National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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- Access to Care (4)
- Blood Pressure (1)
- Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Prostate Cancer (2)
- Chronic Conditions (2)
- Diabetes (2)
- Digestive Disease and Health (1)
- (-) Disparities (16)
- (-) Elderly (16)
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- Medication: Safety (1)
- Mortality (2)
- Nursing Homes (3)
- Opioids (1)
- Outcomes (1)
- Pressure Ulcers (1)
- Quality Indicators (QIs) (1)
- Quality Measures (1)
- Quality of Care (1)
- (-) Racial and Ethnic Minorities (16)
- Social Determinants of Health (2)
- Substance Abuse (1)
- Surgery (1)
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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.
Results
1 to 16 of 16 Research Studies DisplayedEnzinger AC, Ghosh K, Keating NL
Racial and ethnic disparities in opioid access and urine drug screening among older patients with poor-prognosis cancer near the end of life.
This research characterized racial and ethnic disparities and trends in opioid access and urine drug screening (UDS) among older patients dying of cancer, and to explore potential mechanisms. Among 18,549 non-Hispanic White (White), Black, and Hispanic Medicare decedents older than 65 years with poor-prognosis cancers, the authors examined 2007-2019 trends in opioid prescription fills and potency (morphine milligram equivalents [MMEs] per day [MMEDs]) near the end of life (EOL), defined as 30 days before death or hospice enrollment. They found that between 2007 and 2019, White, Black, and Hispanic decedents experienced steady declines in EOL opioid access and rapid expansion of UDS. Compared with White patients, Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to receive any opioid (Black, -4.3 percentage points; Hispanic, -3.6 percentage points) and long-acting opioids (Black, -3.1 percentage points; Hispanic, -2.2 percentage points). They also received lower daily doses (Black, -10.5 MMED; Hispanic, -9.1 MMED) and lower total doses (Black, -210 MMEs; Hispanic, -179 MMEs). Black patients were also more likely to undergo UDS (0.5 percentage points).
AHRQ-funded; HS024072.
Citation: Enzinger AC, Ghosh K, Keating NL .
Racial and ethnic disparities in opioid access and urine drug screening among older patients with poor-prognosis cancer near the end of life.
J Clin Oncol 2023 May 10; 41(14):2511-22. doi: 10.1200/jco.22.01413..
Keywords: Elderly, Opioids, Medication, Cancer, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Access to Care
Sanghavi P, Chen Z
Underreporting of quality measures and associated facility characteristics and racial disparities in US nursing home ratings.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between nursing home characteristics and reporting of 2 of 3 specific clinical outcomes reported by the Nursing Home Care Compare (NHCC) website: major injury falls and pressure ulcers. The researchers of this quality improvement study utilized hospitalization data for all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2017. Hospital admission claims for major injury falls and pressure ulcers were linked with facility-reported evaluations at the nursing home resident level. For each linked hospital claim, it was determined whether the nursing home had reported the event and rates of reporting were computed. To evaluate whether nursing homes reported similarly on both measures, the researchers estimated the relationship between reporting of major injury falls and pressure ulcers within a nursing home, and explored racial and ethnic disparities that could otherwise explain the associations. The study sample included 13,179 nursing homes where 131,000 residents experienced major injury fall or pressure ulcer hospitalizations. Of the 98,669 major injury fall hospitalizations, 60.0% were reported, and of the 39,894 stage 3 or 4 pressure ulcer hospitalizations, 67.7% were reported. Underreporting for both conditions was pervasive, with 69.9% and 71.7% of nursing homes having reporting rates less than 80% for major injury fall and pressure ulcer hospitalizations, respectively. Lower reporting rates had few correlations with facility characteristics other than racial and ethnic composition. Facilities with high vs low fall reporting rates had significantly more White residents (86.9% vs 73.3%), and facilities with high vs low pressure ulcer reporting rates had significantly fewer White residents (69.7% vs 74.9%).
AHRQ-funded; HS026957.
Citation: Sanghavi P, Chen Z .
Underreporting of quality measures and associated facility characteristics and racial disparities in US nursing home ratings.
JAMA Netw Open 2023 May; 6(5):e2314822. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.14822..
Keywords: Quality Measures, Quality of Care, Elderly, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Nursing Homes, Pressure Ulcers, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Quality Indicators (QIs), Long-Term Care
Herb J, Staley BS, Roberson M
Use and disparities in parathyroidectomy for symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism in the Medicare population.
The investigators’ objective was to determine national usage and disparities in parathyroidectomy for symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism among insured older adults. Data was obtained using Medicare claims. They found that parathyroidectomy was underused and recommended that quality improvement efforts, rooted in equitable care, be undertaken to increase access to parathyroidectomy for this disease.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Herb J, Staley BS, Roberson M .
Use and disparities in parathyroidectomy for symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism in the Medicare population.
Surgery 2021 Nov;170(5):1376-82. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2021.05.026..
Keywords: Elderly, Disparities, Medicare, Surgery, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Smith JM, Jarrín OF, Lin H
Racial disparities in post-acute home health care referral and utilization among older adults with diabetes.
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between race/ethnicity and hospital discharge to home health care and subsequent utilization of home health care among a cohort of adults (age 50 and older) who experienced a diabetes-related hospitalization. The investigators found that among those discharged to home health care, all non-white racial/ethnic minority patients were less likely to receive services within 14-days.
AHRQ-funded; HS022406.
Citation: Smith JM, Jarrín OF, Lin H .
Racial disparities in post-acute home health care referral and utilization among older adults with diabetes.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 Mar 19;18(6):3196. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18063196..
Keywords: Elderly, Home Healthcare, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Access to Care, Healthcare Utilization
Odlum M, Moise N, Kronish IM
Trends in poor health indicators among Black and Hispanic middle-aged and older adults in the United States, 1999-2018.
This study used records extracted from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to determine which health indicators have improved or became worse among Black and Hispanic middle-aged (45 and older) adults compared to Whites from 1999 to 2018. This data is required by the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000. A sample included of 4,856,326 participants, of them 60.9% women, mean age 60.4. During the last 20 years, Black adults showed an overall decrease showing improvement in uninsured status and physical inactivity while showing an overall increase in hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and stroke, and also the same increases and decreases in the Black-White gap. Hispanic adults showed improvement in physical inactivity and perceived poor health, while they showed overall deterioration in hypertension and diabetes. The Hispanic-White gap improved in coronary heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, asthma, arthritis, depression and physical inactivity while it increased for diabetes, hypertension, and uninsured status.
AHRQ-funded; HS025198.
Citation: Odlum M, Moise N, Kronish IM .
Trends in poor health indicators among Black and Hispanic middle-aged and older adults in the United States, 1999-2018.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Nov 2;3(11):e2025134. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25134..
Keywords: Elderly, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Health Status, Health Insurance, Diabetes, Blood Pressure, Chronic Conditions
Shah SC, McKinley M, Gupta S
Population-based analysis of differences in gastric cancer incidence among races and ethnicities in individuals age 50 years and older.
There are racial and ethnic differences in the incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma worldwide and in the US. Based on a decision analysis, screening for noncardia gastric adenocarcinoma might be cost-effective for non-White individuals 50 years or older. In this study, the investigators aimed to estimate the differences in gastric adenocarcinoma incidence in specific anatomic sites among races and ethnicities in individuals 50 years or older.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Shah SC, McKinley M, Gupta S .
Population-based analysis of differences in gastric cancer incidence among races and ethnicities in individuals age 50 years and older.
Gastroenterology 2020 Nov;159(5):1705-14.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.07.049..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer, Digestive Disease and Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities
Roberts ET, Mehrotra A
Assessment of disparities in digital access among Medicare beneficiaries and implications for telemedicine.
In this study, the investigators examined disparities in digital access (ie, access at home to technology that enables video telemedicine visits) among Medicare beneficiaries by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The investigators concluded that the proportion of beneficiaries who lacked digital access was higher among those with low socioeconomic status, those 85 years or older, and in communities of color.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Roberts ET, Mehrotra A .
Assessment of disparities in digital access among Medicare beneficiaries and implications for telemedicine.
JAMA Intern Med 2020 Oct;180(10):1386-89. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2666..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Disparities, Access to Care, Social Determinants of Health, Low-Income, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Li J, Qi M, Werner RM
Assessment of receipt of the first home health care visit after hospital discharge among older adults.
Investigators examined how often patients referred to home health care at hospital discharge receive it and whether there is evidence of disparities. Their study used Medicare data regarding the postacute home health care setting; participants were Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries discharged from the hospital with a referral to home health care. They found that only 54% of patients discharged received home health care services within 14 days of discharge. Of the remaining 46% discharged, 37.7% never received any home health care, while 8.3% were institutionalized or died within 14 days without a preceding home health care visit. Patients who were Black or Hispanic received home health at lower rates than did patients who were White. They concluded that disparities in the use of home health care remain an issue in the US.
AHRQ-funded; HS024266; HS026836.
Citation: Li J, Qi M, Werner RM .
Assessment of receipt of the first home health care visit after hospital discharge among older adults.
JAMA Netw Open 2020 Sep;3(9):e2015470. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.15470..
Keywords: Elderly, Hospital Discharge, Home Healthcare, Disparities, Access to Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Fashaw S, Chisholm L, Mor V
Inappropriate antipsychotic use: the impact of nursing home socioeconomic and racial composition.
Researchers examined how nursing home characteristics, particularly the racial and socioeconomic composition of residents, are associated with the inappropriate use of antipsychotics, using national data from Long-Term Care: Facts on Care. They found an overall decline in the use of antipsychotics. Although findings indicated facilities with higher proportions of blacks had lower inappropriate antipsychotic use, facility-level socioeconomic disparities continued to persist among nursing homes. They recommended that policy interventions focusing on reimbursement be considered to promote reductions in antipsychotic use, specifically among Medicaid-reliant nursing homes.
ARHQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Fashaw S, Chisholm L, Mor V .
Inappropriate antipsychotic use: the impact of nursing home socioeconomic and racial composition.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2020 Mar;68(3):630-36. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16316..
Keywords: Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Elderly, Medication, Medication: Safety, Social Determinants of Health, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Gorges RJ, Sanghavi P, Konetzka RT
A national examination of long-term care setting, outcomes, and disparities among elderly dual eligibles.
The authors investigated the outcomes of expanding Medicaid funding for long-term care home and community-based services (HCBS). Using national Medicaid claims data on older adults enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, they found that overall hospitalization rates were similar for HCBS and nursing facility users. They concluded that home and community-based services need to be carefully targeted to avoid adverse outcomes and that the racial/ethnic disparities in access to high-quality institutional long-term care are also present in HCBS.
AHRQ-funded; HS000084.
Citation: Gorges RJ, Sanghavi P, Konetzka RT .
A national examination of long-term care setting, outcomes, and disparities among elderly dual eligibles.
Health Aff 2019 Jul;38(7):1110-18. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05409..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicaid, Medicare, Long-Term Care, Home Healthcare, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Fabius CD, Thomas KS
Examining black-white disparities among Medicare beneficiaries in assisted living settings in 2014.
The purpose of this study examined racial differences among a national cohort of assisted living (AL) residents and how the racial variation among AL Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) beneficiaries compared to differences among community-dwelling and nursing home cohorts. Using the Medicare Master Summary Beneficiary File, researchers found that black patients were disproportionately represented in AL, younger, more likely to be Medicaid eligible, had higher levels of acuity, and more often lived in ALs with fewer whites and more patients with dual eligibility. Further, new black residents entered AL with higher rates of acute care hospitalizations and skilled nursing facility utilization. Further research is recommended.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Fabius CD, Thomas KS .
Examining black-white disparities among Medicare beneficiaries in assisted living settings in 2014.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2019 Jun;20(6):703-09. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2018.09.032..
Keywords: Disparities, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Medicare, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Berridge C, Mor V
Disparities in the prevalence of unmet needs and their consequences among black and white older adults.
This study documents differential prevalence of need for assistance with personal, instrumental, and mobility tasks and adverse consequences of unmet needs, nursing home relocation, and mortality among Black and White older adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Berridge C, Mor V .
Disparities in the prevalence of unmet needs and their consequences among black and white older adults.
J Aging Health 2018 Oct;30(9):1427-49. doi: 10.1177/0898264317721347..
Keywords: Elderly, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care
Chhatre S, Jayadevappa R
Racial and ethnic disparities in substance use disorders and outcomes in elderly prostate cancer patients.
This study used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked data to identify prevalence of substance use among patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer. There are racial and ethnic disparities between substance use and outcomes. A multidisciplinary coordinated care approach is recommended to address these disparities.
AHRQ-funded; HS024106.
Citation: Chhatre S, Jayadevappa R .
Racial and ethnic disparities in substance use disorders and outcomes in elderly prostate cancer patients.
J Ethn Subst Abuse 2018 Apr-Jun;17(2):135-49. doi: 10.1080/15332640.2016.1160019..
Keywords: Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Disparities, Elderly, Outcomes, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Substance Abuse
Farias AJ, Du XL
Racial differences in adjuvant endocrine therapy use and discontinuation in association with mortality among Medicare breast cancer patients by receptor status.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether racial/ethnic differences in use and discontinuation of adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) differed by hormone receptor status and whether discontinuation was associated with mortality. There are racial/ethnic differences in AET use and discontinuation. Discontinuing treatment was associated with higher risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality regardless of hormone receptor status.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Farias AJ, Du XL .
Racial differences in adjuvant endocrine therapy use and discontinuation in association with mortality among Medicare breast cancer patients by receptor status.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017 Aug;26(8):1266-75. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-17-0280.
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Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Elderly, Mortality, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Chhatre S, Malkowicz SB, Schwartz JS
Understanding the racial and ethnic differences in cost and mortality among advanced stage prostate cancer patients (STROBE).
The aims of the study were to understand the racial/ethnic differences in cost of care and mortality in Medicare elderly with advanced stage prostate cancer. It found that relationship between race/ethnicity, cost of care, and mortality is intricate. For non-Hispanic black men, disparity in mortality can be attributed to treatment differences.
AHRQ-funded; HS024106.
Citation: Chhatre S, Malkowicz SB, Schwartz JS .
Understanding the racial and ethnic differences in cost and mortality among advanced stage prostate cancer patients (STROBE).
Med Health 2015 Aug;94(32):e1353. doi: 10.1097/md.0000000000001353..
Keywords: Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Mortality, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Elderly, Disparities
McGarry BE, Temkin-Greener H, Li Y
Role of race and ethnicity in private long-term care insurance ownership.
The authors sought to determine if racial/ethnic disparities exist in the ownership of private long-term care insurance (LTCI) among current Medicare beneficiaries. They found that 12.3% of Blacks and 5.8% of Hispanics, compared with 20.2% of Whites, reported having LTCI coverage and that Hispanics were 48% less likely to have LTCI compared with Whites. Hispanic women were 81% less likely to be insured compared with White women.
AHRQ-funded; HS000044.
Citation: McGarry BE, Temkin-Greener H, Li Y .
Role of race and ethnicity in private long-term care insurance ownership.
Gerontologist 2014 Dec;54(6):1001-12. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnt102.
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Keywords: Disparities, Elderly, Health Insurance, Long-Term Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities