National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
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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
1 to 25 of 98 Research Studies DisplayedAdams AS, Madden JM, Zhang F
Effects of transitioning to Medicare Part D on access to drugs for medical conditions among dual enrollees with cancer.
This study evaluated the impact of transitioning from Medicaid to Medicare Part D drug coverage on the use of noncancer treatments among dual enrollees with cancer. Its findings suggest that the removal of drug caps under Part D had a modest impact on the treatment of hypercholesterolemia overall and may have reduced white-black gaps in the use of lipid-lowering and antidepressant therapies.
AHRQ-funded; HS018577.
Citation: Adams AS, Madden JM, Zhang F .
Effects of transitioning to Medicare Part D on access to drugs for medical conditions among dual enrollees with cancer.
Value Health 2017 Dec;20(10):1345-54. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2017.05.023.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Cancer, Medicare, Medication, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Goff SL, Mazor KM, Guhn-Knight H
Factors that matter to low-income and racial/ethnic minority mothers when choosing a pediatric practice: a mixed methods analysis.
The authors sought to understand potential barriers to using quality data by assessing what factors mattered to women when choosing a pediatric practice. They found that pediatrician characteristics and factors related to access to care may be more important to low-income and racial/ethnic minority women than more commonly reported quality metrics.
AHRQ-funded; HS021864.
Citation: Goff SL, Mazor KM, Guhn-Knight H .
Factors that matter to low-income and racial/ethnic minority mothers when choosing a pediatric practice: a mixed methods analysis.
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2017 Dec;4(6):1051-60. doi: 10.1007/s40615-016-0309-x.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Quality of Care, Low-Income, Children/Adolescents, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Selden TM, Lipton BJ, Decker SL
AHRQ Author: Selden TM, Lipton BJ, Decker SL
Medicaid expansion and marketplace eligibility both increased coverage, with trade-offs in access, affordability.
The researchers found that as of 2015, adults with incomes of 100-138 percent of the federal poverty level had experienced large declines in uninsurance rates in both expansion and nonexpansion states. Adults in expansion and nonexpansion states also experienced similar increases in having a usual source of care and primary care visits, and similar reductions in delayed receipt of medical care due to cost.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Selden TM, Lipton BJ, Decker SL .
Medicaid expansion and marketplace eligibility both increased coverage, with trade-offs in access, affordability.
Health Aff 2017 Dec;36(12):2069-77. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0830.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Policy, Low-Income, Medicaid, Uninsured
Kirby JB, Sharma R
AHRQ Author: Kirby JB
The availability of community health center services and access to medical care.
This study examined the associations between the availability of Community Health Centers (CHCs) services in communities and two key measures of ambulatory care access - having a usual source of care and having any office-based medical visits over a one year period. It found that the availability of CHC services was positively associated with both measures of access among those with no insurance coverage.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Kirby JB, Sharma R .
The availability of community health center services and access to medical care.
Healthc 2017 Dec;5(4):174-82. doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2016.12.006.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Community-Based Practice, Medicaid, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Uninsured
Roman LA, Raffo JE, Dertz K
Understanding perspectives of African American Medicaid-insured women on the process of perinatal care: an opportunity for systems improvement.
The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of Medicaid-insured women about their experiences of perinatal care across a continuum of clinical and community-based services. It found that many women experienced difficulties engaging in early care, getting more help, and understanding and communicating with their providers, with some reporting socio-economic and racial bias in care.
AHRQ-funded; HS020208.
Citation: Roman LA, Raffo JE, Dertz K .
Understanding perspectives of African American Medicaid-insured women on the process of perinatal care: an opportunity for systems improvement.
Matern Child Health J 2017 Dec;21(Suppl 1):81-92. doi: 10.1007/s10995-017-2372-2.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Maternal Care, Medicaid, Pregnancy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Taira DA, Shen C, King M
Access to medications for Medicare enrollees related to race/ethnicity: results from the 2013 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey.
Prescription medications are taken by millions of Americans to manage chronic conditions and treat acute conditions. These medications, however, are not equally accessible to all. The purpose of this study was to examine medication access by race/ethnicity among Medicare beneficiaries. The authors found that possible interventions for non-Hispanic blacks might include assisting them in finding the best drug plan to meeting their needs, connecting them to medication assistance programs, and discussing convenience of pharmacy with patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS023185.
Citation: Taira DA, Shen C, King M .
Access to medications for Medicare enrollees related to race/ethnicity: results from the 2013 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey.
Res Social Adm Pharm 2017 Nov;13(6):1208-13. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.10.021..
Keywords: Access to Care, Medicare, Medication, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Social Determinants of Health
Yabroff KR, Kirby J, Zodet M
AHRQ Author: Kirby J, Zodet M
Association of insurance gains and losses with access to prescription drugs.
The researchers used longitudinal data to assess the effects of insurance gains and losses on prescription drug access. Their findings that unmet need for prescription drugs declined among initially uninsured adults who gained coverage and doubled among initially insured adults who lost coverage provide longitudinal evidence that having and maintaining health insurance is a key protection against unmet need for prescription drugs in a nationally representative sample.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Yabroff KR, Kirby J, Zodet M .
Association of insurance gains and losses with access to prescription drugs.
JAMA Intern Med 2017 Oct;177(10):1531-32. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.4011.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Medication, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Uninsured
Ndumele CD, Cohen MS, Cleary PD
Association of state access standards with accessibility to specialists for Medicaid managed care enrollees.
The researchers compared ratings of access to specialists for adult Medicaid and commercial enrollees before and after the implementation of specialty access standards. Overall, there was no significant improvement in timely access to specialty services for Medicaid managed care enrollees in the period following implementation of standard(s) nor was there any impact of access standards on insurance-based disparities in access.
AHRQ-funded; HS016978; HS017589.
Citation: Ndumele CD, Cohen MS, Cleary PD .
Association of state access standards with accessibility to specialists for Medicaid managed care enrollees.
JAMA Intern Med 2017 Oct;177(10):1445-51. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.3766.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Quality of Care, Health Insurance, Patient Experience
Allen CD, McNeely CA
Do restrictive omnibus immigration laws reduce enrollment in public health insurance by Latino citizen children? A comparative interrupted time series study.
This study uses nationally-representative data from the National Health Interview Survey (2005-2014) and comparative interrupted time series methods to assess whether passage of state omnibus immigration laws reduced access to Medicaid/CHIP for US citizen Latino children. The authors found that law passage did not reduce enrollment for children with noncitizen parents and actually resulted in temporary increases in coverage among Latino children with at least one citizen parent.
AHRQ-funded; HS024248.
Citation: Allen CD, McNeely CA .
Do restrictive omnibus immigration laws reduce enrollment in public health insurance by Latino citizen children? A comparative interrupted time series study.
Soc Sci Med 2017 Oct;191:19-29. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.08.039..
Keywords: Access to Care, Children/Adolescents, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Gonzales G, Golberstein E, Hill SC
AHRQ Author: Hill, SC; Zuvekas, SH
Psychological distress and enrollment in Medicaid.
Adults with poor mental health may want and need insurance to obtain care, but symptoms may impede enrollment into public health insurance. The enrollment response to Medicaid expansions prior to the Affordable Care Act was stronger for adults symptomatic of psychological distress compared with adults without distress and compared to adults with chronic physical health problems.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Gonzales G, Golberstein E, Hill SC .
Psychological distress and enrollment in Medicaid.
J Behav Health Serv Res 2017 Oct;44(4):523-35. doi: 10.1007/s11414-016-9532-9.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Policy, Medicaid, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Behavioral Health
Eaton EF, McDavid C, Banasiewicz MK
Patient preferences for antiretroviral therapy: effectiveness, quality of life, access and novel delivery methods.
The objective of this study was to understand patient preferences for contemporary antiretroviral therapy (ART) by focusing on three areas that have been understudied: minority patients (racial/ethnic and sexual minorities), experience with novel single-tablet regimens made available in the last 10 years, and patient concerns related to ART. It concluded that HIV-infected persons prioritize access, clinical outcomes, and quality of life when considering contemporary ART treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Eaton EF, McDavid C, Banasiewicz MK .
Patient preferences for antiretroviral therapy: effectiveness, quality of life, access and novel delivery methods.
Patient Prefer Adherence 2017 Sep 18;11:1585-90. doi: 10.2147/ppa.s142643.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Monroe AK, Fleishman JA, Voss CC
AHRQ Author: Fleishman JA
Assessing antiretroviral use during gaps in HIV primary care using multisite Medicaid claims and clinical data.
Some individuals who appear poorly retained by clinic visit-based retention measures are using antiretroviral therapy (ART) and maintaining viral suppression. Researchers examined whether individuals with a gap in HIV primary care (>/=180 days between HIV outpatient clinic visits) obtained ART during that gap after 180 days. They found that Medicaid-insured individuals commonly receive ART during gaps in HIV primary care, but almost half do not.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201100007C.
Citation: Monroe AK, Fleishman JA, Voss CC .
Assessing antiretroviral use during gaps in HIV primary care using multisite Medicaid claims and clinical data.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2017 Sep 1;76(1):82-89. doi: 10.1097/qai.0000000000001469.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Primary Care
Attanasio L, Kozhimannil KB
Health care engagement and follow-up after perceived discrimination in maternity care.
The authors sought to determine if perceived discrimination during the birth hospitalization is associated with postpartum follow-up care. Using data from the Listening to Mothers III survey, they found that women who experienced perceived discrimination (race/ethnicity, insurance type, difference of opinion with provider about care) had more than twice the odds of postpartum visit nonattendance, after adjusting for socioeconomic and medical characteristics.
AHRQ-funded; HS024215.
Citation: Attanasio L, Kozhimannil KB .
Health care engagement and follow-up after perceived discrimination in maternity care.
Med Care 2017 Sep;55(9):830-33. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000773.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Maternal Care, Patient Experience, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Social Determinants of Health
Pylypchuk Y, Kirby JB
AHRQ Author: Kirby JB
The role of marriage in explaining racial and ethnic disparities in access to health care for men in the US.
The researchers investigated the association between marriage and access to health care among men, and estimate the extent to which racial and ethnic differences in both the returns to marriage and marital rates explain differences in access and preventive service use. They found that marriage accounts for up to 24 percent of racial and ethnic differences in access and preventive use.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Pylypchuk Y, Kirby JB .
The role of marriage in explaining racial and ethnic disparities in access to health care for men in the US.
Review of Economics of the Household 2017 Sep;15(3):807-32..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Access to Care
Angier H, Hoopes M, Marino M
Uninsured primary care visit disparities under the Affordable Care Act.
The researchers aimed to assess changes in insurance coverage at community health center (CHC) visits after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion by race and ethnicity. After the ACA was implemented, uninsured visit rates decreased for all racial and ethnic groups. Hispanic patients experienced the greatest increases in Medicaid-insured visit rates after ACA implementation in expansion states.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Angier H, Hoopes M, Marino M .
Uninsured primary care visit disparities under the Affordable Care Act.
Ann Fam Med 2017 Sep;15(5):434-42. doi: 10.1370/afm.2125.
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Keywords: Uninsured, Primary Care, Disparities, Healthcare Utilization, Access to Care
Kim G, Dautovich N, Ford KL
Geographic variation in mental health care disparities among racially/ethnically diverse adults with psychiatric disorders.
The main purpose of this study is to examine geographic variation in unmet need for mental health care among racially/ethnically diverse adults with psychiatric disorders in the US. It found that Latinos in the South, Blacks and Latinos in the Midwest, and Latinos and Asians in the West had higher unmet need than non-Hispanic Whites, whereas no significant racial/ethnic effects were found in the Northeast.
AHRQ-funded; HS021486.
Citation: Kim G, Dautovich N, Ford KL .
Geographic variation in mental health care disparities among racially/ethnically diverse adults with psychiatric disorders.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2017 Aug;52(8):939-48. doi: 10.1007/s00127-017-1401-1.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Disparities, Behavioral Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Hatch B, Marino M, Killerby M
Medicaid's impact on chronic disease biomarkers: a cohort study of community health center patients.
This study assessed changes in biomarkers of chronic disease among community health center (CHC) patients who gained Medicaid coverage with the Oregon Medicaid expansion (2008-2011). It found that patients with uncontrolled chronic conditions experienced objective health improvements over time. In two of three chronic disease cohorts, those who gained Medicaid coverage were more likely to achieve a controlled measurement than those who remained uninsured.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Hatch B, Marino M, Killerby M .
Medicaid's impact on chronic disease biomarkers: a cohort study of community health center patients.
J Gen Intern Med 2017 Aug;32(8):940-47. doi: 10.1007/s11606-017-4051-9.
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Keywords: Medicaid, Chronic Conditions, Access to Care, Policy
Ray KN, Martsolf GR, Mehrotra A
Trends in visits to specialist physicians involving nurse practitioners and physician assistants, 2001 to 2013.
The purpose of this study is to examine trends in specialist physician visits where nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) provide care, based on the hypothesis that NPs and PAs provide care to patients of specialist physicians in increasing numbers, primarily for routine follow-up visits. Using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) information on samples office visits, researchers identified visits to specialist physicians, divided these into surgical and medical specialists and examined unadjusted trends from 2001 - 2013 in the percentage of visits with NP or PA involvement. Visit characteristics associated with higher likelihood of NP or PA involvement were examined.
AHRQ-funded; HS022989.
Citation: Ray KN, Martsolf GR, Mehrotra A .
Trends in visits to specialist physicians involving nurse practitioners and physician assistants, 2001 to 2013.
JAMA Intern Med 2017 Aug;177(8):1213-16. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.1630..
Keywords: Access to Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care, Provider
Barnett ML, Linder JA, Clark CR
Low-value medical services in the safety-net population.
The objective of this study was to measure rates of low-value care and high-value care received by patients without insurance or with Medicaid, compared with privately insured patients, and provided by safety-net physicians vs non-safety-net physicians. The study concluded that rates of low-value and high-value care were similar among physicians serving vulnerable patients and other physicians. Overuse of low-value care is a potentially important focus for state Medicaid programs and safety-net institutions to pursue cost savings and improved quality of health care delivery.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Barnett ML, Linder JA, Clark CR .
Low-value medical services in the safety-net population.
JAMA Intern Med 2017 Jun;177(6):829-37. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.0401..
Keywords: Access to Care, Uninsured, Medicaid, Quality of Care
Sommers BD, Maylone B, Blendon RJ
Three-year impacts of the Affordable Care Act: improved medical care and health among low-income adults.
Using survey data collected from low-income adults through the end of 2016 in three states: Kentucky, which expanded Medicaid; Arkansas, which expanded private insurance to low-income adults using the federal Marketplace; and Texas, which did not expand coverage, researchers found that by the end of 2016 the uninsurance rate in the two expansion states had dropped by more than 20 percentage points relative to the nonexpansion state.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Sommers BD, Maylone B, Blendon RJ .
Three-year impacts of the Affordable Care Act: improved medical care and health among low-income adults.
Health Aff 2017 Jun;36(6):1119-28. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.0293.
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Keywords: Policy, Low-Income, Access to Care, Health Insurance, Uninsured
Abdus S, Hill SC
AHRQ Author: Abdus S, Hill SC
Growing insurance coverage did not reduce access to care for the continuously insured.
The researchers examined data for the period 2008-14 from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and found no consistent evidence that increases in the proportions of adults with insurance at the local-area level affected access to care for adults residing in the same areas who already had, and continued to have, insurance.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Abdus S, Hill SC .
Growing insurance coverage did not reduce access to care for the continuously insured.
Health Aff 2017 May;36(5):791-98. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1671.
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Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Health Insurance, Access to Care, Policy
Thalmayer AG, Friedman SA, Azocar F
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) evaluation study: impact on quantitative treatment limits.
This study assessed Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act’s (MHPAEA) effect on the prevalence of behavioral health quantitative treatment limits (QTLs). It concluded that, before MHPAEA, QTLs were common. Postimplementation, virtually all plans dropped such limits, suggesting that MHPAEA was effective at eliminating QTLs.
AHRQ-funded; HS024866.
Citation: Thalmayer AG, Friedman SA, Azocar F .
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) evaluation study: impact on quantitative treatment limits.
Psychiatr Serv 2017 May;68(5):435-42. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201600110.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Policy, Behavioral Health
Inrig SJ, Higashi RT, Tiro JA
Assessing local capacity to expand rural breast cancer screening and patient navigation: an iterative mixed-method tool.
To expand rural breast cancer screening , the researchers proposed a regional hub-and-spoke model, partnering with local providers to expand access across North Texas. Their capacity assessment tool enabled the hub to establish partnerships with county organizations by tailoring support to local capacity and needs.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Inrig SJ, Higashi RT, Tiro JA .
Assessing local capacity to expand rural breast cancer screening and patient navigation: an iterative mixed-method tool.
Eval Program Plann 2017 Apr;61:113-24. doi: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2016.11.006.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Rural Health, Screening
Burgette JM, Preisser JS, Jr., Weinberger M
Impact of early head start in North Carolina on dental care use among children younger than 3 years.
The researchers examined the effects of North Carolina Early Head Start (EHS), an early education program for low-income children younger than 3 years and their families, on dental care use among children. They concluded that EHS participation increases dental care use among disadvantaged young children.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Burgette JM, Preisser JS, Jr., Weinberger M .
Impact of early head start in North Carolina on dental care use among children younger than 3 years.
Am J Public Health 2017 Apr;107(4):614-20. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2016.303621.
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Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Access to Care, Health Promotion, Low-Income
Gallo KP, Olin SS, Storfer-Isser A
Parent burden in accessing outpatient psychiatric services for adolescent depression in a large state system.
This study examined barriers facing parents who seek outpatient psychiatric care in a large state system for adolescents with depression. It found that virtually all clinics required at least one intake or therapy appointment before receipt of a psychiatry appointment. Parental burden did not differ by region, urbanicity, clinic type, seasonality (spring or summer), or insurance status.
AHRQ-funded; HS020503.
Citation: Gallo KP, Olin SS, Storfer-Isser A .
Parent burden in accessing outpatient psychiatric services for adolescent depression in a large state system.
Psychiatr Serv 2017 Apr;68(4):411-14. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201600111.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Children/Adolescents, Depression, Behavioral Health, Ambulatory Care and Surgery