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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
76 to 100 of 950 Research Studies DisplayedCuratolo M, Rundell SD, Gold LS
Long-term effectiveness of epidural steroid injections after new episodes of low back pain in older adults.
The purpose of this prospective study was to compare older adults undergoing epidural steroid injections (ESI) with patients not receiving ESI to test the hypotheses that those on ESI: 1) have worse outcomes before ESI, 2) have improved outcomes after ESI, and 3) have improved outcomes due to a specific ESI effect. The researchers evaluated patients 65 years of age or older from 3 United States health care systems who presented to primary care with new episodes of back pain. The three outcomes assessed were back and leg pain intensity, disability, and quality of life, all of which were evaluated at baseline, and then with 3-, 6-, 12- and 24- month follow-ups. The study found that in ESI patients, pain intensity, disability, and quality of life at baseline were significantly worse than in non-ESI patients. The study concluded that adults 65 and older who were treated with ESI have long-term improvement, but the improvement is not likely to be related to a specific effect of ESI, making epidural steroid injections unlikely to provide long-term benefits.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Curatolo M, Rundell SD, Gold LS .
Long-term effectiveness of epidural steroid injections after new episodes of low back pain in older adults.
Eur J Pain 2022 Aug;26(7):1469-80. doi: 10.1002/ejp.1975..
Keywords: Elderly, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Treatments
Gaugler JE, Rosebush CA, Zmora R
Outcomes of remote activity monitoring for persons living with dementia over an 18-month period.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether Remote Activity Monitoring (RAM) technology was associated with reductions in negative health transitions and service utilization for persons with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia over an 18-month period. The researchers enrolled 88 recipients and their caregivers in a clinical trial, with 88 care recipients and their caregivers in the RAM intervention arm and 91 care recipients and their caregivers in the control arm. The treatment group had the RAM system installed in their home. The attention control group did not receive RAM technology. Baseline and follow-up surveys assessed whether the care recipient had fallen or wandered in the past 6 months (yes/no). Caregivers were also asked whether the care recipient had used any of the following healthcare services in the past 6 months: nursing home stays, assisted living stays other residential care stays, hospital stays, or emergency room visits. The study found that in adjusted models, emergency department visits were almost 50% lower in the intervention group compared with the control group. In addition, the odds of experiencing a higher frequency of falls versus a lower frequency of falls was 0.36 for those in the intervention group compared with controls. The RAM technology did not have a statistically significant effect on any other outcome. The researchers concluded that although RAM did not provide direct support for the management of behaviors for persons with AD/ADRD, the findings imply that this technology may prevent some adverse health events for people living with dementia in the community. The ongoing, unobtrusive monitoring and system alerts of RAM may have resulted in caregivers identifying activity or the lack thereof that may
have prevented falls and wandering events. In turn, emergency room use among persons with dementia may have been avoided.
have prevented falls and wandering events. In turn, emergency room use among persons with dementia may have been avoided.
AHRQ-funded; HS022836.
Citation: Gaugler JE, Rosebush CA, Zmora R .
Outcomes of remote activity monitoring for persons living with dementia over an 18-month period.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Aug;70(8):2439-42. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17839..
Keywords: Elderly, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Outcomes, Caregiving
Kagarmanova A, Sparkman H, Laiteerapong N
Improving the management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder in older adults: study protocol for i-cope study.
This article describes a protocol for an upcoming study on the planned implementation and evaluation of I-COPE (Improving Chicago Older Adult Opioid and Pain Management through Patient-centered Clinical Decision Support and Project ECHO®) to improve care for older adults with chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder (OUD). The study will be implemented in 35 clinical sites across the metropolitan Chicago area for patients aged ≥ 65 with chronic pain, opioid use, or OUD who receive primary care at one of the clinics. I-COPE includes the integration of patient-reported data on symptoms and preferences, clinical decision support tools and shared decision making into routine primary care. Primary care providers will be trained on the tools through web-based videos and an optional Project ECHO® course, entitled "Pain Management and OUD in Older Adults." A framework called RE-AIM will be used to assess the I-COPE implementation. Outcomes considered effective include an increased variety of recommended pain treatments, decreased prescriptions of higher-risk pain treatments, and decreased patient pain scores. Outcomes will be evaluated at 6 and 12 months after implementation, and PCPs participating in Project ECHO® will be evaluated on changes in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy using pre- and post-course surveys.
AHRQ-funded; HS027910.
Citation: Kagarmanova A, Sparkman H, Laiteerapong N .
Improving the management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder in older adults: study protocol for i-cope study.
Trials 2022 Jul 27;23(1):602. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06537-w..
Keywords: Elderly, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Opioids, Medication, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Shared Decision Making, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Manjunath J, Silverberg JI
Association of sleep disturbances with geriatric age in atopic dermatitis patients.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association of geriatric age with atopic dermatitis (AD) severity and sleep disturbances (SD). Patients over the age of 18 seen at an eczema clinic were recruited and completed a self-administered questionnaire for encounters between 2014 and 2019. AD severity was assessed using the patient-oriented eczema measure (POEM), eczema area and severity index, Scoring AD (SCORAD), SCORAD-itch, investigator global assessment, and patient global assessment. The frequency of SD due to eczema was assessed using POEM. The impact of itching on the activity of falling asleep was assessed using 5 dimensions (5D) of itch. Fatigue was assessed using the patient-reported outcome measurement information system (PROMIS)-global health. Difficulty sleeping, falling asleep, and staying asleep was assessed using PROMIS-SD. The study found that geriatric AD patients had more profound SD, particularly staying asleep and fatigue, despite having AD severity similar to younger adult AD patients. The researchers concluded that future research is needed to understand why there is a difference between geriatric and non-geriatric patients as related to increased itching from atopic dermatitis and sleep disorders.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Manjunath J, Silverberg JI .
Association of sleep disturbances with geriatric age in atopic dermatitis patients.
J Am Acad Dermatol 2022 Jul;87(1):206-08. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2021.07.039..
Keywords: Elderly, Sleep Problems, Skin Conditions
Chao GF, Chhabra KR, Yang J
Bariatric surgery in Medicare patients: examining safety and healthcare utilization in the disabled and elderly.
The purpose of this study was to compare safety and healthcare use after sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in a national Medicare cohort. The researchers analyzed Medicare claims from 2012-2017 for 30,105 bariatric surgery patients receiving benefits due to age or disability and compared all outcomes between sleeve and bypass for each benefit group at 30 days, 1 year, and 3 years. The study found that among the disabled patients (n = 21,595), sleeve gastrectomy was associated with lower 3-year ED utilization, complications, reinterventions, rehospitalizations, and mortality. Cumulative expenditures were $46,277 after sleeve gastrectomy and $48,211 after gastric bypass. Among the elderly (n = 8510), sleeve was associated with lower 3-year ED utilization, complications, reinterventions, and rehospitalizations. Expenditures were $38,632 after sleeve gastrectomy and $39,270 after gastric bypass. Procedure treatment effect significantly differed by benefit group for paraesophageal hernia repair, revision, and mortality. The study concluded that healthcare utilization benefits of sleeve over bypass are maintained across Medicare elderly populations and Medicare disabled subpopulations.
AHRQ-funded; HS025778.
Citation: Chao GF, Chhabra KR, Yang J .
Bariatric surgery in Medicare patients: examining safety and healthcare utilization in the disabled and elderly.
Ann Surg 2022 Jul 1;276(1):133-39. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000004526..
Keywords: Obesity: Weight Management, Obesity, Surgery, Medicare, Elderly, Disabilities
Uribe-Cano D, Bahranian M, Jolles SA
Comparison of criteria for determining appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes.
Researchers studied the extent to which the revised McGeer and Loeb criteria overlap and can be used interchangeably for tracking antibiotic appropriateness in nursing homes. Using a cross-sectional chart review in 5 Wisconsin nursing homes, they found that levels of agreement between the revised McGeer and Loeb criteria were moderate for urinary tract infections, fair for skin and soft-tissue infections, and slight for respiratory tract infections. They concluded that agreement between the revised McGeer and Loeb criteria is limited, and that nursing homes should employ the revised McGeer and Loeb criteria for their intended purposes.
AHRQ-funded; HS022465.
Citation: Uribe-Cano D, Bahranian M, Jolles SA .
Comparison of criteria for determining appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2022 Jul;43(7):860-63. doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.221..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication
Bredbeck BC, Mott NM, Wang T
Facility-level variation of low-value breast cancer treatments in older women with early-stage breast cancer: analysis of a statewide claims registry.
The goal of this retrospective cohort study was to determine facility-level variation of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and adjuvant radiotherapy in older women with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer who were undergoing breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Researchers used a statewide registry of claims data and included a cohort of women aged 70 or older who were diagnosed with breast cancer and who underwent BCS at 80 hospitals in the Michigan Value Collaborative. They concluded that SLNB and radiotherapy rates remain high with significant variation in utilization at the facility level, and that high utilizers of SLNB are also likely to be high utilizers of radiotherapy.
AHRQ-funded; HS026030.
Citation: Bredbeck BC, Mott NM, Wang T .
Facility-level variation of low-value breast cancer treatments in older women with early-stage breast cancer: analysis of a statewide claims registry.
Ann Surg Oncol 2022 Jul; 29(7):4155-64. doi: 10.1245/s10434-022-11631-z..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Elderly, Women
Lee JL, Gustavson AM, Kian L
Reimagining cross-sector collaborations post-pandemic to optimize care for vulnerable homebound older adult populations.
This research letter discusses the development process for cross-sector collaborations post-pandemic to optimize care for vulnerable homebound older adult populations. These collaborations are proposed between health, social, and academic research systems. The authors collaborated with their local Houston Meals on Wheels (MOW) program, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and the Harris County Health System. These organizations formed a Healthy Aging Committee with several healthcare professionals from different healthcare systems participating as volunteers. The goal of the Committee was to identify ways to highlight the potential benefits of nutritious meal delivery. The three institutions worked together through all stages of research, from grant writing to recruiting participants, establishing trust in their relationships, and leveraging their connections and expertise in different areas. In their first research project, they investigated the addition of a home-based exercise program with enhanced meal deliveries to improve frailty status in older adults who were frail and homebound. This pilot study had been stopped during the pandemic. The restarted study was revised so that the MOW drivers delivering frozen and shelf-stable meals in person once a week would now also provide exercise handouts for those in the treatment group to minimize face-to-face contact. Their current second research project is evaluating whether the combination of a virtual assistant device such as Amazon Alexa with meal delivery can improve mental health for homebound older adults with cognitive impairment.
AHRQ-funded; HS026379.
Citation: Lee JL, Gustavson AM, Kian L .
Reimagining cross-sector collaborations post-pandemic to optimize care for vulnerable homebound older adult populations.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Jul; 70(7):1939-41. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17813..
Keywords: Elderly, Home Healthcare, Vulnerable Populations, Public Health
Givan A, Downer B, Chou LN
Cognitive impairment and low physical function among older Mexican Americans: findings from a 20-year follow-up(☆).
This longitudinal study’s aim was to examine the association between cognitive impairment and low physical function over a 20-year follow-up period among Mexican Americans aged 65 and older. The final sample included 1545 community-dwelling Mexican Americans from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly, who scored moderate-high on Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and were non-disabled at baseline (1993/94). The Mini Mental State Examination scale defines cognitive impairment as less than 21 points. General Estimating Equation was used to estimate the odds of having low physical function (defined with the SPPB at <7 points) over time as a function of cognitive impairment, adjusting for socio-demographics, self-reported medical conditions, body mass index, and depressive symptoms. Participants with cognitive impairment had increased odds of lower physical function over time compared to those without cognitive impairment.
AHRQ-funded; HS026133.
Citation: Givan A, Downer B, Chou LN .
Cognitive impairment and low physical function among older Mexican Americans: findings from a 20-year follow-up(☆).
Ann Epidemiol 2022 Jun;70:9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2022.03.006..
Keywords: Elderly, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Neurological Disorders
Tsang M, DeBoer RJ, Garrett SB
Decision-making about clinical trial options among older patients with metastatic cancer who have exhausted standard therapies.
The purpose of this study was to examine the potential reasons for and responses to older adults’ under enrollment in phase 1 cancer clinical trials. The researchers conducted 101 in-depth qualitative interviews with 39 adults aged 65 and older with advanced cancer and asked about their experiences with the trials. The data was analyzed to identify the participants’ understanding of clinical research, their perceptions of early phase trials, and their experiences with enrollment in the trials. The study found that participants over the age of 70 were less enthusiastic about participation in clinical trials, although they did not mention age as a limitation to participation. Findings indicated that participation in clinical trials was an interactive, ongoing process, in which older adults relied on their oncologist for guidance and discussion. The researchers concluded that older adults rely on their oncologist to navigate the perceived complexities of phase 1 trial enrollment, and that acknowledgement of those complexities via shared decision-making can help prevent under-enrollment.
AHRQ-funded; HS022241.
Citation: Tsang M, DeBoer RJ, Garrett SB .
Decision-making about clinical trial options among older patients with metastatic cancer who have exhausted standard therapies.
J Geriatr Oncol 2022 Jun;13(5):594-99. doi: 10.1016/j.jgo.2022.01.012..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer, Shared Decision Making, Quality of Life
Liu MA, Keeney T, Papaila A
Functional status and survival in older nursing home residents with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a SEER-Medicare analysis.
The purpose of this study was to examine the association between activities of daily living (ADL) impairment and overall survival in patients 65 and older with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving care in nursing homes from 2011 to 2015. The researchers examined the association between ADL scores and overall survival among 3,174 patients who received systemic cancer chemotherapy or immunotherapy within 3 months of NSCLC diagnosis; and among patients who did not receive any treatment. The study found that the ADL score was associated with increased risk of death. One standard deviation increase in the ADL score was associated with lower overall survival rate among treated and untreated patients The median overall survival was 3.1 months for patients with an ADL score of less than 14, 2.8 months for patients with an ADL score between 14 and 17, 2.3 months for patients with ADL score between 18-19, and 1.8 months for patients with ADL score of 20+. The researchers concluded that the ADL assessment may be a useful clinical tool in nursing home adults aged 65 and older with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Liu MA, Keeney T, Papaila A .
Functional status and survival in older nursing home residents with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a SEER-Medicare analysis.
JCO Oncol Pract 2022 Jun;18(6):e886-e95. doi: 10.1200/op.21.00460..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Cancer: Lung Cancer, Cancer
Newgard CD, Lin A, Caughey AB
Falls in older adults requiring emergency services: mortality, use of healthcare resources, and prognostication to one year.
The purpose of this study was to assess the prognoses, healthcare use, transitions to skilled nursing or hospice, and mortality of older, community-living adults after a fall. The researchers conducted a secondary analysis of all adults in 7 Northwest U.S. counties greater than or equal to 65 years of age who had been transported to one of 51 hospitals after a fall. The study analyzed Medicare claims, state trauma registry data, state inpatient data, and death records for outcomes which included healthcare use, new claims for skilled nursing and hospice for one year, and mortality. The researchers found that in 3,159 older adults there were 147 deaths within 30 days and 665 deaths within one year, and the following predictors of mortality: respiratory diagnosis, serious brain injury, having a baseline disability, or a score of greater than or equal to 2 on the Charlson Comorbidity Index. The study concluded that in the year after experiencing a fall, community-living older adults who require ambulance transport to the hospital have increases in institutionalized living, the utilization of health care, and mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS023796.
Citation: Newgard CD, Lin A, Caughey AB .
Falls in older adults requiring emergency services: mortality, use of healthcare resources, and prognostication to one year.
West J Emerg Med 2022 May 14;23(3):375-85. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2021.11.54327..
Keywords: Elderly, Falls, Emergency Department, Mortality, Healthcare Utilization
Rice H, Garabedian PM, Shear K
Clinical decision support for fall prevention: defining end-user needs.
The purpose of this study was to identify patient and primary care staff needs for development of a tool that will generate clinical decision support (CDS) to prevent falls and injuries in older adults. Community-dwelling patients aged 60 and over and primary care clinic staff were eligible to participate in the study; all were affiliated with the University of Florida Health Archer Family Health Care primary care clinic and the Brigham & Women's Hospital-affiliated primary care clinics. Through qualitative interviews with patients (n=18) and primary care clinic staff (n=24) user needs were identified and then categorized into the following themes: evidence-based safe exercises; expert guidance; individualized resources; in-person assessment of patient condition; motivational tools; patient understanding of fall risk; personal support networks; systematic communication and workload burden. The study concluded that personalized, actionable, and evidence-based clinical decision support may be able to address some of the many gaps that exist in fall prevention management in older adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS027557.
Citation: Rice H, Garabedian PM, Shear K .
Clinical decision support for fall prevention: defining end-user needs.
Appl Clin Inform 2022 May;13(3):647-55. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1750360..
Keywords: Elderly, Falls, Prevention, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Shared Decision Making, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Temkin-Greener H, Guo W, Hua Y
End-of-life care in assisted living communities: race and ethnicity, dual enrollment status, and state regulations.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between death at home and home hospice care with race, ethnicity, community characteristics, strictness of state-level regulations for assisted living facilities, dual Medicare-Medicaid enrollment, and other individual characteristics. The researchers found that almost 60% of the 100,783 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries residing in 16,560 assisted living communities who died in 2018-2019, died at home. Of those individuals, 84% were with home hospice care. Dual Medicare-Medicaid enrollment was a more important predictor of death at home than race or ethnicity; yet race was a stronger predictor than dual enrollment for hospice care at death. In states with lower regulatory strictness for assisted living communities, residents were less likely to die at home. The study concludes that these results imply an important role for state regulation of assisted living facilities and can help guide efforts to ensure equitable access to the individual’s preference for end-of-life-care.
Citation: Temkin-Greener H, Guo W, Hua Y .
End-of-life care in assisted living communities: race and ethnicity, dual enrollment status, and state regulations.
Health Aff 2022 May;41(5):654-62. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01677..
Keywords: Elderly, Palliative Care, Long-Term Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Kurasz AM, Smith GE, Curiel RE
Patient values in healthcare decision making among diverse older adults.
This study investigated the types of values that culturally diverse older adults incorporate in medical decision making. Focus groups were held with 49 individuals, 49% with mild cognitive impairment, and 51% Hispanic. Participants described barriers and facilitators that interfere with or promote value solicitation and incorporation. A wide range of values relating to individual factors, familial/cultural beliefs and expectations, balancing risks and benefits, receiving decisional support, and considering values other than their own were expressed. Participants also emphasized that values are individual-specific, influenced by aging, and change throughout life.
AHRQ-funded; HS024159.
Citation: Kurasz AM, Smith GE, Curiel RE .
Patient values in healthcare decision making among diverse older adults.
Patient Educ Couns 2022 May;105(5):1115-22. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.08.031..
Keywords: Elderly, Shared Decision Making, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Wang J, Mao Y, McGarry B
Post-acute care transitions and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries in assisted living communities.
This study examined the post-acute care transitions among assisted living (AL) residents and their association with outcomes in the first 30 and 60 days after hospital discharge. Findings showed that the most common post-acute care referral was to skilled nursing facilities (SNF), followed by home without home health care (HHC), home with HHC, and others. Compared to discharge home without HHC, discharge to SNF was associated with a lower likelihood of ED visits and hospital readmissions, and higher likelihood of long-stay nursing home placement and mortality. Discharge home with HHC was associated with a higher likelihood of hospital readmissions and a lower likelihood of long-stay nursing home placement than discharge home without HHC. The results were similar within the first 30 days and 60 days after hospital discharge.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: Wang J, Mao Y, McGarry B .
Post-acute care transitions and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries in assisted living communities.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 May;70(5):1429-41. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17669..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care
Chen C, Lo-Ciganic WH, Winterstein AG
Concurrent use of prescription opioids and gabapentinoids in older adults.
This cross-sectional study investigated concurrent opioid-gabapentinoid use among older Medicare opioid users with chronic noncancer pain. The study found 464,732 eligible older beneficiaries aged 65 and older who filled ≥1 opioid prescription within 3 months after a randomly selected chronic noncancer pain diagnosis in a calendar year between 2011 and 2018. The prevalence of concurrent use increased from 17% in 2011 to 23.5% in 2013. The profile of concurrent users tended to be non-Black, low-income subsidy recipients, and Southern residents.
AHRQ-funded; HS027230.
Citation: Chen C, Lo-Ciganic WH, Winterstein AG .
Concurrent use of prescription opioids and gabapentinoids in older adults.
Am J Prev Med 2022 Apr;62(4):519-28. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.08.024..
Keywords: Elderly, Medication, Opioids, Pain, Chronic Conditions
Evans E, Krebill C, Gutman R
Functional motor improvement during inpatient rehabilitation among older adults with traumatic brain injury.
This retrospective cohort study’s goal was to describe the proportion of older adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who exhibited minimal detectable change (MDC) and a minimally clinically important difference (MCID) in motor function from inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) admission to discharge; and to identify characteristics associated with clinically meaningful improvement in motor function and better discharge functional status. This study used Medicare administrative data probabilistically linked to the National Trauma Data Bank. The authors found that from IRF admission to discharge 84% of patients achieved the MDC threshold, and 68% of patients achieved the MCID threshold for FIM-M scores. A higher probability of achieving the MCID for IM-M scores included better admission motor and cognitive function, lower comorbidity burden, and a length of stay longer than 10 days but only among individuals with lower admission motor function. Older age was associated with a lower FIM-M discharge score but was not associated with the probability of achieving the MCID in FIM-M score.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Evans E, Krebill C, Gutman R .
Functional motor improvement during inpatient rehabilitation among older adults with traumatic brain injury.
PM R 2022 Apr; 14(4):417-27. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12644..
Keywords: Elderly, Rehabilitation, Brain Injury, Inpatient Care
Jacobsohn GC, Leaf M, Liao F
Collaborative design and implementation of a clinical decision support system for automated fall-risk identification and referrals in emergency departments.
The authors used a collaborative and iterative approach to design and implement an automated clinical decision support system (CDS) for Emergency Department (ED) providers to identify and refer older adult ED patients at high risk of future falls. The system was developed using collaborative input from an interdisciplinary design team and integrated seamlessly into existing ED workflows. A key feature of development was the unique combination of patient experience strategies, human-centered design, and implementation science, which allowed for the CDS tool and intervention implementation strategies to be designed simultaneously. Challenges included: usability problems, data inaccessibility, time constraints, low appointment availability, high volume of patients, and others. The study concluded that using the collaborative, iterative approach was successful in achieving all project goals, and could be applied to other cases.
AHRQ-funded; HS024558.
Citation: Jacobsohn GC, Leaf M, Liao F .
Collaborative design and implementation of a clinical decision support system for automated fall-risk identification and referrals in emergency departments.
Healthc 2022 Mar;10(1):100598. doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2021.100598..
Keywords: Elderly, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Shared Decision Making, Falls, Risk, Emergency Department, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Chen C, Winterstein AG, Lo-Ciganic WH
Concurrent use of prescription gabapentinoids with opioids and risk for fall-related injury among older US Medicare beneficiaries with chronic noncancer pain: a population-based cohort study.
This study compared the risk of fall-related injury in two cohorts who used gabapentinoids concurrently with opioid use and those who used opioids only. The authors created 2 cohorts based on whether concurrent users initiated gabapentinoids on the day of opioid initiation (Cohort 1) or after opioid initiation (Cohort 2). Both cohorts were identified from a sample of older Medicare beneficiaries with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Four concurrent users were matched up with 1 opioid-only user. They identified 6,733 concurrent users and 27,092 matched opioid-only users in Cohort 1 and 5,709 concurrent users and 22,388 matched opioid-only users in Cohort 2. Cohort 1’s incidence rate of fall-related injury was 24.5 per 100 person-users during follow-up and was 18.0 per 100-person-years during follow-up for Cohort 2. Concurrent users had had similar risk of fall-related injury as opioid-only users in Cohort 1 but had higher risk for fall-related injury than opioid-only users in Cohort 2.
AHRQ-funded; HS027230.
Citation: Chen C, Winterstein AG, Lo-Ciganic WH .
Concurrent use of prescription gabapentinoids with opioids and risk for fall-related injury among older US Medicare beneficiaries with chronic noncancer pain: a population-based cohort study.
PLoS Med 2022 Mar;19(3):e1003921. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003921..
Keywords: Elderly, Opioids, Medication, Medication: Safety, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Falls, Patient Safety, Injuries and Wounds, Pain, Chronic Conditions
Di M, Keeney T, Belanger E
Global risk indicator and therapy for older patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a population-based study.
The objective of this study was to examine the impact of global risk on treatment selection and outcomes among older home care recipients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Researchers selected patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who had pretreatment Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) evaluations from SEER-Medicare. High-risk patients were less likely to receive chemotherapy and were more likely to experience acute mortality, emergency department visits, hospitalization or intensive care unit admission, and had inferior overall survival rates. The researchers concluded that global risk on the basis of OASIS was easily available and offered a potential way to improve patient selection for curative treatment and institution of preventive measures.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Di M, Keeney T, Belanger E .
Global risk indicator and therapy for older patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a population-based study.
JCO Oncol Pract 2022 Mar; 18(3):e383-e402. doi: 10.1200/op.21.00513..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer, Risk
Wang J, Ying M, Li Y
Home health agencies with more socially vulnerable patients have poorer experience of care ratings.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between Medicare dual eligibility and race/ ethnicity when exploring Medicare-certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs) and experience of care ratings. The researchers analyzed the 2017 national Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems and matched datasets of 10,906 CHHAs and found that CHHAs with higher concentrations of dual-eligible patients were less likely to have high experience of care ratings. In addition, CHHAs with higher proportions of racial/ ethnic minorities were less likely to have high experience of care ratings in the domains of care delivery, communication, and specific care issues.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: Wang J, Ying M, Li Y .
Home health agencies with more socially vulnerable patients have poorer experience of care ratings.
J Appl Gerontol 2022 Mar;41(3):661-70. doi: 10.1177/07334648211053859..
Keywords: Elderly, Home Healthcare, Vulnerable Populations, Provider Performance
Yadgir SR, Engstrom C, Jacobsohn GC
Machine learning-assisted screening for cognitive impairment in the emergency department.
Researchers developed and evaluated an automated screening tool to identify a subset of patients at high risk for cognitive impairment (CI). Using the Blessed Orientation Memory Concentration (BOMC) test, administered in the emergency department, they found that an algorithm based on electronic health record data can define a subset of patients at higher risk for CI. They recommended that incorporating such an algorithm into a screening workflow could allow screening efforts and resources to be focused where they have the most impact.
AHRQ-funded; HS024558.
Citation: Yadgir SR, Engstrom C, Jacobsohn GC .
Machine learning-assisted screening for cognitive impairment in the emergency department.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Mar;70(3):831-37. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17491..
Keywords: Neurological Disorders, Screening, Emergency Department, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Elderly
Daley CN, Cornet VP, Toscos TR
Naturalistic decision making in everyday self-care among older adults with heart failure.
The purpose of this study was to explore the role of everyday decision-making on disease outcome in a group of older adults living with heart failure. The researchers describe such decisions as events of naturalistic decision-making which are influenced by factors such as the involvement of others, older adults’ social and physical environments, high stakes of the decision, and shifting goals. The researchers recruited 24 older adults with heart failure and 14 of their support persons from an ambulatory cardiology center, and conducted a qualitative field study. The study utilized a naturalistic decision-making model and critical incident technique to analyze health-related everyday decision making and determine how individuals make everyday health-related decisions. The study found that for various decisions, the decision-making of White, male, older adults aligned with the three phases of a preliminary model of naturalistic decision making: monitoring, interpreting, and acting. The researchers also determined that: health decisions are made in a context of personal variables such as emotions, priorities, and values; other people can play important roles; and the performance of the phases can be affected by barriers and strategies. The study concluded that the findings contribute to an expanded model of naturalistic decision-making with implications for not only future research, but for the design of interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS025232.
Citation: Daley CN, Cornet VP, Toscos TR .
Naturalistic decision making in everyday self-care among older adults with heart failure.
J Cardiovasc Nurs 2022 Mar-Apr;37(2):167-76. doi: 10.1097/jcn.0000000000000778..
Keywords: Elderly, Patient Self-Management, Shared Decision Making, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Kumar RG, Zhang W, Evans E
Research letter: characterization of older adults hospitalized with traumatic brain injury admitted to long-term acute care hospitals.
The objective of this study was to describe patient, hospital, and geographic characteristics of older adult Medicare beneficiaries who were hospitalized with traumatic brain injury (TBI) then admitted to long-term acute care hospitals. Participants were predominantly White males with an average age of 77.1. Average acute hospital length of stay was 19.4 days. Only 4% of patients were discharged home after a long-term acute care hospital stay; the primary discharge disposition was to skilled nursing facilities. Geographic analyses indicated that Southern and Midwestern states had the greatest number of long-term acute care hospital facilities and highest proportion of admissions. The authors concluded that more research is needed to understand long-term functional outcomes among this population.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Kumar RG, Zhang W, Evans E .
Research letter: characterization of older adults hospitalized with traumatic brain injury admitted to long-term acute care hospitals.
J Head Trauma Rehabil 2022 Mar-Apr; 37(2):89-95. doi: 10.1097/htr.0000000000000685..
Keywords: Elderly, Brain Injury, Long-Term Care