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
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 5 of 5 Research Studies DisplayedSeverance TS, Njuguna F, Olbara G
An evaluation of the disparities affecting the underdiagnosis of pediatric cancer in Western Kenya.
This study described the international collaboration to investigate disparities affecting the underdiagnosis of pediatric cancer in Western Kenya. Estimates of cancer incidence in similar populations around the world would indicate approximately 1500 patients should be diagnosed each year. However, internal review at a large tertiary hospital noted 200-250 patients were diagnosed annually, suggesting the remaining 75-80% of patients go undiagnosed and do not receive treatment. The authors reviewed 41 malaria slides at a local referring hospital that demonstrated both morphologic and genetic evidence of leukemia. This disparity suggested a lack of education and training that were the lead factors contributing to lower rates of diagnosis.
AHRQ-funded; HS026390.
Citation: Severance TS, Njuguna F, Olbara G .
An evaluation of the disparities affecting the underdiagnosis of pediatric cancer in Western Kenya.
Pediatr Blood Cancer 2022 Oct;69(10):e29768. doi: 10.1002/pbc.29768..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Cancer, Disparities, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Lowry KP, Bissell MCS, Miglioretti DL
Breast biopsy recommendations and breast cancers diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authors sought to examine breast biopsy recommendations and breast cancers diagnosed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic by mode of detection and women's characteristics. Using data from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, they found that there were substantially fewer breast biopsies with cancer diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic from March to September 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, with Asian and Hispanic women experiencing the largest declines followed by Black women.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Lowry KP, Bissell MCS, Miglioretti DL .
Breast biopsy recommendations and breast cancers diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Radiology 2022 May;303(2):287-94. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2021211808..
Keywords: COVID-19, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Radhakrishnan A, Reyes-Gastelum D, Abrahamse P
Physician specialties involved in thyroid cancer diagnosis and treatment: implications for improving health care disparities.
The authors sought to characterize providers involved in diagnosing and treating thyroid cancer. Patients with differentiated thyroid cancer from the Georgia and Los Angeles County Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registries were surveyed. The authors found that, among thyroid cancer patients, 40.6% reported being informed of their diagnosis by their surgeon, 37.9% by their endocrinologist, and 13.5% by their primary care physician (PCP). The researchers concluded that PCPs were involved in thyroid cancer diagnosis and treatment, and their involvement was greater among older patients and patients of minority race/ethnicity.
AHRQ-funded; HS024512.
Citation: Radhakrishnan A, Reyes-Gastelum D, Abrahamse P .
Physician specialties involved in thyroid cancer diagnosis and treatment: implications for improving health care disparities.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022 Feb 17;107(3):e1096-e105. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgab781..
Keywords: Cancer, Disparities, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Practice Patterns, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Tice JA, Gard CC, Miglioretti DL
Comparing mammographic density assessed by digital breast tomosynthesis or digital mammography: the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.
This study’s purpose was to assess the consistency of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) breast density reporting comparing digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) with digital mammography (DM) and to evaluate density as a breast cancer risk factor when assessed using DM versus DBT. A secondary analysis of data from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium was used from 342,149 women aged 40-79 years who underwent at least two screening mammography examinations less than 36 months apart. There were no significant differences in breast density assessment in pairs consisting of one DM and one DBT examination (57,516 of 74,729 [77%]), two DM examinations (238,678 of 301,743 [79%]), and two DBT examinations (20,763 of 26,854). Results were similar when pair analysis was restricted to readings by the same radiologist. The breast cancer hazard ratios (HRs) for breast density were similar for DM and DBT. The HRs for density acquired using DM and DBT, respectively, were 0.55 and 0.37 for almost entirely fat, 1.47 and 1.36 for heterogeneously dense, and 1.72 and 2.05 for extremely dense breasts.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Tice JA, Gard CC, Miglioretti DL .
Comparing mammographic density assessed by digital breast tomosynthesis or digital mammography: the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.
Radiology 2022 Feb; 302(2):286-92. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2021204579..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Imaging, Screening, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Kho RM, Desai VB, Schwartz PE
Endometrial sampling for preoperative diagnosis of uterine leiomyosarcoma.
This retrospective cohort study examined the effectiveness of endometrial sampling for preoperative detection of uterine leiomyosarcoma in women undergoing hysterectomy, identified factors associated with missed diagnosis, and compared the outcomes of patients who had a preoperative diagnosis with those patients who had a missed diagnosis. A total of 79 patients with uterine leiomyosarcoma were included in the study. Of those patients, 46 (58.2%) were diagnosed preoperatively and 33 postoperatively. The groups were similar in age, race/ethnicity, bleeding symptoms, and comorbidities. Women who had endometrial sampling performed with hysteroscopy had a higher likelihood of preoperative diagnosis. Patients with localized stage (vs distant stage) or tumor size >11 cm were less likely to be diagnosed preoperatively.
AHRQ-funded; HS024702.
Citation: Kho RM, Desai VB, Schwartz PE .
Endometrial sampling for preoperative diagnosis of uterine leiomyosarcoma.
J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2022 Jan;29(1):119-27. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2021.07.004.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Surgery, Women