672-5..
Keywords: Tobacco Use, Tobacco Use: Smoking Cessation, Screening, Primary Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Cohen DJ, Sweeney SM, Miller WL
Improving smoking and blood pressure outcomes: the interplay between operational changes and local context.
This study identified conditions and operational changes linked to improvements in smoking and blood pressure (BP) outcomes in primary care using samples and interviews from a subset of 104 practices participating in EvidenceNOW, a multisite cardiovascular disease prevention initiative. The authors calculated Clinical Quality Measure improvements, with targets of 10-point or greater absolute improvements in the proportion of patients with smoking screening, and if relevant, counseling and the proportion of hypertensive patients with adequately controlled BP. Primary care staff were surveyed and interviewed. In clinician-owned practices, implementing a workflow to routinely screen and counsel patients on smoking cessation resources, or implementing a documentation change or a referral to a resource alone led to an improvement of at least 10 points in the smoking outcome. These improvements did not occur though in health- or hospital system-owned practices or in Federally Qualified Health Centers. BP outcome improved by at least 10 points among solo practices after medical assistants learned how to take an accurate BP. Among larger, clinician-owned practices, BP outcomes improvement took place when staff took a second BP measurement after the first measurement was elevated and when staff learned where to document this information in the electronic health record. For larger and health- and hospital system-owned practices, 50 or more hours of facilitation was needed to improve BP outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS023940.
Citation: Cohen DJ, Sweeney SM, Miller WL .
Improving smoking and blood pressure outcomes: the interplay between operational changes and local context.
Ann Fam Med 2021 May-Jun;19(3):240-48. doi: 10.1370/afm.2668..
Keywords: Blood Pressure, Tobacco Use, Primary Care, Quality Improvement, Cardiovascular Conditions, Quality of Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Prevention, Outcomes
Beckman AL, Herrin J, Nasir K
Trends in cardiovascular health of US adults by income, 2005-2014.
This research letter discusses the trends in cardiovascular health of US adults by income from 2005-2014. The investigators assessed national trends in cardiovascular risk factors by income level among adults aged 25 years and older using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, a nationally representative, multistage probability sample of the US population, across 5 periods: 2005 to 2006, 2007 to 2008, 2009 to 2010, 2011 to 2012, and 2013 to 2014.
AHRQ-funded; HS023000.
Citation: Beckman AL, Herrin J, Nasir K .
Trends in cardiovascular health of US adults by income, 2005-2014.
JAMA Cardiol 2017 Jul;2(7):814-16. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2017.1654..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Risk, Disparities, Health Status, Blood Pressure, Obesity, Diabetes, Low-Income, Tobacco Use
Richards MR, Marti J
Heterogeneity in the smoking response to health shocks by out-of-pocket spending risk.
Using longitudinal data from 11 European countries, the researchers investigated the impact of a new cardiovascular (CV) health shock on smoking decisions among older adults and examine whether personal exposure to medical spending risk influences the smoking response. They found that CV shocks impact the propensity to smoke, with relatively more impact among individuals with high financial risk exposure to medical spending.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Richards MR, Marti J .
Heterogeneity in the smoking response to health shocks by out-of-pocket spending risk.
Health Econ Policy Law 2014 Oct;9(4):343-57. doi: 10.1017/s1744133114000152..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Tobacco Use, Lifestyle Changes, Health Insurance, Social Determinants of Health