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
Topics
- Adverse Events (1)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Cancer (6)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Prostate Cancer (3)
- Comparative Effectiveness (7)
- Disabilities (1)
- Elderly (2)
- Evidence-Based Practice (4)
- Healthcare Costs (2)
- Health Status (1)
- Kidney Disease and Health (1)
- Obesity (1)
- Orthopedics (3)
- Outcomes (8)
- Pain (3)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (13)
- Patient Experience (2)
- Prevention (1)
- Quality of Care (1)
- (-) Quality of Life (20)
- Registries (1)
- Respiratory Conditions (1)
- Sexual Health (1)
- Shared Decision Making (1)
- (-) Surgery (20)
- Treatments (1)
- Women (6)
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 20 of 20 Research Studies DisplayedAnchan RM, Spies JB, Zhang S
Long-term health-related quality of life and symptom severity following hysterectomy, myomectomy, or uterine artery embolization for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids.
This study compared the different surgical procedures used for uterine fibroids with respect to long-term health-related quality of life outcomes and symptom improvement. The authors examined differences in change from baseline to 1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up in health-related quality of life and symptom severity among patients who underwent abdominal myomectomy, laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy, abdominal hysterectomy, laparoscopic or robotic hysterectomy, or uterine artery embolization. A subset of the COMPARE-UF registry, a multiinstitutional prospective observational cohort study of women undergoing treatment for uterine fibroids was used. A subset of 1384 women aged 31 to 45 years who underwent either abdominal myomectomy (n=237), laparoscopic myomectomy (n=272), abdominal hysterectomy (n=177), laparoscopic hysterectomy (n=522), or uterine artery embolization (n=176) were included. They obtained demographics, fibroid history, and symptoms using questionnaires at enrollment and at 1, 2, and 3 years posttreatment. The Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life (UFS-QoL) questionnaire was used to ascertain symptom severity and health-related quality of life scores among participants. Those undergoing hysterectomy and uterine artery embolization reported the longest duration of fibroid symptoms with a mean of 6.3 years. The most common fibroid symptoms were heavy bleeding (menorrhagia) (75.3%), bulk symptoms (74.2%), and bloating (73.2%), with more than half (54.9%) of participants reported anemia, and 9.4% women reported a history of blood transfusion. Across all modalities, total health-related quality of life and symptom severity score markedly improved from baseline to 1-year with the largest improvement in the laparoscopic hysterectomy group. Those undergoing abdominal myomectomy, laparoscopic myomectomy, and uterine artery embolization also demonstrated significant improvement in health-related quality of life and symptom severity at 1 year, and the improvement persisted from baseline for uterine-sparing procedures during second and third year, posttreatment intervals, however with a trend toward decline in degree of improvement from years 1 and 2.
AHRQ-funded; HS023418.
Citation: Anchan RM, Spies JB, Zhang S .
Long-term health-related quality of life and symptom severity following hysterectomy, myomectomy, or uterine artery embolization for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023 Sep; 229(3):275.e1-75.e17. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.05.020..
Keywords: Quality of Life, Women, Surgery
Ayers DC, Yousef M, Yang W
Age-related differences in pain, function, and quality of life following primary total knee arthroplasty: results from a FORCE-TJR (Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement) cohort.
The purpose of this prospective, multicenter cohort study was to evaluate the differences in pain, function, and quality of life (QoL) reported 1 year after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) across varying age groups. The researchers preoperatively assessed 11,602 unilateral primary TKA patients, and collected demographic data, comorbid conditions, and patient-reported outcome measures including the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS), KOOS-12, KOOS Joint Replacement, and Short-Form health survey (12-item) and then collected again at 1-year postoperatively. The study found that prior to surgery, patients less than 55 years reported worse KOOS pain (39), function (50), and QoL (18) scores with poor mental health score (47) than other older patient groups. At 1 year after TKA, patients less than 55 years reported lower KOOS pain, function, and QoL scores when compared to patients 75 years or older. The differences in score changes among the age groups were statistically significant but clinically irrelevant. Further statistical analyses revealed that age was a significant predictor for pain, but not for function at 1 year where KOOS pain score was predicted to be higher in patients 75 years or older when compared to patients less than 55 years of age.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Ayers DC, Yousef M, Yang W .
Age-related differences in pain, function, and quality of life following primary total knee arthroplasty: results from a FORCE-TJR (Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement) cohort.
J Arthroplasty 2023 Jul; 38(7 Suppl 2):S169-S76. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2023.04.005..
Keywords: Orthopedics, Surgery, Quality of Life, Outcomes, Comparative Effectiveness, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Pain
Dominici L, Hu J, Zheng Y
Association of local therapy with quality-of-life outcomes in young women with breast cancer.
Researchers examined the association of surgery with longer-term satisfaction and quality of life (QOL) in young breast cancer survivors. Participants were women 40 years or older who enrolled in the Young Women's Breast Cancer Study. The results suggested that local therapy in young breast cancer survivors is persistently associated with poorer scores in multiple QOL domains, particularly among those treated with mastectomy and radiotherapy, irrespective of breast reconstruction. Socioeconomic stressors also appear to play a role.
AHRQ-funded; HS023680.
Citation: Dominici L, Hu J, Zheng Y .
Association of local therapy with quality-of-life outcomes in young women with breast cancer.
JAMA Surg 2021 Oct;156(10):e213758. 2021. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.3758..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Quality of Life, Women, Surgery
Snell DL, Dunn JA, Jerram KAS
AHRQ Author: Hsieh CJ
Associations between comorbidity and quality of life outcomes after total joint replacement.
In this study, a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based national survey, the authors examined associations between self-reported and clinician-assessed comorbidity and quality of life (QOL) outcomes after hip and knee replacement. The investigators concluded that the results showed that general QOL outcomes following hip and knee joint replacement, while typically high, were associated with comorbidity burden and BMI.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Snell DL, Dunn JA, Jerram KAS .
Associations between comorbidity and quality of life outcomes after total joint replacement.
Qual Life Res 2021 Jan;30(1):137-44. doi: 10.1007/s11136-020-02610-6..
Keywords: Quality of Life, Surgery, Orthopedics, Outcomes
Osterman CK, Deal AM, McCloskey H
Impairment and longitudinal recovery of older adults treated with radical cystectomy for muscle invasive bladder cancer.
Treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer includes radical cystectomy, a major surgery that can be associated with significant toxicity. Limited data exist related to changes in patient global health status and recovery following radical cystectomy. In this study, the investigators used geriatric assessment to longitudinally compare health related impairments in older and younger patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer who undergo radical cystectomy.
AHRQ-funded; HS024134.
Citation: Osterman CK, Deal AM, McCloskey H .
Impairment and longitudinal recovery of older adults treated with radical cystectomy for muscle invasive bladder cancer.
J Urol 2021 Jan;205(1):94-99. doi: 10.1097/ju.0000000000001323..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer, Surgery, Adverse Events, Quality of Life
Reisz PA, Laviana AA, Zhao Z
Assessing the quality of surgical care for clinically localized prostate cancer: results from the CEASAR study.
Prior studies suggest that nationally endorsed quality measures for prostate cancer care are not linked closely with outcomes. Using a prospective, population based cohort the investigators measured clinically relevant variation in structure, process and outcome measures in men undergoing radical prostatectomy. The authors did not identify and meaningful variation in quality of care across racial groups, age groups and surgeon volume strata, in this cohort, suggesting that men were receiving comparable quality of care across these strata.
AHRQ-funded; HS019356.
Citation: Reisz PA, Laviana AA, Zhao Z .
Assessing the quality of surgical care for clinically localized prostate cancer: results from the CEASAR study.
J Urol 2020 Dec;204(6):1236-41. doi: 10.1097/ju.0000000000001198..
Keywords: Surgery, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer, Quality of Care, Quality of Life, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Comparative Effectiveness, Evidence-Based Practice
Rosenberg SM, Dominici LS, Gelber S
Association of breast cancer surgery with quality of life and psychosocial well-being in young breast cancer survivors.
This study looked at the short-term and long-term effects of breast cancer surgery on young breast cancer survivors (aged 40 and younger). The researchers compared the effects of bilateral mastectomy (BM), unilateral mastectomy (UM), and breast conserving surgery (BCS) among women diagnosed with Stage 0-3 unilateral breast cancer between 2006 and 2016 who had surgery and completed QOL and psychosocial assessments. Out of 826 women, 45% had BM, 31% BCS, and 24% UM. Of the women who had BM/UM, 84% also underwent reconstructive surgery. Women who had BM vs BCS or UM had consistently worse sexuality and body image. Anxiety improved across all groups, but adjusted mean scores remained higher among women who had BM vs BCS/UM at 1 year. There were minimal between-group differences in depression levels.
AHRQ-funded; HS023680.
Citation: Rosenberg SM, Dominici LS, Gelber S .
Association of breast cancer surgery with quality of life and psychosocial well-being in young breast cancer survivors.
JAMA Surg 2020 Nov;155(11):1035-42. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2020.3325..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Quality of Life, Surgery
Laughlin-Tommaso SK, Lu D, Thomas L
Short-term quality of life after myomectomy for uterine fibroids from the COMPARE-UF fibroid registry.
Investigators compared women's perception of their short-term health-related quality of life measures and reported time to return to usual activities and return to work for different routes of myomectomy. Using data from the Comparing Options for Management: Patient-centered Results for Uterine Fibroids (COMPARE-UF) registry, and including abdominal and laparoscopic myomectomy procedures, they found that women who underwent myomectomy had substantial improvement in health-related quality of life, regardless of route of myomectomy; abdominal myomectomy was associated with a nearly 2-week longer time to return to work than laparoscopic myomectomy.
AHRQ-funded; HS023418.
Citation: Laughlin-Tommaso SK, Lu D, Thomas L .
Short-term quality of life after myomectomy for uterine fibroids from the COMPARE-UF fibroid registry.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020 Apr;222(4):345.e1-45.e22. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.09.052..
Keywords: Quality of Life, Women, Surgery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Registries
Wallace K, Zhang S, Thomas L
Comparative effectiveness of hysterectomy versus myomectomy on one-year health-related quality of life in women with uterine fibroids.
The purpose of this prospective cohort study was to compare long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) 1 year after hysterectomy or myomectomy for treatment of uterine fibroids (UFs) and to determine whether route of procedure, race, or age affected improvements in HRQOL. The investigators concluded that HRQOL improved in all women 1 year after hysterectomy or myomectomy.
AHRQ-funded; HS023418.
Citation: Wallace K, Zhang S, Thomas L .
Comparative effectiveness of hysterectomy versus myomectomy on one-year health-related quality of life in women with uterine fibroids.
Fertil Steril 2020 Mar;113(3):618-26. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.10.028..
Keywords: Comparative Effectiveness, Women, Quality of Life, Surgery, Evidence-Based Practice, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes
Smith JW, Knight Davis J, Quatman-Yates CC
Loss of community-dwelling status among survivors of high-acuity emergency general surgery disease.
The purpose of this study was to examine the loss of community-dwelling status 9 months after hospitalization for high-acuity emergency general surgery (HA-EGS) disease among older Americans. The investigators concluded that older Americans, known to prioritize living in the community, will experience substantial loss of independence due to HA-EGS. They indicate that long-term expectations after surviving HA-EGS must be framed from the perspective of the outcomes that older patients value the most.
AHRQ-funded; HS022694.
Citation: Smith JW, Knight Davis J, Quatman-Yates CC .
Loss of community-dwelling status among survivors of high-acuity emergency general surgery disease.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2019 Nov;67(11):2289-97. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16046..
Keywords: Elderly, Surgery, Outcomes, Quality of Life
Mullins BT, Basak R, Broughman JR
Patient-reported sexual quality of life after different types of radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy: analysis of a population-based prospective cohort.
This study compares the effects of different types of radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy on sexual function. A population-based cohort of 835 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer from 2011 through 2013 was recruited in collaboration with the Rapid Case Ascertainment system of the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry. They were enrolled prior to treatment and followed retrospectively using the validated Prostate Cancer Symptom Indices (PCSI) instrument. The sexual function scores were compared among patients who received the following treatment types: external-beam RT (EBRT), EBRT with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), brachytherapy, nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (RP), and non-nerve-sparing RP. The cohort was surveyed at 24 months post-therapy, and RT alone was found to result in the best preservation of sexual function with brachytherapy, RT with ADT, and nerve-sparing RP yielding similar outcomes. Patients treated with non-nerve-sparing RP experienced the worst sexual function outcome.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Mullins BT, Basak R, Broughman JR .
Patient-reported sexual quality of life after different types of radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy: analysis of a population-based prospective cohort.
Cancer 2019 Oct 15;125(20):3657-65. doi: 10.1002/cncr.32288..
Keywords: Quality of Life, Sexual Health, Surgery, Treatments, Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer, Evidence-Based Practice
Nicholson WK, Wegienka G, Zhang S
Short-term health-related quality of life after hysterectomy compared with myomectomy for symptomatic leiomyomas.
The objective of this study was to compare short-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) 6-12 weeks after hysterectomy or myomectomy for the treatment of symptomatic leiomyomas. The investigators conducted a prospective comparative effectiveness analysis of data. They concluded that both hysterectomy and myomectomy were associated with substantial improvement in HRQOL at short-term follow-up, with small but statistically significant differences in symptom severity and certain subscales.
AHRQ-funded; HS023418.
Citation: Nicholson WK, Wegienka G, Zhang S .
Short-term health-related quality of life after hysterectomy compared with myomectomy for symptomatic leiomyomas.
Obstet Gynecol 2019 Aug;134(2):261-69. doi: 10.1097/aog.0000000000003354..
Keywords: Quality of Life, Surgery, Women, Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Outcomes
Nguyen UDT, Perneger T, Franklin PD
Improvement in mental health following total hip arthroplasty: the role of pain and function.
This prospective study examined whether mental health improved in patients who had total hip arthroplasty (THA) due to improvement in pain and function 1 year post-surgery. Patients enrolled in a THA registry from 2010 to 2014 were included and the mental component score (MCS) was examined before and 1 year post-surgery. There was a significant improvement in mental health due to less pain and improved function.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Nguyen UDT, Perneger T, Franklin PD .
Improvement in mental health following total hip arthroplasty: the role of pain and function.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2019 Jun 29;20(1):307. doi: 10.1186/s12891-019-2669-y..
Keywords: Health Status, Behavioral Health, Orthopedics, Outcomes, Pain, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality of Life, Surgery
Skolasky RL, Scherer EA, Wegener ST
Does reduction in sciatica symptoms precede improvement in disability and physical health among those treated surgically for intervertebral disc herniation? Analysis of temporal patterns in data from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial.
This study aimed to evaluate pathways for improvements in quality of life during the first year after surgery for IDH by studying temporal relationships between sciatica symptoms, pain-related disability, and physical health. Investigators found that three months after surgery, patients reported reduced sciatica and pain-related disability. Early reduction in pain-related disability is important because path analysis indicated that disability at 3 months was predictive of sciatica and physical health at 1 year.
AHRQ-funded; HS017990; HS016106.
Citation: Skolasky RL, Scherer EA, Wegener ST .
Does reduction in sciatica symptoms precede improvement in disability and physical health among those treated surgically for intervertebral disc herniation? Analysis of temporal patterns in data from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial.
Spine J 2018 Aug;18(8):1318-24. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2017.11.016.
.
.
Keywords: Disabilities, Outcomes, Pain, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality of Life, Surgery
Domenick Sridharan N, Fish L, Yu L
The associations of hemodialysis access type and access satisfaction with health-related quality of life.
This study sought to understand the impact of hemodialysis (HD) access type on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The study concluded that HD patients experience greatest satisfaction with fistula, and access satisfaction is significantly associated with better HRQOL. Controlling for access satisfaction, there is no significant independent association of access type on HRQOL.
AHRQ-funded; HS019486.
Citation: Domenick Sridharan N, Fish L, Yu L .
The associations of hemodialysis access type and access satisfaction with health-related quality of life.
J Vasc Surg 2018 Jan;67(1):229-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2017.05.131..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Kidney Disease and Health, Patient Experience, Quality of Life, Surgery, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Chen RC, Basak R, Meyer AM
Association between choice of radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, or active surveillance and patient-reported quality of life among men with localized prostate cancer.
This study compared quality of life after radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, and brachytherapy vs active surveillance. By 24 months, mean scores between treatment groups vs active surveillance were not significantly different in most domains. However, each treatment strategy was associated with distinct patterns of adverse effects over 2 years.
AHRQ-funded; AHRQ contract (no number given).
Citation: Chen RC, Basak R, Meyer AM .
Association between choice of radical prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, or active surveillance and patient-reported quality of life among men with localized prostate cancer.
JAMA 2017 Mar 21;317(11):1141-50. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.1652.
.
.
Keywords: Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Surgery, Quality of Life
Krakovitz PR, Boss EF
Intraoperative nerve monitoring during thyroidectomy-more complex than cost alone.
This brief invited commentary discussed intraoperative nerve monitoring and surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS022932.
Citation: Krakovitz PR, Boss EF .
Intraoperative nerve monitoring during thyroidectomy-more complex than cost alone.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2016 Dec;142(12):1206-07. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2016.3116.
.
.
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Healthcare Costs, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality of Life, Surgery
Waljee JF, Ghaferi A, Finks JF
Variation in patient-reported outcomes across hospitals following surgery.
The researchers examined variation in patient-reported outcomes (PROs), specifically health-related quality of life (HRQOL), across hospitals performing bariatric surgery. They found that patient factors explain a large proportion of hospital-level variation in PROs following bariatric surgery, underscoring the importance of risk adjustment.
AHRQ-funded; HS023313.
Citation: Waljee JF, Ghaferi A, Finks JF .
Variation in patient-reported outcomes across hospitals following surgery.
Med Care 2015 Nov;53(11):960-6. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000425..
Keywords: Quality of Life, Surgery, Obesity, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Patient Experience
Kaplan RM, Sun Q, Ries AL
AHRQ Author: Kaplan RM
Quality of well-being outcomes in the National Emphysema Treatment Trial.
The purpose of this article is to report outcomes from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT) using an index that combines quality and quantity of life. Results showed that, compared with maximal medical therapy alone, patients undergoing maximal medical therapy plus lung volume reduction surgery experienced improved health-related quality of life and gained more quality-adjusted life years.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Kaplan RM, Sun Q, Ries AL .
Quality of well-being outcomes in the National Emphysema Treatment Trial.
Chest 2015 Feb;147(2):377-87. doi: 10.1378/chest.14-0528.
.
.
Keywords: Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Quality of Life, Respiratory Conditions, Surgery
Zanocco K, Elaraj D, Sturgeon C
Routine prophylactic central neck dissection for low-risk papillary thyroid cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
The researchers hypothesized that routine prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND) is not cost-effective in low-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).Using a Markov transition-state model, they found that pCND cost $10,315 and produced an effectiveness of 23.785 quality-adjusted life years. They concluded that routine pCND for low-risk PTC is not cost-effective unless the recurrence rate is greater than 10.3 percent.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078.
Citation: Zanocco K, Elaraj D, Sturgeon C .
Routine prophylactic central neck dissection for low-risk papillary thyroid cancer: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
Surgery 2013 Dec;154(6):1148-55; discussion 54-5..
Keywords: Cancer, Surgery, Prevention, Healthcare Costs, Quality of Life