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
- Access to Care (1)
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (1)
- Adverse Events (3)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (1)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- (-) Cancer (39)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (6)
- Cancer: Colorectal Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Lung Cancer (5)
- Cancer: Ovarian Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Prostate Cancer (4)
- Cancer: Skin Cancer (1)
- Care Coordination (1)
- Caregiving (1)
- Care Management (1)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- Community-Based Practice (1)
- Comparative Effectiveness (3)
- Critical Care (1)
- Data (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (5)
- Disabilities (1)
- Disparities (1)
- Education: Academic (1)
- Elderly (2)
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (2)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (2)
- Family Health and History (1)
- Genetics (1)
- Guidelines (1)
- Healthcare Costs (6)
- Healthcare Delivery (1)
- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (6)
- Health Insurance (1)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (1)
- Health Status (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (1)
- Hospitalization (1)
- Imaging (2)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (2)
- Medicare (2)
- Medication (4)
- Mortality (4)
- Outcomes (2)
- Pain (1)
- Palliative Care (4)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (4)
- Policy (1)
- Prevention (9)
- Primary Care (2)
- Provider: Physician (1)
- Quality Improvement (2)
- Quality of Life (4)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (3)
- Registries (1)
- Research Methodologies (1)
- Respiratory Conditions (1)
- Risk (2)
- Screening (8)
- Surgery (1)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (2)
- Urban Health (1)
- Vaccination (1)
- Web-Based (1)
- Women (4)
- Workflow (2)
- Young Adults (1)
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 25 of 39 Research Studies DisplayedAl Hussein Al Awamlh B, Wallis CJD, Penson DF
Functional outcomes after localized prostate cancer treatment.
The objective of this observational cohort study was to compare rates of adverse functional outcomes between specific treatments for localized prostate cancer. Researchers used data from five U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program registries. Participants were patients treated for localized prostate cancer in 2011-2012. The results indicated that radical prostatectomy was associated with worse urinary incontinence, but not with worse sexual function, at 10-year followup when compared with radiotherapy or surveillance. Among patients with unfavorable-prognosis disease, external beam radiotherapy with androgen deprivation therapy was associated with worse bowel and hormone function at 10-year followup compared with radical prostatectomy.
AHRQ-funded; HS019356; HS022640.
Citation: Al Hussein Al Awamlh B, Wallis CJD, Penson DF .
Functional outcomes after localized prostate cancer treatment.
JAMA 2024 Jan 23; 331(4):302-17. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.26491.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Balbin CA, Kawamoto K
The SIMPLE architectural pattern for integrating patient-facing apps into clinical workflows: desiderata and application for lung cancer screening.
To address the need for electronic health record (EHR) systems to accept the connection of any patient-facing digital health app using the SMART on FHIR standard, the authors proposed the Standards-based Implementation Maximizing Portability Leveraging the EHR (SIMPLE). SIMPLE’s architectural pattern was designed to meet several key requirements, such as not requiring patients to install new software; not retaining patient data outside of the EHR; leveraging existing personal health record (PHR) capabilities to optimize user experience; and maximizing portability.
AHRQ-funded; HS028791.
Citation: Balbin CA, Kawamoto K .
The SIMPLE architectural pattern for integrating patient-facing apps into clinical workflows: desiderata and application for lung cancer screening.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2024 Jan 11; 2023:844-53..
Keywords: Workflow, Health Information Technology (HIT), Cancer: Lung Cancer, Cancer, Screening
Vyas A, Madhavan S, Sambamoorthi U
Association between persistence with mammography screening and stage at diagnosis among elderly women diagnosed with breast cancer.
The objective of this study is to determine the association between persistence with mammography screening and stage at breast cancer (BC) diagnosis among elderly women. It found that, as compared to women who were not persistent with mammography screening, women who were persistent with mammography screening were significantly more likely to be diagnosed at earlier stages of BC.
AHRQ-funded; HS018622.
Citation: Vyas A, Madhavan S, Sambamoorthi U .
Association between persistence with mammography screening and stage at diagnosis among elderly women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 2014 Dec;148(3):645-54. doi: 10.1007/s10549-014-3204-3..
Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Elderly, Prevention, Screening, Women
Banerjee M, Muenz DG, Worden FP
Conditional survival in patients with thyroid cancer.
This study used data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry to determine conditional 5-year disease-specific survival based on patient age, gender, and stage. It found that patients with localized thyroid cancer have excellent conditional 5-year survival, irrespective of where they are in their survivorship phase. In addition, patients with regional thyroid cancer have relatively stable conditional 5-year survival.
AHRQ-funded; HS020937.
Citation: Banerjee M, Muenz DG, Worden FP .
Conditional survival in patients with thyroid cancer.
Thyroid 2014 Dec;24(12):1784-9. doi: 10.1089/thy.2014.0264..
Keywords: Cancer, Mortality, Outcomes, Registries
Smieliauskas F, MacMahon H, Salgia R
Geographic variation in radiologist capacity and widespread implementation of lung cancer CT screening.
The researchers estimated the prevalence of capacity constraints in the radiologist workforce and resulting potential disparities in access to lung cancer screening. They found that scaling up lung cancer screening would increase imaging procedures by an average of 4% across Health Service Areas (HSAs). HSAs that were rural, with many eligible smokers, and disproportionately Hispanic or low-income smokers had significantly higher odds of facing capacity constraints.
AHRQ-funded; HS018535.
Citation: Smieliauskas F, MacMahon H, Salgia R .
Geographic variation in radiologist capacity and widespread implementation of lung cancer CT screening.
J Med Screen 2014 Dec;21(4):207-15. doi: 10.1177/0969141314548055..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Cancer, Cancer: Lung Cancer, Screening, Imaging
Gerber DE, Laccetti AL, Xuan L
Impact of prior cancer on eligibility for lung cancer clinical trials.
A prior cancer diagnosis often excludes patients from cancer clinical trials. Lung cancer patients were used to determine estimated impact on trial accrual. This study found that patients previously diagnosed with cancer were excluded in more than two-thirds of lung cancer trials. More research is needed to understand the basis of this policy.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418
Citation: Gerber DE, Laccetti AL, Xuan L .
Impact of prior cancer on eligibility for lung cancer clinical trials.
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2014 Nov;106(11). doi: 10.1093/jnci/dju302..
Keywords: Cancer: Lung Cancer, Policy, Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Geynisman DM, Chien CR, Smieliauskas F
Economic evaluation of therapeutic cancer vaccines and immunotherapy: a systematic review.
The researchers performed a comprehensive literature review of cost and cost-effectiveness research on therapeutic cancer vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, to better understand the economic impacts of these treatments. They discussed the implications surrounding the economic factors involved in cancer immunotherapies and suggested that further research on cost and cost-effectiveness of newer cancer vaccines and immunotherapies were warranted as this is a rapidly growing field with many new drugs on the horizon.
AHRQ-funded; HS018535.
Citation: Geynisman DM, Chien CR, Smieliauskas F .
Economic evaluation of therapeutic cancer vaccines and immunotherapy: a systematic review.
Hum Vaccin Immunother 2014;10(11):3415-24. doi: 10.4161/hv.29407.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Healthcare Costs, Vaccination
Rabin BA, Ellis JL, Steiner JF
Health-care utilization by prognosis profile in a managed care setting: using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Cancer Survival Calculator SEER*CSC.
The authors described health service utilization patterns of subgroups of prostate cancer and colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with different relative probabilities of dying of their cancer or other conditions. They found that although a new diagnosis of cancer increased utilization of cancer-related services for an extended time period, the timing of cancer diagnosis did not appear to affect other types of utilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS019520.
Citation: Rabin BA, Ellis JL, Steiner JF .
Health-care utilization by prognosis profile in a managed care setting: using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Cancer Survival Calculator SEER*CSC.
J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2014 Nov;2014(49):275-81. doi: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgu023.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Healthcare Utilization, Mortality, Healthcare Delivery
Arvold ND, Wang Y, Zigler C
Hospitalization burden and survival among older glioblastoma patients.
The researchers performed a retrospective cohort study among patients aged 65 years and older with glioblastoma diagnosed between 1999 and 2007. They found that higher comorbidity score and black race were associated with an increased risk of being hospitalized for at least 25% of remaining life, whereas radiation, temozolomide, and extensive surgery were associated with a decreased risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS021991.
Citation: Arvold ND, Wang Y, Zigler C .
Hospitalization burden and survival among older glioblastoma patients.
Neuro Oncol 2014 Nov;16(11):1530-40. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/nou060.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Elderly, Hospitalization, Mortality, Quality of Life
Feuer EJ, Rabin BA, Zou Z
The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Cancer Survival Calculator SEER*CSC: validation in a managed care setting.
The researchers externally validate the nomograms for prostate and colorectal cancer using data from Kaiser Permanente Colorado. Their results indicated that the colorectal and prostate cancer nomograms are reliable tools for physicians and patients to use to obtain information on prognosis and assist in establishing priorities for both treatment of the cancer and other conditions, particularly when a patient is elderly and/or has significant comorbidities.
AHRQ-funded; HS019520.
Citation: Feuer EJ, Rabin BA, Zou Z .
The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Cancer Survival Calculator SEER*CSC: validation in a managed care setting.
J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2014 Nov;2014(49):265-74. doi: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgu021.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer, Mortality
Young RS, Gobel BH, Schumacher M
Use of the modified early warning score and serum lactate to prevent cardiopulmonary arrest in hematology-oncology patients: a quality improvement study.
The authors aimed to improve the early identification of clinically deteriorating hematology-oncology patients in order to prevent the development of critical illness and to facilitate timely intensive care unit (ICU) transfers. They used a protocol employing the Modified Early Warning Score and found that implementation of this protocol reduced codes and preventable codes without an associated increase in ICU transfers.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078.
Citation: Young RS, Gobel BH, Schumacher M .
Use of the modified early warning score and serum lactate to prevent cardiopulmonary arrest in hematology-oncology patients: a quality improvement study.
Am J Med Qual 2014 Nov-Dec;29(6):530-7. doi: 10.1177/1062860613508305.
.
.
Keywords: Adverse Events, Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Prevention, Quality Improvement
Freedman JL, Faerber JI, Kang TI
Predictors of antiemetic alteration in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.
The purpose of this study was to gain better knowledge of patient and cancer treatment factors associated with nausea/vomiting (NV) in order to enhance prophylaxis in children being treated for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It found that treatment-related NV, as evidenced by antiemetic alterations, is more prevalent with increasing age.
AHRQ-funded; HS018425
Citation: Freedman JL, Faerber JI, Kang TI .
Predictors of antiemetic alteration in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.
Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2014 Oct;61(10):1798-805. doi: 10.1002/pbc.25108..
Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Cancer, Children/Adolescents, Medication, Prevention
Deppen SA, Blume JD, Kensinger CD
Accuracy of FDG-PET to diagnose lung cancer in areas with infectious lung disease: a meta-analysis.
The purpose of this study was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) combined with fludeoxyglucose F18 (FDG) for pulmonary modules suspicious for lung cancer in regions where infectious lung disease is endemic and compare the accuracy in regions where such disease is rare. It found that the accuracy of FDG-PET was extremely heterogeneous.
AHRQ-funded; HS021554.
Citation: Deppen SA, Blume JD, Kensinger CD .
Accuracy of FDG-PET to diagnose lung cancer in areas with infectious lung disease: a meta-analysis.
JAMA 2014 Sep 24;312(12):1227-36. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.11488..
Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Lung Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Respiratory Conditions, Imaging
Dood RL, Gracia CR, Sammel MD
Endometrial cancer after endometrial ablation vs medical management of abnormal uterine bleeding.
The authors investigated whether endometrial ablation is associated with increased risk or delayed diagnosis of endometrial cancer compared with medical management of abnormal uterine bleeding. They observed no difference in endometrial cancer rates, nor was there a delay in diagnosis when comparing endometrial ablation vs medical management.
AHRQ-funded; HS021336.
Citation: Dood RL, Gracia CR, Sammel MD .
Endometrial cancer after endometrial ablation vs medical management of abnormal uterine bleeding.
J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2014 Sep-Oct;21(5):744-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2014.02.012.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Comparative Effectiveness, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Women
Gerber DE, Laccetti AL, Chen B
Predictors and intensity of online access to electronic medical records among patients with cancer.
This study set out to determine predictors and patterns of use of a Web-based portal for accessing PHRs and communicating with health providers among patients with cancer. It found that among patients with cancer, PHR portal use is frequent and increasing. Younger patients, white patients, and patients with upper aerodigestive malignancies exhibit the heaviest portal use.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Gerber DE, Laccetti AL, Chen B .
Predictors and intensity of online access to electronic medical records among patients with cancer.
J Oncol Pract 2014 Sep;10(5):e307-12. doi: 10.1200/jop.2013.001347..
Keywords: Cancer, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Clinician-Patient Communication, Web-Based
Feudtner C, Freedman J, Kang T
Comparative effectiveness of senna to prevent problematic constipation in pediatric oncology patients receiving opioids: a multicenter study of clinically detailed administrative data.
The researcher investigated senna’s effectiveness, compared with other prophylactic oral bowel medications, in reducing opioid-induced constipation in pediatric cancer patients. They found that initiating senna therapy within two days of starting opioids, compared with initiating another oral bowel medication, was significantly associated with a lower risk of problematic constipation.
AHRQ-funded; HS018425.
Citation: Feudtner C, Freedman J, Kang T .
Comparative effectiveness of senna to prevent problematic constipation in pediatric oncology patients receiving opioids: a multicenter study of clinically detailed administrative data.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2014 Aug;48(2):272-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2013.09.009..
Keywords: Cancer, Children/Adolescents, Comparative Effectiveness, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Medication
de Souza JA, Santana IA, de Castro Jr G
Economic analyses in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a review of the literature from a clinical perspective.
This review aims to evaluate the current literature related to economic analyses of treatment modalities for squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. The variation in findings among the studies reviewed demonstrates the challenges of performing economic analyses in a disease that requires an evolving and complex multidisciplinary approach.
AHRQ-funded; HS018535
Citation: de Souza JA, Santana IA, de Castro Jr G .
Economic analyses in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a review of the literature from a clinical perspective.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2014 Aug 1;89(5):989-96. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.03.040..
Keywords: Cancer, Healthcare Costs
Berner ES, Ray MN, Panjamapirom A
Exploration of an automated approach for receiving patient feedback after outpatient acute care visits.
The authors' objective was to provide post-visit feedback to physicians on patient outcomes following acute care visits. They found that many patients who do not improve as expected do not take action to further address unresolved problems. They suggested that systematic follow-up/feedback mechanisms can potentially identify and connect such patients to needed care.
AHRQ-funded; HS017060.
Citation: Berner ES, Ray MN, Panjamapirom A .
Exploration of an automated approach for receiving patient feedback after outpatient acute care visits.
J Gen Intern Med 2014 Aug;29(8):1105-12. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-2783-3.
.
.
Keywords: Critical Care, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Health Information Technology (HIT), Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Cancer
Smieliauskas F, Chien CR, Shen C
Cost-effectiveness analyses of targeted oral anti-cancer drugs: a systematic review.
The researchers’ objective was to perform the first comprehensive review of cost-effectiveness analyses of targeted oral anti-cancer medications (OAMs). They concluded that in over half of the treatment settings in which a targeted OAM was compared with treatment that was not a targeted OAM, targeted OAMs were considered cost-effective.
AHRQ-funded; HS018535.
Citation: Smieliauskas F, Chien CR, Shen C .
Cost-effectiveness analyses of targeted oral anti-cancer drugs: a systematic review.
Pharmacoeconomics 2014 Jul;32(7):651-80. doi: 10.1007/s40273-014-0160-z..
Keywords: Cancer, Healthcare Costs, Medication
Atlas SJ, Zai AH, Ashburner JM
Non-visit-based cancer screening using a novel population management system.
The authors evaluated whether involving primary care providers (PCPs) in a visit-independent population management IT application led to more effective cancer screening. They found that involving PCPs in a visit-independent population management IT application resulted in similar cancer screening rates compared with an automated reminder system, but fewer patients were sent reminder letters, suggesting that PCPs were able to identify and exclude from contact patients who would have received automated reminder letters but not undergone screening.
AHRQ-funded; HS018161.
Citation: Atlas SJ, Zai AH, Ashburner JM .
Non-visit-based cancer screening using a novel population management system.
J Am Board Fam Med 2014 Jul-Aug;27(4):474-85. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2014.04.130319.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Health Information Technology (HIT), Prevention, Primary Care, Screening
Ekwueme DU, Yabroff KR, Guy GP, Jr.
AHRQ Author: Soni A, Davidoff A
Medical costs and productivity losses of cancer survivors--United States, 2008-2011.
In order to estimate annual medical costs and productivity losses among male and female cancer survivors and persons without a cancer history, the CDC, along with other organizations, analyzed data from the 2008-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and found that the economic burden of cancer survivorship is substantial among all survivors. These findings identified a need to develop and evaluate health and employment intervention programs aimed at improving outcomes for cancer survivors and their families.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Ekwueme DU, Yabroff KR, Guy GP, Jr. .
Medical costs and productivity losses of cancer survivors--United States, 2008-2011.
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014 Jun 13;63(23):505-10.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Healthcare Costs, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
Cobran EK, Wutoh AK, Lee E
Perceptions of prostate cancer fatalism and screening behavior between United States-born and Caribbean-born Black males.
The purpose of this study was to compare perceptions of prostate cancer (CaP) fatalism and predictors of CaP screening with Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing between U.S.-born and Caribbean-born African-American males. In their study of 211 U.S.-born and Caribbean-born Black males between ages 39–75, the researchers found that nativity was not a significant predictor of CaP screening with PSA testing within the last year.
AHRQ-funded; HS011673.
Citation: Cobran EK, Wutoh AK, Lee E .
Perceptions of prostate cancer fatalism and screening behavior between United States-born and Caribbean-born Black males.
J Immigr Minor Health 2014 Jun;16(3):394-400. doi: 10.1007/s10903-013-9825-5..
Keywords: Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Screening, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Cancer
Rocke DJ, Beumer HW, Taylor DH, Jr.
Physician and patient and caregiver health attitudes and their effect on Medicare resource allocation for patients with advanced cancer.
The investigators sought to determine how baseline attitudes toward quality vs quantity of life affect end-of-life resource allocation. They found that, compared with patients and caregivers, otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) physician allocations differed significantly in all 15 benefit categories except home care. They concluded that understanding the effect of baseline attitudes is important for effective end-of-life discussions.
AHRQ-funded; HS018360.
Citation: Rocke DJ, Beumer HW, Taylor DH, Jr. .
Physician and patient and caregiver health attitudes and their effect on Medicare resource allocation for patients with advanced cancer.
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014 Jun;140(6):497-503. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2014.494.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Caregiving, Medicare, Palliative Care, Provider: Physician, Quality of Life
Davidoff AJ, Gardner LD, Zuckerman IH
AHRQ Author: Davidoff AJ
Validation of disability status, a claims-based measure of functional status for cancer treatment and outcomes studies.
The researchers implemented and validated a disability status (DS) measure in 4 cohorts of cancer patients. They found that the DS measure is a significant independent predictor of cancer-directed treatment, but unobserved factors continue to play a role in determining treatments.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Davidoff AJ, Gardner LD, Zuckerman IH .
Validation of disability status, a claims-based measure of functional status for cancer treatment and outcomes studies.
Med Care 2014 Jun;52(6):500-10. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000122.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disabilities, Health Status, Cancer: Lung Cancer
Forehand RL, Williamson RS, Russo GS
College health as a partner in the care of pediatric cancer survivors.
The authors reviewed an initiative to educate providers on pediatric cancer survivor care and to establish a cancer survivor registry in a college health center. They concluded that, through education and optimization of health informatics, college health centers can identify and provide survivor care to this medically vulnerable population.
AHRQ-funded; HS021251.
Citation: Forehand RL, Williamson RS, Russo GS .
College health as a partner in the care of pediatric cancer survivors.
J Am Coll Health 2014;62(7):506-10. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2014.917655.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Health Services Research (HSR), Young Adults, Education: Academic