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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 4 of 4 Research Studies DisplayedBifulco L, Anderson DR, Blankson ML
Evaluation of a chronic pain screening program implemented in primary care.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate a 2-step process for chronic pain screening and follow-up in primary care. Participants included primary care practitioners and medical assistants from 13 sites who implemented the screening process in primary care, and over 38,000 patients aged 18 or older with a primary care visit during the study’s July 2018-June 2019 time period. Findings showed that a systematic, 2-step process for chronic pain screening and functional assessment in primary care appeared to identify patients with previously undocumented chronic pain and that this process was feasible to implement.
AHRQ-funded; HS025354.
Citation: Bifulco L, Anderson DR, Blankson ML .
Evaluation of a chronic pain screening program implemented in primary care.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Jul;4(7):e2118495. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.18495..
Keywords: Pain, Chronic Conditions, Primary Care, Screening
Hood-Medland EA, White AEC, Kravitz RL
Agenda setting and visit openings in primary care visits involving patients taking opioids for chronic pain.
This study looked at primary care visit opening styles to assess use of agenda and non-agenda setting visit openings and their effects on participant experience with patients taking opioids for chronic pain. The study analyzed 83 video-recorded US primary care visits at a single academic medical center in California. A total of 49 family medicine and internal resident physicians and 83 patients were filmed. The authors developed a coding scheme that assessed the presence of agenda setting, distinct visit opening styles, and the number of total topics, major topics, surprise patient topics, and returns to prior topics discusses. They identified 2 visit opening styles with agenda setting (agenda eliciting, agenda reframing) and 3 non-agenda opening styles (open-ended question, patient launch, physician launch). Only 11% of visits included agenda setting and was associated with fewer surprise patient topics than visits without agenda setting.
AHRQ-funded; HS022236.
Citation: Hood-Medland EA, White AEC, Kravitz RL .
Agenda setting and visit openings in primary care visits involving patients taking opioids for chronic pain.
BMC Fam Pract 2021 Jan 4;22(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s12875-020-01317-4..
Keywords: Primary Care, Opioids, Medication, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Stephens KA, Ike B, Baldwin LM
Challenges and approaches to population management of long-term opioid therapy patients.
Primary care is challenged with safely prescribing opioids for patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP), specifically to address risks for overdose, opioid use disorder, and death. In this study, the investigators identified sociotechnical challenges, approaches, and recommendations in primary care to effectively track and monitor patients on long-term opioid therapy, a key component for supporting adoption of opioid prescribing guidelines.
AHRQ-funded; HS023750.
Citation: Stephens KA, Ike B, Baldwin LM .
Challenges and approaches to population management of long-term opioid therapy patients.
J Am Board Fam Med 2021 Jan-Feb;34(1):89-98. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.01.190100..
Keywords: Opioids, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Care Management, Medication, Primary Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery
Fritz JM, Lane E, McFadden M
Physical therapy referral from primary care for acute back pain with sciatica: a randomized controlled trial.
This study examined whether early physical therapy (EPT) use in sciatica patients of less than 90 days duration reduces disability compared to usual care (UC) alone. A cohort of 220 adult sciatica patients ages 18 to 60 at two healthcare systems in Salt Lake City, Utah were randomly assigned to the control or EPT. Half (110) were given EPT, 1 education session, and then referred to 4 weeks of physical therapy including exercise and manual therapy. The other 110 were provided usual care. Outcomes were measured using the Oswestry Disability Index (OSW) after 6 months. Secondary outcomes were pain intensity, patient-reported treatment success, health care use or missed workdays. The EPT group were more likely to self-report less back pain after 5 weeks as well as treatment success after 1 year than the UC care group. There were no significant differences in health care use or missed workdays with the 2 groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS022641.
Citation: Fritz JM, Lane E, McFadden M .
Physical therapy referral from primary care for acute back pain with sciatica: a randomized controlled trial.
Ann Intern Med 2021 Jan;174(1):8-17. doi: 10.7326/m20-4187..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Pain, Primary Care