National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Topics
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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
26 to 36 of 36 Research Studies DisplayedVijay A, Rhee TG, Ross JS
U.S. prescribing trends of fentanyl, opioids, and other pain medications in outpatient and emergency department visits from 2006 to 2015.
This retrospective study tracked US prescribing trends of fentanyl, opioids, and other pain medications in outpatient and emergency department (ED) visits from 2006 to 2015. Data from the 2006-2015 National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys was used. During that time period, 17.4% of office-based outpatient visits and 45% of ED visits listed a pain medication prescription. There was an increase of about 5% from 2006-2007 to 2014-2015 for outpatient visits in which any pain medication was prescribed. Fentanyl prescription rates remained stable but doubled at EDs. There was also an increase in non-opioid pain medications in both settings.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882; HS025164.
Citation: Vijay A, Rhee TG, Ross JS .
U.S. prescribing trends of fentanyl, opioids, and other pain medications in outpatient and emergency department visits from 2006 to 2015.
Prev Med 2019 Jun;123:123-29. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.03.022..
Keywords: Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Emergency Department, Hospitals, Medication, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Suda KJ, Durkin MJ, Calip GS
Comparison of opioid prescribing by dentists in the United States and England.
The goal of this cross-sectional study was to compare opioid prescribing rates by dentists in the US and England, using data on prescriptions dispensed from outpatient pharmacies and health care settings in 2016 by dentists in both countries. Findings show that the proportion of prescriptions for opioids written by US dentists was 37 times greater than the proportion written by English dentists. US dentists also had a higher number of opioid prescriptions per 1000 population and number of prescriptions per dentist. Dihydrocodeine was the only opioid prescribed by English dentists, while US dentists prescribed a range of opioids containing hydrocodone, codeine, oxycodone, and tramadol, as well as long-acting opioids. The researchers conclude that US dentists adopt measures similar to those used in England to reduce dental opioid prescribing in the United States.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Suda KJ, Durkin MJ, Calip GS .
Comparison of opioid prescribing by dentists in the United States and England.
JAMA Netw Open 2019 May 3;2(5):e194303. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.4303..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Medication, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns, Provider
Rogal SS, Beste LA, Youk A
Characteristics of opioid prescriptions to veterans with cirrhosis.
The goal of this study was to assess time trends in the prescribing of opioids and factors associated with patients with cirrhosis receiving opioids. National Veterans Health Administration data was used to assess characteristics of cirrhosis patients and their prescriptions for opioids.
AHRQ-funded; HS019461.
Citation: Rogal SS, Beste LA, Youk A .
Characteristics of opioid prescriptions to veterans with cirrhosis.
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019 May;17(6):1165-74.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2018.10.021..
Keywords: Medication, Medication: Safety, Opioids, Patient Safety, Practice Patterns
McClellan CB
Disparities in opioid related mortality between United States counties from 2000 to 2014.
This study examines disparities in opioid related mortality between United States counties from 2000 to 2014. Unfortunately, counties that had lower rates in 2000 had caught up by 2014. The authors suggest that prevention measures need to be broader in scope and be implemented in areas where the opioid crisis doesn’t seem as prevalent.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: McClellan CB .
Disparities in opioid related mortality between United States counties from 2000 to 2014.
Drug Alcohol Depend 2019 Apr 25;199:151-58. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.03.005..
Keywords: Disparities, Medication, Mortality, Opioids, Substance Abuse
Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
The authors of this article investigated the pattern and utilization of neuropathic pain medications in peripheral neuropathy patients. They found that opioid initiation and transition to chronic opioid therapy were frequent in the studied population despite few patients receiving more than one guideline-recommended medication. They concluded that efforts are needed to decrease opioid utilization and to increase guideline-recommended medication use in order to improve current neuropathic pain treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690.
Citation: Callaghan BC, Reynolds E, Banerjee M .
Longitudinal pattern of pain medication utilization in peripheral neuropathy patients.
Pain 2019 Mar;160(3):592-99. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001439..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Guidelines, Healthcare Utilization, Medication, Neurological Disorders, Opioids, Pain, Practice Patterns
Hartung DM, Johnston K, Geddes J
Buprenorphine coverage in the Medicare Part D program for 2007 to 2018.
This letter discusses a study which looked into coverage of buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUP) with Medicare. The majority of plans do cover the generic version. However, the number of plans which require previous authorization has increased over from 2007 to 2018. This may hamper treatment by primary care physicians.
AHRQ-funded; HS024227.
Citation: Hartung DM, Johnston K, Geddes J .
Buprenorphine coverage in the Medicare Part D program for 2007 to 2018.
JAMA 2019 Feb 12;321(6):607-09. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.20391..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Medicare, Medication, Opioids, Substance Abuse
Parthipan A, Banerjee I, Humphreys K
Predicting inadequate postoperative pain management in depressed patients: a machine learning approach.
Researchers employed a machine-learning approach to identify patients who were prescribed a combination of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and prodrug opioids in order to examine the effect of this combination on postoperative pain control. They identified patients who received surgery over a 9-year period by using EHR data from an academic medical center, then developed and validated natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to extract depression-related information from both structured and unstructured data elements. The machine-learning algorithm accurately predicted the increase or decrease of the discharge, 3-week, and 8-week follow-up pain scores when compared to the pre-operative pain score; pre-operative pain, surgery type, and opioid tolerance were the strongest predictors of postoperative pain control. The researchers conclude that their study results provide the first direct clinical evidence that the known ability of SSRIs to inhibit prodrug opioid effectiveness is associated with worse pain control among depressed patients. They suggest that prescribers might choose direct acting opioids such as oxycodone or morphine for depressed patients on SSRIs instead of prodrug opioids.
AHRQ-funded; HS024096.
Citation: Parthipan A, Banerjee I, Humphreys K .
Predicting inadequate postoperative pain management in depressed patients: a machine learning approach.
PLoS One 2019 Feb 6;14(2):e0210575. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210575..
Keywords: Care Management, Depression, Medication, Opioids, Pain, Surgery
Rees DI, Sabia JJ, Argys LM
With a little help from my friends: the effects of good samaritan and naloxone access laws on opioid-related deaths.
This study examined the effect of good Samaritan and naxolone access laws (NALs) on opioid-related mortality. Most states have adopted these laws, and the early adopters had the most negative association between NALs and overdose deaths. There was a negative but not statistically significant effect on opioid-related deaths for states with Good Samaritan laws.
AHRQ-funded; HS025014.
Citation: Rees DI, Sabia JJ, Argys LM .
With a little help from my friends: the effects of good samaritan and naloxone access laws on opioid-related deaths.
J Law Econ 2019 Feb;62(1). doi: 10.1086/700703..
Keywords: Opioids, Mortality, Policy, Medication
Abbasi AB, Salisbury-Afshar E, Jovanov D
Health care utilization of opioid overdose decedents with no opioid analgesic prescription history.
In this study, to better understand the role of prescription opioids and health care utilization prior to opioid-related overdose, the investigators analyzed the death records of decedents who died of an opioid overdose in Illinois in 2016 and linked to any existing controlled substance monitoring program (CSMP) and emergency department (ED) or hospital discharge records.
AHRQ-funded; HS022433.
Citation: Abbasi AB, Salisbury-Afshar E, Jovanov D .
Health care utilization of opioid overdose decedents with no opioid analgesic prescription history.
J Urban Health 2019 Feb;96(1):38-48. doi: 10.1007/s11524-018-00329-x..
Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Healthcare Utilization, Medication, Opioids, Substance Abuse
Blanchard J, Weiss AJ, Barrett ML
AHRQ Author: Stocks C, Owens PL, Heslin KC
Readmissions following inpatient treatment for opioid-related conditions.
This study analyzed the relationship between hospital admission for inpatient drug detoxification and/or rehabilitation services and subsequent opioid-related readmission. The study used hospital inpatient discharge and emergency department visit data from the AHRQ Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) survey. The sample consisted of 329,037 patients from seven states with an opioid-related index hospitalization from March 2010 to September 2013. A relatively small percentage (19.4%) of patients received treatment for drug use during their hospital stay. Those patients that did receive treatment had a lower 90-day readmission rate than those patients who did not.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Blanchard J, Weiss AJ, Barrett ML .
Readmissions following inpatient treatment for opioid-related conditions.
Subst Use Misuse 2019;54(3):473-81. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2018.1517174..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Opioids, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitalization, Inpatient Care, Substance Abuse, Medication
Knight LMJ, Onsomu EO, Bosworth HB
Exploring emergency department provider experiences with and perceptions of weight-based versus individualized vaso-occlusive treatment protocols in sickle cell disease.
This study compared perceptions of nurses and physicians on protocols to treat sickle cell disease vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs) in emergency rooms (ERs). Two different protocols were used for VOEs: weight –based and individualized vaso-occlusive. Nurses were less satisfied with clarity of the protocols than physicians. Pain management protocol perceptions differed widely between physicians, residents, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses.
AHRQ-funded; HS024501.
Citation: Knight LMJ, Onsomu EO, Bosworth HB .
Exploring emergency department provider experiences with and perceptions of weight-based versus individualized vaso-occlusive treatment protocols in sickle cell disease.
Adv Emerg Nurs J 2019 Jan/Mar;41(1):86-97. doi: 10.1097/tme.0000000000000232..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Medication, Opioids, Pain, Provider, Sickle Cell Disease