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 (4)
- Behavioral Health (2)
- Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (1)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- COVID-19 (1)
- Disparities (9)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (1)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- Health Insurance (6)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (3)
- Health Status (1)
- Low-Income (1)
- Maternal Care (1)
- Medicaid (5)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (1)
- Patient-Centered Healthcare (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Patient Experience (1)
- (-) Policy (18)
- Pregnancy (1)
- (-) Racial and Ethnic Minorities (18)
- Social Determinants of Health (2)
- Substance Abuse (1)
- Transplantation (1)
- Uninsured (2)
- Vulnerable Populations (2)
- Women (1)
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 18 of 18 Research Studies DisplayedJindal 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
Blanco C, Kato EU, Aklin WM
AHRQ Author: Kato EU, Tong ST, Bierman A, Meyers D
Research to move policy - using evidence to advance health equity for substance use disorders.
This paper discusses ways that evidence-based research can advance health equity for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Racial and ethnic disparities in treatment access and outcomes have widened, despite substantial efforts to address the epidemic of overdose-related deaths in the US. Overdose rates are rising faster in Black, Latinx, and American Indian and Alaska Native populations than in White populations. Possible opportunities to address these disparities include addressing social determinants of health, implementing prevention measures, and supporting data science. The steps to ensure that research reduces disparities are to: 1) include members of underrepresented groups in the development of preventive interventions and treatments, 2) adequately recruit members of historically represented groups and ensure that studies are large enough to measure differences in outcomes according to race and ethnic group, 3) establish equitable partnerships with people who currently have or have had SUDS and their families and engage these groups in evidence production, 4) diversify the scientific workforce, and 4) have investigators measure the effects of policies and interventions on equity.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Blanco C, Kato EU, Aklin WM .
Research to move policy - using evidence to advance health equity for substance use disorders.
N Engl J Med 2022 Jun 16;386(24):2253-55. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2202740..
Keywords: Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Social Determinants of Health
Steenland MW, Wilson IB, Matteson KA
Association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities.
This study’s objective was to measure the association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities. A total of 60,990 childbirths were reviewed from January 1, 2014 on with a total of 72.3% paid for by Medicaid and 27.7% paid for by a commercial payer. The mean age of the birthing person was 27; with 67% White, 22% Black, and 7% Hispanic. Medicaid expansion in Arkansas was associated with a 27.8 percentage point increase in continuous insurance coverage and an increase in outpatient visits of 0.9 during the first 6 months postpartum, representing relative increases of 54.9% and 75.0%, respectively. Racial disparities in postpartum coverage decreased from 6.3 percentage points before expansion to -2.0 after. However, disparities in outpatient care after expansion persisted between Black and White individuals.
AHRQ-funded; HS027464.
Citation: Steenland MW, Wilson IB, Matteson KA .
Association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities.
JAMA Health Forum 2021 Dec;2(12):e214167. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.4167..
Keywords: Medicaid, Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Policy, Women, Access to Care
Huguet N, Schmidt T, Larson A
Prevalence of pre-existing conditions among community health center patients with COVID-19: implications for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Researchers described the prevalence of pre-existing conditions among community health center patients overall and those with COVID-19 by race/ethnicity. Electronic health record data from OCHIN, a network of 396 community health centers across 14 states, was used. They concluded that since the future of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is uncertain, and since the long-term health effects of COVID-19 are largely unknown, ensuring that people with pre-existing conditions can acquire health insurance is essential to achieving health equity.
AHRQ-funded; HS025962.
Citation: Huguet N, Schmidt T, Larson A .
Prevalence of pre-existing conditions among community health center patients with COVID-19: implications for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
J Am Board Fam Med 2021 Feb;34(Suppl):S247-s49. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2021.S1.200571..
Keywords: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), COVID-19, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Policy, Healthcare Delivery
Ornelas IJ, Yamanis TJ, Ruiz RA
The health of undocumented Latinx immigrants: what we know and future directions.
This review article summarizes the limited but growing literature on the health of undocumented Latinx immigrations and how exposure to trauma, immigration enforcement, changes to social networks, and discrimination negatively affect their mental and physical health. The authors discuss how policies and social ties can promote their health. They focus on areas of concern and recommend how future research should be conducted.
AHRQ-funded; HS013853.
Citation: Ornelas IJ, Yamanis TJ, Ruiz RA .
The health of undocumented Latinx immigrants: what we know and future directions.
Annu Rev Public Health 2020 Apr 2;41:289-308. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094211..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Vulnerable Populations, Social Determinants of Health, Policy
Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN
Asian American access to care in the Affordable Care Act era: findings from a population-based survey in California.
This study compared coverage and access to care between non-Hispanic White and Asian American adults after the ACA in California. The data was disaggregated into the five most populous ethnic subgroups (Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Japanese). The outcomes measured were 1) being uninsured, 2) having a usual source of care, 3) delaying necessary medical care, and 4) delaying necessary prescription medications. The sample included 19,201 non-Hispanic White and 3077 Asian American adults aged 18 to 64 in California. Koreans were significantly less likely to report a usual source of care relative to non-Hispanic whites while Chinese and Vietnamese adults were significantly less likely to delay necessary care.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN .
Asian American access to care in the Affordable Care Act era: findings from a population-based survey in California.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Nov;34(11):2660-68. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05328-5..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Access to Care, Disparities, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Policy
Barnett ML, Clark KL, Sommers BD
State policies and enrollees' experiences in Medicaid: evidence from a new national survey.
This study examined patient satisfaction among Medicaid enrollees nationally from 2014-2015. Significant disparities were found among racial/ethnic groups. Managed care enrollees had higher satisfaction ratings than those with fee-for-service. If the patient had a personal doctor that increased satisfaction for an average 4.6 percent.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Barnett ML, Clark KL, Sommers BD .
State policies and enrollees' experiences in Medicaid: evidence from a new national survey.
Health Aff 2018 Oct;37(10):1647-55. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0505..
Keywords: Access to Care, Disparities, Medicaid, Patient Experience, Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Cohen MS, Schpero WL
Household immigration status had differential impact on Medicaid enrollment in expansion and nonexpansion states.
This study identified households that likely included undocumented immigrants and then examined whether gains in health care coverage due to the expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were dampened for eligible people living in households with mixed immigration status. It found that coverage gains were significantly lower for people in mixed-status households relative to those in non-mixed-status households in nonexpansion states.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Cohen MS, Schpero WL .
Household immigration status had differential impact on Medicaid enrollment in expansion and nonexpansion states.
Health Aff 2018 Mar;37(3):394-402. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0978.
.
.
Keywords: Health Insurance, Policy, Medicaid, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Vulnerable Populations
Kumar K, Holscher CM, Luo X
Persistent regional and racial disparities in nondirected living kidney donation.
Nondirected living donors (NDLDs) are an important and growing source of kidneys to help reduce the organ shortage. The authors of this study hypothesized that the initial geographic clustering and racial disparities may have improved due to an increase in NDLDs. The authors found that despite the increased number of NDLDs, racial disparities have worsened and the center-level distribution of NDLD transplants has narrowed in recent years.
AHRQ-funded; HS024600.
Citation: Kumar K, Holscher CM, Luo X .
Persistent regional and racial disparities in nondirected living kidney donation.
Clin Transplant 2017 Dec;31(12). doi: 10.1111/ctr.13135..
Keywords: Disparities, Health Services Research (HSR), Policy, Transplantation, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Hiratsuka VY, Beans JA, Robinson RF
Self-determination in health research: an Alaska native example of tribal ownership and research regulation.
Southcentral Foundation (SCF), an Alaska Native-owned and operated health care organization, is transforming the relationship between researchers and the tribal community by making trust and accountability required features of health research in Alaska Native (AN) and American Indian (AI) communities. This review evaluates research through the lens of tribal principles, practices, and priorities. The SCF example provides a framework for other tribes and organizations seeking to reshape the future of health research in AN/AI communities.
AHRQ-funded; HS000079.
Citation: Hiratsuka VY, Beans JA, Robinson RF .
Self-determination in health research: an Alaska native example of tribal ownership and research regulation.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017 Oct 31;14(11). doi: 10.3390/ijerph14111324.
.
.
Keywords: Health Services Research (HSR), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Allen CD, McNeely CA
Do restrictive omnibus immigration laws reduce enrollment in public health insurance by Latino citizen children? A comparative interrupted time series study.
This study uses nationally-representative data from the National Health Interview Survey (2005-2014) and comparative interrupted time series methods to assess whether passage of state omnibus immigration laws reduced access to Medicaid/CHIP for US citizen Latino children. The authors found that law passage did not reduce enrollment for children with noncitizen parents and actually resulted in temporary increases in coverage among Latino children with at least one citizen parent.
AHRQ-funded; HS024248.
Citation: Allen CD, McNeely CA .
Do restrictive omnibus immigration laws reduce enrollment in public health insurance by Latino citizen children? A comparative interrupted time series study.
Soc Sci Med 2017 Oct;191:19-29. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.08.039..
Keywords: Access to Care, Children/Adolescents, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Cook BL, Zuvekas SH, Chen J
AHRQ Author: Zuvekas SH
Assessing the individual, neighborhood, and policy predictors of disparities in mental health care.
This study assessed individual- and area-level predictors of racial/ethnic disparities in mental health care episodes for adults with psychiatric illness. It found that racial/ethnic disparities arise because minorities are more likely to live in neighborhoods where treatment initiation is low, rather than because of a differential influence of neighborhood disadvantage on treatment initiation for minorities compared with whites.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS021486.
Citation: Cook BL, Zuvekas SH, Chen J .
Assessing the individual, neighborhood, and policy predictors of disparities in mental health care.
Med Care Res Rev 2017 Aug;74(4):404-30. doi: 10.1177/1077558716646898.
.
.
Keywords: Disparities, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Behavioral Health, Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Heintzman J, Bailey SR, DeVoe J
In low-income Latino patients, post-affordable care act insurance disparities may be reduced even more than broader national estimates: evidence from Oregon.
This study compared the insurance status of low-income patients served in 23 community health centers (CHCs) in Oregon, by race/ethnicity and language, over a period of 6 years straddling the implementation of ACA-related Medicaid expansion in 2014. It found that among previously uninsured low-income patients returning to Oregon CHCs, insurance disparities were eliminated after Medicaid expansion, especially in Spanish-speaking Latinos.
AHRQ-funded; HS021522; HS024270.
Citation: Heintzman J, Bailey SR, DeVoe J .
In low-income Latino patients, post-affordable care act insurance disparities may be reduced even more than broader national estimates: evidence from Oregon.
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2017 Jun;4(3):329-36. doi: 10.1007/s40615-016-0232-1.
.
.
Keywords: Disparities, Health Insurance, Policy, Low-Income, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Sohn H, Timmermans S
Social effects of health care reform: Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act and changes in volunteering.
This article examined whether public health policy interventions result in pro-social behaviors. Specifically, it examined the association between Medicaid and volunteer work. Volunteerism is implicated in individuals' health and well-being yet it is highly correlated with a person's existing socioeconomic resources. The investigators found that increased volunteer work associated with Medicaid was greater among minority groups and narrowed existing ethnic differences in volunteerism in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Sohn H, Timmermans S .
Social effects of health care reform: Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act and changes in volunteering.
Socius 2017 Jan-Dec;3. doi: 10.1177/2378023117700903..
Keywords: Medicaid, Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Chandrasekar E, Kim KE, Song S
First year open enrollment findings: health insurance coverage for Asian Americans and the role of navigators.
The role of navigators has been shown to increase enrollment rates of public insurance programs. Cambodian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Laotian community-based organizations were able to reach individuals for whom the percentage of uninsured is disproportionately high. A community-level intervention was implemented that was associated with increases in first year marketplace enrollment and greater likelihood of obtaining a primary care physician.
AHRQ-funded; HS022063.
Citation: Chandrasekar E, Kim KE, Song S .
First year open enrollment findings: health insurance coverage for Asian Americans and the role of navigators.
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2016 Sep;3(3):537-45. doi: 10.1007/s40615-015-0172-1.
.
.
Keywords: Health Insurance, Policy, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Sommers BD, Chua KP, Kenney GM
California's early coverage expansion under the Affordable Care Act: a county-level analysis.
The researchers assessed the coverage effects of California's 2011 Low-Income Health Program (LIHP), enacted as an "early expansion" under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and to demonstrate the feasibility of using Census data to measure county-level coverage changes. They concluded that California's 2011 expansion produced significant increases in public coverage for low-income individuals, particularly Latinos.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Sommers BD, Chua KP, Kenney GM .
California's early coverage expansion under the Affordable Care Act: a county-level analysis.
Health Serv Res 2016 Jun;51(3):825-45. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12397.
.
.
Keywords: Medicaid, Uninsured, Policy, Health Insurance, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Frean M, Shelder S, Rosenthal MB
Health reform and coverage changes among Native Americans.
This study evaluated changes in insurance and Indian Health Service (IHS) coverage among Native Americans following the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) implementation. It concluded that the ACA was associated with significant coverage increases for Native Americans, primarily in Medicaid expansion states, consistent with national trends for all racial/ethnic groups. Nationally, much of the coverage increase occurred among Native Americans without connections to IHS.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Frean M, Shelder S, Rosenthal MB .
Health reform and coverage changes among Native Americans.
JAMA Intern Med 2016 Jun;176(6):858-60. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.1695.
.
.
Keywords: Policy, Health Insurance, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Ross RE, Garfield LD, Brown DS
The Affordable Care Act and implications for health care services for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals.
This paper summarizes the Affordable Care Act provisions that directly and/or indirectly affect the service delivery of health care provided by tribes and the Indian Health Service.
AHRQ-funded; HS020269.
Citation: Ross RE, Garfield LD, Brown DS .
The Affordable Care Act and implications for health care services for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals.
J Health Care Poor Underserved 2015 Nov;26(4):1081-8. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2015.0129.
.
.
Keywords: Disparities, Policy, Health Status, Health Services Research (HSR), Racial and Ethnic Minorities