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
AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Access to Care (66)
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (35)
- Adverse Events (89)
- Alcohol Use (5)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (29)
- Antibiotics (41)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (18)
- Anxiety (23)
- Arthritis (7)
- Asthma (75)
- Autism (23)
- Back Health and Pain (1)
- Behavioral Health (175)
- Blood Clots (2)
- Blood Pressure (12)
- Brain Injury (15)
- Breast Feeding (1)
- Burnout (2)
- Cancer (36)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (3)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (27)
- Care Coordination (20)
- Caregiving (95)
- Care Management (27)
- Case Study (19)
- Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) (3)
- Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) (10)
- Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (34)
- (-) Children/Adolescents (1564)
- Chronic Conditions (109)
- Clinical Decision Support (CDS) (24)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (45)
- Colonoscopy (1)
- Communication (45)
- Community-Acquired Infections (11)
- Community-Based Practice (14)
- Community Partnerships (1)
- Comparative Effectiveness (26)
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (3)
- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) (11)
- COVID-19 (47)
- Critical Care (61)
- Cultural Competence (9)
- Data (9)
- Dental and Oral Health (24)
- Depression (43)
- Diabetes (17)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (74)
- Digestive Disease and Health (8)
- Disabilities (24)
- Disparities (49)
- Domestic Violence (13)
- Ear Infections (5)
- Education (19)
- Education: Continuing Medical Education (17)
- Education: Curriculum (1)
- Education: Patient and Caregiver (27)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (62)
- Emergency Department (109)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (23)
- Emergency Preparedness (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (104)
- Eye Disease and Health (5)
- Falls (1)
- Family Health and History (45)
- Genetics (8)
- Guidelines (46)
- Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) (44)
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (73)
- Healthcare Costs (56)
- Healthcare Delivery (48)
- Healthcare Utilization (49)
- Health Information Exchange (HIE) (3)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (110)
- Health Insurance (42)
- Health Literacy (14)
- Health Promotion (12)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (35)
- Health Status (13)
- Health Systems (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (13)
- Hepatitis (4)
- Home Healthcare (12)
- Hospital Discharge (31)
- Hospitalization (108)
- Hospital Readmissions (34)
- Hospitals (94)
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (12)
- Imaging (13)
- Implementation (17)
- Infectious Diseases (36)
- Influenza (13)
- Injuries and Wounds (20)
- Inpatient Care (48)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (74)
- Kidney Disease and Health (4)
- Labor and Delivery (2)
- Lifestyle Changes (15)
- Long-Term Care (21)
- Low-Income (39)
- Maternal Care (10)
- Medicaid (67)
- Medical Devices (3)
- Medical Errors (26)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (30)
- Medication (170)
- Medication: Safety (27)
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (15)
- Mortality (18)
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (2)
- Neurological Disorders (36)
- Newborns/Infants (41)
- Nursing (13)
- Nutrition (35)
- Obesity (83)
- Obesity: Weight Management (31)
- Opioids (16)
- Organizational Change (1)
- Orthopedics (2)
- Osteoporosis (1)
- Outcomes (72)
- Pain (7)
- Palliative Care (10)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (52)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (108)
- Patient Adherence/Compliance (16)
- Patient and Family Engagement (38)
- Patient Experience (26)
- Patient Safety (122)
- Patient Self-Management (9)
- Payment (5)
- Pneumonia (17)
- Policy (40)
- Practice Patterns (34)
- Pregnancy (14)
- Pressure Ulcers (1)
- Prevention (89)
- Primary Care (81)
- Primary Care: Models of Care (8)
- Provider (17)
- Provider: Clinician (4)
- Provider: Health Personnel (7)
- Provider: Nurse (3)
- Provider: Pharmacist (5)
- Provider: Physician (16)
- Provider Performance (3)
- Public Health (20)
- Quality Improvement (71)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (21)
- Quality Measures (47)
- Quality of Care (109)
- Quality of Life (19)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (79)
- Registries (16)
- Research Methodologies (13)
- Respiratory Conditions (110)
- Risk (75)
- Rural/Inner-City Residents (3)
- Rural Health (13)
- Screening (64)
- Sepsis (27)
- Sex Factors (5)
- Sexual Health (17)
- Shared Decision Making (51)
- Sickle Cell Disease (24)
- Simulation (5)
- Skin Conditions (31)
- Sleep Problems (17)
- Social Determinants of Health (50)
- Social Media (7)
- Social Stigma (4)
- Stress (9)
- Stroke (2)
- Substance Abuse (27)
- Surgery (68)
- Surveys on Patient Safety Culture (1)
- Teams (10)
- Telehealth (27)
- Tobacco Use (8)
- Tobacco Use: Smoking Cessation (4)
- Tools & Toolkits (3)
- Training (16)
- Transitions of Care (25)
- Transplantation (28)
- Trauma (26)
- Treatments (17)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (41)
- Uninsured (6)
- Urban Health (13)
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) (4)
- Vaccination (59)
- Vitamins and Supplements (2)
- Vulnerable Populations (52)
- Web-Based (5)
- Women (18)
- Workflow (4)
- Workforce (1)
- Young Adults (37)
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 25 of 1564 Research Studies DisplayedBouchelle Z, Menko SG, Yazdani M
Parent perspectives on documentation and sharing of health-related social needs data.
This survey aimed to examine parents of pediatric patients’ preferences regarding how health-related social needs (HRSN) screening program data are documented and shared. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with parents of hospitalized children participating in an HRSN screening program at a quaternary care children's hospital. Interviews were then coded to identify emergent themes. A total of 20 parents were interviewed with all being female, 55% identifying as Black or African American and 20% identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Parents expressed comfort with electronic health record documentation of HRSN data and the use of ICD-10 Revision Z codes as long as this information was used to provide families with meaningful support. Most parents viewed social workers and medical teams as being the most appropriate recipients of the data, with few parents feeling comfortable with HRSN data being shared with payors. Parents wanted transparency around HRSN data sharing, with many expressing concerns that documentation and sharing of HRSN data could lead to unwanted or unsafe disclosures or result in child welfare referrals.
AHRQ-funded; HS028555.
Citation: Bouchelle Z, Menko SG, Yazdani M .
Parent perspectives on documentation and sharing of health-related social needs data.
Hosp Pediatr 2024 Apr; 14(4):308-16. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007478..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Screening, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Brokamp C, Jones MN, Duan Q
Causal mediation of neighborhood-level pediatric hospitalization inequities.
This study’s objective was to estimate the total inequities in population-level hospitalization rates of children and determine how much is mediated by place-based exposures and community characteristics. The authors employed a population-wide, neighborhood-level study that included youth <18 years hospitalized between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2022. They defined a causal directed acyclic graph a priori to estimate the mediating pathways by which marginalized population composition causes census tract-level hospitalization rates. They analyzed 50,719 hospitalizations experienced by 28,390 patients and calculated census tract-level hospitalization rates per 1000 children, which ranged from 10.9 to 143.0 across included tracts. For every 10% increase in the marginalized population, the tract-level hospitalization rate increased by 6.2%. After adjustment for tract-level community material deprivation, crime risk, English usage, housing tenure, family composition, hospital access, greenspace, traffic-related air pollution, and housing conditions, no inequity remained (0.2%). There were different results when considering subsets of asthma, type 1 diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and psychiatric disorders.
AHRQ-funded; HS027996.
Citation: Brokamp C, Jones MN, Duan Q .
Causal mediation of neighborhood-level pediatric hospitalization inequities.
Pediatrics 2024 Apr; 153(4):e2023064432. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-064432..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Medication, Disparities, Hospitalization
Rosenberg SM, McCue S, He J
Alliance A151945: accrual and characteristics of adolescent and young adult patients in Alliance trials from 2000 to 2017.
Alliance trials analyzed factors influencing clinical trial enrollment among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer. Among 188 Alliance trials, AYAs comprised 11% of accrual, varying by cancer type. Hispanic and non-White AYAs were more represented in breast and colorectal cancer trials compared to non-AYAs. Disease characteristics differed by age in selected trials. AYA-specific survival showed no significant age-based differences. The results emphasize the challenge of ensuring equitable access to trials for AYAs.
AHRQ-funded; HS023680.
Citation: Rosenberg SM, McCue S, He J .
Alliance A151945: accrual and characteristics of adolescent and young adult patients in Alliance trials from 2000 to 2017.
Cancer 2024 Mar 1; 130(5):750-69. doi: 10.1002/cncr.35078.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Cancer
Starnes LS, Starnes JR, Stopczynski T
Clinical prediction model: multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children versus Kawasaki disease.
This study aimed to develop a prediction model to differentiate between multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD). Using retrospective and prospective cohort data, a logistic regression model was developed, incorporating factors such as age, laboratory values, and clinical indicators. The model showed excellent discrimination (AUC 0.96) and calibration. It offers potential usefulness in aiding the diagnosis of MIS-C but requires further validation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Starnes LS, Starnes JR, Stopczynski T .
Clinical prediction model: multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children versus Kawasaki disease.
J Hosp Med 2024 Mar; 19(3):175-84. doi: 10.1002/jhm.13290.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Respiratory Conditions, COVID-19, Chronic Conditions
Parikh K, Hall M, Tieder JS
Disparities in racial, ethnic, and payer groups for pediatric safety events in US hospitals.
A retrospective cohort study using the 2019 Kids' Inpatient Database found disparities in pediatric safety events. Black and Hispanic children had significantly higher odds in 5 of 7 safety indicators compared to white children, especially in postoperative sepsis and respiratory failure. Medicaid-covered children also showed higher odds in 4 of 7 indicators compared to privately insured children, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to enhance hospital patient safety, particularly among minority and Medicaid-covered populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS028484.
Citation: Parikh K, Hall M, Tieder JS .
Disparities in racial, ethnic, and payer groups for pediatric safety events in US hospitals.
Pediatrics 2024 Mar; 153(3):e2023063714. doi: 10.1542/peds.2023-063714.
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Children/Adolescents, Patient Safety, Hospitals
Iantorno SE, Scaife JH, Bryce JR
Emergency department utilization for pediatric gastrostomy tubes across the United States.
This study investigated the number and nature of emergency department (ED) visits to community hospitals for pediatric gastrostomy tube complication. The authors used the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample to perform a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of pediatric patients (<18 y) with a primary diagnosis of gastrostomy tube complication. Their primary outcome was a potentially preventable ED visit, defined as an encounter that did not result in any imaging, procedures, or an inpatient admission. They observed 32,036 ED visits at 535 hospitals and 15,165 (47.3%) were potentially preventable. Median age was 2 years, and 17,707 (55%) were male. Compared to White patients, patients with higher odds of potentially preventable visits were Black and Hispanic. Patients with residential zip codes in the first, second, and third median household income quartiles had higher odds of potentially preventable visits compared to the highest.
AHRQ-funded; HS025776.
Citation: Iantorno SE, Scaife JH, Bryce JR .
Emergency department utilization for pediatric gastrostomy tubes across the United States.
J Surg Res 2024 Mar; 295:820-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.11.028.
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Healthcare Utilization, Surgery, Adverse Events
Darling KE, Warnick J, Guerry WB
Adolescent females' dyadic conversations about body, weight, and appearance.
The purpose of this observational study was to examine body talk between adolescent female dyads aged 13-17. Reciprocally nominated dyads were recruited from a southeastern US high school. Themes that emerged were related to weight, appearance, and personality. The authors concluded that their results provided insight into the social context in which sociocultural norms of weight stigma, body dissatisfaction, and eating-related psychopathology may be reinforced, and that these findings have implications for informing the development of interventions to reduce negative weight- and appearance-related body talk among adolescent girls.
AHRQ-funded; HS027071.
Citation: Darling KE, Warnick J, Guerry WB .
Adolescent females' dyadic conversations about body, weight, and appearance.
J Adolesc Res 2024 Mar; 39(2):487-510. doi: 10.1177/07435584221120111.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Obesity, Social Stigma
Gladen KM, Tellez D, Napolitano N
Adverse tracheal intubation events in critically ill underweight and obese children: retrospective study of the National Emergency Airway for Children Registry (2013-2020).
This retrospective cohort study’s aim was to determine the association between being underweight or obese with adverse airway outcomes, including adverse tracheal intubation (TI)-associated events (TIAEs) and/or severe peri-intubation hypoxemia (pulse oximetry oxygen saturation < 80%) in critically ill children. The National Emergency Airway for Children registry dataset of 2013-2020 was used to identify 24,342 critically ill children who underwent TI between 2013 and 2020. Underweight was most common in infants (34%); and obesity was most common in children older than 8 years old (15.1%). The underweight patients more often had oxygenation and ventilation failure (34.0%, 36.2%, respectively) as the indication for TI and a history of difficult airway (16.7%). Apneic oxygenation was used more often in overweight and obese patients (19.1%, 19.6%) than in underweight or normal weight patients (14.1%, 17.1%). TIAEs and/or hypoxemia occurred more often in underweight (27.1%) and obese (24.3%) patients. TI in underweight children was associated with greater odds of adverse airway outcome compared with normal weight children after adjusting for potential confounders (underweight: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.09). Both underweight and obesity were associated with hypoxemia after adjusting for covariates and site clustering (underweight: aOR, 1.11; and obesity: aOR, 1.22).
AHRQ-funded; HS024511.
Citation: Gladen KM, Tellez D, Napolitano N .
Adverse tracheal intubation events in critically ill underweight and obese children: retrospective study of the National Emergency Airway for Children Registry (2013-2020).
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2024 Feb; 25(2):147-58. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003387..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care
Carroll AR, Hall M, Noelke C
Association of neighborhood opportunity and pediatric hospitalization rates in the United States.
This study examined associations between a validated, multidimensional measure of social determinants of health and population-based hospitalization rates among children <18 years across 18 states from the 2017 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases and the US Census. Exposure was ZIP code-level Child Opportunity Index (COI), a composite measure of neighborhood resources and conditions that matter for children's health. The cohort included 614,823 hospitalizations among a population of 29,244,065 children, which measures at 21.02 hospitalizations per 1000. Adjusted hospitalization rates decreased significantly and in a stepwise fashion as COI increased, from 26.56 per 1000 in very low COI areas to 14.76 per 1000 in very high COI areas (incidence rate ratio 1.8). Decreasing neighborhood opportunity was associated with increasing hospitalization rates among children in the study.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Carroll AR, Hall M, Noelke C .
Association of neighborhood opportunity and pediatric hospitalization rates in the United States.
J Hosp Med 2024 Feb; 19(2):120-25. doi: 10.1002/jhm.13252..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Children/Adolescents, Hospitalization, Social Determinants of Health
Jindal M, Barnert E, Chomilo N
AHRQ Author: Mistry KB
Policy solutions to eliminate racial and ethnic child health disparities in the USA.
This partly AHRQ-authored paper is part of a series on Racism and Child Health in the USA, which builds on Paper 1's summary of existing disparities in health-care delivery and highlights policies within multiple sectors that can be modified and supported to improve health equity, and, in so doing, improves the health of racially and ethnically minoritized children. The authors discuss current and historical policy approaches across housing, employment, health insurance, immigration, and criminal which have the potential to affect child health equity. They commented that these policies must be considered with a focus on structural racism to understand which have the potential to eliminate or at least attenuate disparities. If these policy efforts do not directly address structural racism, they will not achieve equity and instead worsen gaps and existing disparities in access and quality-thereby continuing to perpetuate a two-tier system dictated by racism.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Jindal M, Barnert E, Chomilo N .
Policy solutions to eliminate racial and ethnic child health disparities in the USA.
Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2024 Feb; 8(2):159-74. doi: 10.1016/s2352-4642(23)00262-6..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Policy
Steuart R, Pan AY, Woolums A
Respiratory culture growth and 3-years lung health outcomes in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and tracheostomies.
The goal of this cohort study is to determine the long-term effects of pathogenic identification on respiratory cultures in children. The study included infants and children with BPD and tracheostomies. The cohort study conclusions suggest that respiratory pathogens including P. aeruginosa may not promote long-term respiratory dysfunction, but identification of P. aeruginosa may delay decannulation.
AHRQ-funded; HS025138.
Citation: Steuart R, Pan AY, Woolums A .
Respiratory culture growth and 3-years lung health outcomes in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and tracheostomies.
Pediatr Pulmonol 2024 Feb; 59(2):300-13. doi: 10.1002/ppul.26746..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Respiratory Conditions, Outcomes
Van Damme DM, McRae EM, Irving SY
Tracheal intubation by advanced practice registered nurses in pediatric critical care: retrospective study from the National Emergency Airway for Children Registry (2015-2019).
A study was conducted from 2015-2019 to compare the success rates of tracheal intubation (TI) administered by advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), vs. more experienced clinicians. It also compared the rates of TI-associated events (TIAE). The study subjects were critically ill children in need of tracheal intubation. The findings indicated a lower TI success rate for APRNs when compared to more experienced clinicians. The study did not find significant differences in adverse events.
AHRQ-funded; HS024511.
Citation: Van Damme DM, McRae EM, Irving SY .
Tracheal intubation by advanced practice registered nurses in pediatric critical care: retrospective study from the National Emergency Airway for Children Registry (2015-2019).
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2024 Feb; 25(2):139-46. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003386..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Nursing
McAteer J, Kalluri DD, Abedon RR
Anti-spike antibody durability after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in adolescent solid organ transplant recipients.
This study examined COVID-19 m-RNA vaccine antibody responses 6 months following the third vaccine dose (D3) of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination among adolescent solid organ transplant recipients (aSOTRs). The 34 participants were surveyed after they received the third dose of the vaccine and were sampled at 1-, 3-, and 6-months post-D3. All had positive anti-RBD antibody titers 6 months post-D3. Variations in titers occurred between 3 and 6 months post-D3, with 29% having decreased antibody levels at 6 months compared to 3 months and 7% reporting increased titers at 6 months. The remaining 18 had unchanged antibody titers compared to 3-month post-D3 levels. A total of 12% reported breakthrough infection within 6 months and 9% reported infection after 6-12 months following the third dose of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine.
AHRQ-funded; HS026510.
Citation: McAteer J, Kalluri DD, Abedon RR .
Anti-spike antibody durability after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in adolescent solid organ transplant recipients.
Pediatr Transplant 2024 Feb; 28(1):e14671. doi: 10.1111/petr.14671.
Keywords: COVID-19, Vaccination, Transplantation, Children/Adolescents
Sneed NM, Heerman WJ, Shaw PA
Associations between gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, and childhood obesity incidence.
Excessive maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have been linked to childhood obesity. This cohort study explored the association between maternal weight gain during pregnancy, GDM, and early childhood obesity. Findings revealed that excessive weight gain during the second and third trimesters increased the risk of childhood obesity by age 6. However, GDM was associated with a lower risk. No significant interaction between GWG and GDM was observed.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Sneed NM, Heerman WJ, Shaw PA .
Associations between gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, and childhood obesity incidence.
Matern Child Health J 2024 Feb; 28(2):372-81. doi: 10.1007/s10995-023-03853-8.
Keywords: Maternal Care, Women, Children/Adolescents, Obesity
Wnorowska JH, Naik V, Ramgopal S
Characteristics of pediatric behavioral health emergencies in the prehospital setting.
This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to characterize pediatric behavioral health encounters in the United States and assess factors associated with sedative medication administration and physical restraint use. Analyzing data from 2019 to 2020, among 2,740,271 pediatric EMS encounters, 11.3% were for behavioral health. Sedatives were used in 2.2% and restraints in 3.0% of these encounters. Factors influencing medication and restraint use included age, disabilities, geographic region, and EMS system type.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Wnorowska JH, Naik V, Ramgopal S .
Characteristics of pediatric behavioral health emergencies in the prehospital setting.
Acad Emerg Med 2024 Feb; 31(2):129-39. doi: 10.1111/acem.14833.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Behavioral Health, Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Geanacopoulos AT, Neuman MI, Michelson KA
Cost of pediatric pneumonia episodes with or without chest radiography.
Researchers sought to assess the costs of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) episodes with and without chest radiograph (CXR) among children discharged from the pediatric emergency department. Their retrospective cohort study used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State ED and Inpatient Databases on children aged 3 months to 18 years with CAP in eight states from 2014 to 2019. The results indicated that use of CXR for CAP diagnosis is associated with lower costs when considering the subsequent provision of care among patients who need additional health care after initial emergency department discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS026503; HS000063.
Citation: Geanacopoulos AT, Neuman MI, Michelson KA .
Cost of pediatric pneumonia episodes with or without chest radiography.
Hosp Pediatr 2024 Feb; 14(2):146-52. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007506.
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Children/Adolescents, Pneumonia, Respiratory Conditions, Community-Acquired Infections
Sequeira GM, Asante PG, Bocek K
Evaluating an electronic consultation platform to support pediatric primary care providers in caring for transgender and nonbinary adolescents.
An electronic consultation (e-consult) platform was introduced to conduct a study to aid pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) in providing gender-affirming care to transgender and nonbinary (TNB) adolescents. A study assessed its impact on PCP confidence and referral patterns. Results showed increased confidence and a 19% decrease in specialty referrals among PCPs. The platform received positive usability feedback, suggesting its potential to enhance care access and reduce specialty referrals for TNB adolescents.
AHRQ-funded; HS026393.
Citation: Sequeira GM, Asante PG, Bocek K .
Evaluating an electronic consultation platform to support pediatric primary care providers in caring for transgender and nonbinary adolescents.
Telemed J E Health 2024 Feb; 30(2):595-600. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0266.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Primary Care, Vulnerable Populations
Loi MV, Lee JH, Huh JW
Ketamine use in the intubation of critically ill children with neurological indications: a multicenter retrospective analysis.
This study examined use of ketamine in children undergoing tubal intubation (TI) for a primary neurological indication. The authors conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of critically ill children undergoing TI for neurological indications in 53 international pediatric intensive care units and emergency departments. They screened all intubations from 2014 to 2020 entered into the multicenter National Emergency Airway Registry for Children (NEAR4KIDS) registry database. Of 21,562 TIs, 2,073 were performed for a primary neurological indication, including 190 for traumatic brain injury/trauma. Patients received ketamine in 495 TIs (23.9%), which increased from 10% in 2014 to 41% in 2020. Criteria for ketamine use includes a coindication of respiratory failure, difficult airway history, and use of vagolytic agents, apneic oxygenation, and video laryngoscopy. Composite adverse outcomes were reported in 289 (13.9%) TIs and were more common in the ketamine group (17.0% vs. 13.0%). After adjusting for location, patient age and co-diagnoses, the presence of respiratory failure and shock, difficult airway history, provider demographics, intubating device, and the use of apneic oxygenation, vagolytic agents, and neuromuscular blockade, ketamine use was not significantly associated with increased composite adverse outcomes. This paucity of association remained even when only neurotrauma intubations were considered (10.6% vs. 7.7%).
AHRQ-funded; HS022464, HS024511.
Citation: Loi MV, Lee JH, Huh JW .
Ketamine use in the intubation of critically ill children with neurological indications: a multicenter retrospective analysis.
Neurocrit Care 2024 Feb; 40(1):205-14. doi: 10.1007/s12028-023-01734-0.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Critical Care, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Patient Safety
Melton K, Liu J, Sadeghi H
Predictors of transition outcomes in cystic fibrosis: analysis of National Patient Registry and CF RISE (Responsibility. Independence. Self-care. Education) data.
This retrospective cohort study’s goal was to identify predictors of transition outcomes in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients aged 16-25 years who transitioned to adult care from 2013 to 2019. The authors used data from the CF Foundation Patient Registry and the web-based transition program CF RISE (Responsibility. Independence. Self-care. Education). They modeled change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second % predicted and weight using linear regression fit with generalized estimating equations. Predictor variables included gap in care (time between last pediatric and first adult outpatient visit), transition program engagement, and sociodemographic and medical factors. Among 12,420 adolescents and young adults, 3876 transitioned to adult care with a median gap in care of 7.6 months. Patients from CF centers that have greater rates of CF RISE engagement had improved lung function and weight at their first adult outpatient visit. Patients with coverage on a parent's insurance plan and absence of CF complications predicted increased lung function. Sinus disease and history of a nonlung transplant predicted increased weight. Comorbid diabetes mellitus and gaps in care greater than 3 months predicted decreased lung function with longer gaps in care associated with greater decrease. Care gaps of 6 to 9 months predicted decreased weight. Other control variables including baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second and weight, and exacerbation status were also statistically significant.
AHRQ-funded; HS000063.
Citation: Melton K, Liu J, Sadeghi H .
Predictors of transition outcomes in cystic fibrosis: analysis of National Patient Registry and CF RISE (Responsibility. Independence. Self-care. Education) data.
J Pediatr 2024 Feb; 265:113812. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113812.
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Respiratory Conditions, Children/Adolescents, Transitions of Care
De Castro GC, Slatnick LR, Shannon M
Impact of time-to-antibiotic delivery in pediatric patients with cancer presenting with febrile neutropenia.
Researchers abstracted episodes of febrile neutropenia (FN) in pediatric patients with cancer occurring at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and Colorado Children's Hospital to capture time-to-antibiotic (TTA) metrics and clinical outcomes including major complications. Results showed that only 0.6% of episodes required immediate ICU management, with a median TTA of 28 minutes; for the remaining patients, the median TTA was 56 minutes. TTA was not associated with major nor any other complications in adjusted analysis. The researchers concluded that there was no clear evidence that a reduced TTA improves clinical outcomes in pediatric oncology FN and it should not be used as a primary quality measure.
AHRQ-funded; HS025696.
Citation: De Castro GC, Slatnick LR, Shannon M .
Impact of time-to-antibiotic delivery in pediatric patients with cancer presenting with febrile neutropenia.
JCO Oncol Pract 2024 Feb; 20(2):228-38. doi: 10.1200/op.23.00583..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Cancer, Antibiotics, Medication
Nacht CL, Jacobson N, Shiyanbola O
Perception of physicians' notes among parents of different health literacy levels.
The study explored how parents of varying health literacy levels perceive accessing physicians' notes during pediatric hospitalization. Thematic analysis of interviews with 28 parents revealed benefits like information recall and autonomy, with challenges including receiving bad news before face-to-face communication. The study found that parents with limited literacy found notes especially helpful for understanding the care of the child while reducing worry. Simplifying medical terms could enhance note accessibility for all parents, ensuring equitable access to healthcare information.
AHRQ-funded; HS027214.
Citation: Nacht CL, Jacobson N, Shiyanbola O .
Perception of physicians' notes among parents of different health literacy levels.
Hosp Pediatr 2024 Feb; 14(2):108-15. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007240.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Health Literacy, Caregiving, Clinician-Patient Communication, Communication
Feltner C, Wallace IF, Nowell SW
Screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children 5 years or younger: evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
This evidence report and systematic review reviewed the evidence on screening for speech and language delay or disorders in children 5 years or younger to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force. This literature review looked at English-language studies of screening test accuracy, trials or cohort studies comparing screening vs no screening; randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of interventions. Main outcomes and measures were screening test accuracy, speech and language outcomes, school performance, function, quality of life, and harms. A total of 38 studies in 41 articles were included (N = 9006). There were 21 studies (n = 7489) that assessed the accuracy of 23 different screening tools that varied with regard to whether they were designed to be completed by parents vs trained examiners, and to screen for global (any) language problems vs specific skills (e.g., expressive language). Three studies assessing parent-reported tools for expressive language skills had consistently high sensitivity (range, 88%-93%) and specificity (range, 88%-85%). Other screening tools had widely varying accuracy. Seventeen RCTs (n = 1517) evaluated interventions for speech and language delay or disorders. There were no RCTs included on the harms of interventions.
AHRQ-funded; 75Q80120D00006.
Citation: Feltner C, Wallace IF, Nowell SW .
Screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children 5 years or younger: evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2024 Jan 23; 331(4):335-51. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.24647..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Children/Adolescents, Screening, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice
Carroll AR, Johnson JA, Stassun JC
Health literacy-informed communication to reduce discharge medication errors in hospitalized children: a randomized clinical trial.
This study’s objective was to test a health literacy-informed communication intervention to decrease liquid medication dosing errors compared with standard counseling in hospitalized children. This parallel, randomized clinical trial was conducted from June 22, 2021, to August 20, 2022, at a tertiary care, US children's hospital. English- and Spanish-speaking caregivers of hospitalized children 6 years or younger prescribed a new, scheduled liquid medication at discharge were included in the analysis. Observed dosing errors were the main outcome measured, and secondary outcomes included caregiver-reported medication knowledge. Among 198 randomized caregivers (mean age 31.4 years; 186 women [93.9%]; 36 [18.2%] Hispanic or Latino and 158 [79.8%] White), the primary outcome was available for 151 (76.3%). The observed mean (SD) percentage dosing error was 1.0% (2.2 percentage points) among the intervention group and 3.3% (5.1 percentage points) among the standard counseling group (absolute difference, 2.3 percentage points). Twenty-four of 79 caregivers in the intervention group (30.4%) measured an incorrect dose compared with 39 of 72 (54.2%) in the standard counseling group. The intervention enhanced caregiver-reported medication knowledge compared with the standard counseling group for medication dose (71 of 76 [93.4%] vs 55 of 69 [79.7%]), duration of administration (65 of 76 [85.5%] vs 49 of 69 [71.0%], and correct reporting of 2 or more medication adverse effects (60 of 76 [78.9%] vs 13 of 69 [18.8%]).
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Carroll AR, Johnson JA, Stassun JC .
Health literacy-informed communication to reduce discharge medication errors in hospitalized children: a randomized clinical trial.
JAMA Netw Open 2024 Jan 2; 7(1):e2350969. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50969..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Health Literacy, Communication, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Medical Errors, Clinician-Patient Communication, Hospital Discharge, Medication: Safety
Sick-Samuels AC, Koontz DW, Xie A
A survey of PICU clinician practices and perceptions regarding respiratory cultures in the evaluation of ventilator-associated infections in the BrighT STAR Collaborative.
A survey of medical professionals from 16 different academic pediatric hospitals was conducted from May 2021-January 2022. The goal of the survey was to examine respiratory culture practices, drivers, and barriers in mechanically ventilated patients. The study concluded that respiratory culture practices were inconsistent.
AHRQ-funded; HS028634.
Citation: Sick-Samuels AC, Koontz DW, Xie A .
A survey of PICU clinician practices and perceptions regarding respiratory cultures in the evaluation of ventilator-associated infections in the BrighT STAR Collaborative.
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2024 Jan; 25(1):e20-e30. doi: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003379..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)
Sprackling CM, Kieren MQ, Nacht CL
Adolescent access to clinicians' notes: adolescent, parent, and clinician perspectives.
This study’s goal was to identify adolescent, parent, and clinician perspectives on the anticipated benefits and concerns of giving adolescents access to clinicians’ notes and strategies in response to a 2021 federal mandate. The authors conducted six focus groups with adolescents, parents, and clinicians at a children's hospital from May to October 2021. A semistructured facilitator guide captured patient perspectives of the benefits, concerns, and strategies. A total of 38 stakeholders (17 adolescents, 10 parents, and 11 clinicians) described four benefits, three concerns, and four implementation strategies regarding adolescent note-sharing. Potential benefits captured in the focus groups included adolescents using notes to remember and reinforce the visit, gaining knowledge about their health, strengthening the adolescent-clinician relationship, and increasing agency in health care decisions. Concerns the guide captured included notes leading to a breach in confidentiality, causing negative emotions, and becoming less useful for clinicians. Strategies to address these concerns included making note-sharing more secure, optimizing note layout and content, setting clear expectations, and having a portion of the note for clinician use only.
AHRQ-funded; HS027214; HS027894.
Citation: Sprackling CM, Kieren MQ, Nacht CL .
Adolescent access to clinicians' notes: adolescent, parent, and clinician perspectives.
J Adolesc Health 2024 Jan; 74(1):155-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.08.008..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Clinician-Patient Communication, Patient and Family Engagement