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
Topics
- (-) Blood Pressure (3)
- Cardiovascular Conditions (2)
- Diabetes (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (2)
- Guidelines (1)
- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (1)
- Medication (1)
- Outcomes (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- (-) Prevention (3)
- (-) Primary Care (3)
- Quality Improvement (1)
- Quality of Care (1)
- Tobacco Use (1)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (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 3 of 3 Research Studies DisplayedCohen 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
Egan BM, Li J, Davis RA
Differences in primary cardiovascular disease prevention between the 2013 and 2016 cholesterol guidelines and impact of the 2017 hypertension guideline in the United States.
The US Preventive Services Task Force cholesterol guideline recommended statins for fewer adults than the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guideline by setting a higher 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease threshold and requiring concomitant diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or cigarette smoking. The 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline lowered the hypertension threshold, increasing 2016 guideline statin-eligible adults. This article discusses differences in primary cardiovascular disease prevention between the 2013 and 2016 cholesterol guidelines and impact of the 2017 hypertension guideline in the United States.
AHRQ-funded; P30 HS021667.
Citation: Egan BM, Li J, Davis RA .
Differences in primary cardiovascular disease prevention between the 2013 and 2016 cholesterol guidelines and impact of the 2017 hypertension guideline in the United States.
J Clin Hypertens 2018 Jun;20(6):991-1000. doi: 10.1111/jch.13314..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Evidence-Based Practice, Guidelines, Blood Pressure, Medication, Prevention, Primary Care, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
Smith JJ, Berman MD, Hiratsuka VY
The effect of regular primary care utilization on long-term glycemic and blood pressure control in adults with diabetes.
The researchers sought to assess the effect of primary care utilization on glycemic control and blood pressure control for a cohort of customer-owners with diabetes mellitus (DM) who received care from Southcentral Foundation, a tribal provider. They found that regular primary care utilization over 16 years was associated with higher rates of blood pressure control and glycemic control for adults with DM.
AHRQ-funded; HS019154.
Citation: Smith JJ, Berman MD, Hiratsuka VY .
The effect of regular primary care utilization on long-term glycemic and blood pressure control in adults with diabetes.
J Am Board Fam Med 2015 Jan-Feb;28(1):28-37. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.01.130329..
Keywords: Primary Care, Diabetes, Healthcare Utilization, Blood Pressure, Prevention