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
- Cancer (8)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (4)
- Cancer: Colorectal Cancer (2)
- Cancer: Ovarian Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Prostate Cancer (1)
- Case Study (1)
- Children/Adolescents (1)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Community-Based Practice (1)
- Decision Making (1)
- Diabetes (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (2)
- Elderly (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (4)
- Family Health and History (1)
- Genetics (1)
- Guidelines (1)
- Healthcare Costs (2)
- Healthcare Utilization (2)
- Health Information Technology (HIT) (2)
- Health Promotion (1)
- Health Services Research (HSR) (1)
- Heart Disease and Health (1)
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (1)
- Imaging (3)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Policy (1)
- (-) Prevention (18)
- Primary Care (1)
- Quality of Life (1)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (1)
- Risk (1)
- (-) Screening (18)
- Sexual Health (1)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (5)
- Vaccination (1)
- Women (5)
- Workflow (1)
- 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 18 of 18 Research Studies DisplayedFeltner C, Grodensky C, Ebel C
Serologic screening for genital herpes: an updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
This report assessed the evidence on serologic screening and preventive interventions for Genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in asymptomatic adults and adolescents to support the US Preventive Services Task Force for an updated recommendation statement. It found that serologic screening for genital herpes is associated with a high rate of false-positive test results and potential psychosocial harms.
AHRQ-funded; 290201200015I.
Citation: Feltner C, Grodensky C, Ebel C .
Serologic screening for genital herpes: an updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2016 Dec 20;316(23):2531-43. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.17138.
.
.
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Sexual Health, Screening, Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention
Gaines TL, Caldwell JT, Ford CL
Relationship between a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded HIV testing initiative and past-year testing by race/ethnicity: a multilevel analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) expanded testing initiative (ETI) aims to bolster HIV testing among populations disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic by providing additional funding to health departments serving these communities. Controlling for individual- and state-level characteristics, ETI participation was independently and positively associated with past-year testing, but this association varied by race/ethnicity.
AHRQ-funded; HS022811.
Citation: Gaines TL, Caldwell JT, Ford CL .
Relationship between a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded HIV testing initiative and past-year testing by race/ethnicity: a multilevel analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
AIDS Care 2016;28(5):554-60. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2015.1131968.
.
.
Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Screening, Prevention, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Kirby JB, Davidoff AJ, Basu J
AHRQ Author: Kirby JB, Basu J
The ACA's zero cost-sharing mandate and trends in out-of-pocket expenditures on well-child and screening mammography visits.
This study used a nationally representative sample of ambulatory care visits to estimate the impact of the zero cost-sharing mandate on out-of-pocket expenditures on well-child and screening mammography visits. It concluded that the Affordable Care Act's zero cost-sharing mandate for preventive care has had a large impact on out-of-pocket expenditures for well-child and mammography visits.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Kirby JB, Davidoff AJ, Basu J .
The ACA's zero cost-sharing mandate and trends in out-of-pocket expenditures on well-child and screening mammography visits.
Med Care 2016 Dec;54(12):1056-62. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000610.
.
.
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Healthcare Costs, Screening, Women, Policy, Prevention
Chou R, Dana T, Blazina I
Screening for dyslipidemia in younger adults: a systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
This study's purpose was to update the 2008 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force review on dyslipidemia screening in younger adults. However, no study met the inclusion criteria. As direct evidence remains unavailable, estimating the potential effects of screening for dyslipidemia in younger adults requires extrapolation from studies performed in older adults.
Citation: Chou R, Dana T, Blazina I .
Screening for dyslipidemia in younger adults: a systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Ann Intern Med 2016 Oct 18;165(8):560-64. doi: 10.7326/m16-0946.
.
.
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Screening, Young Adults, Heart Disease and Health, Prevention
Wernli KJ, Henrikson NB, Morrison CC
Screening for skin cancer in adults: Updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
The researchers updated a systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force regarding clinical skin cancer screening among adults. No randomized clinical trials were identified. There was limited evidence on the association between skin cancer screening and mortality. Future research on skin cancer screening should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of targeted screening in those considered to be at higher risk for skin cancer.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Wernli KJ, Henrikson NB, Morrison CC .
Screening for skin cancer in adults: Updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force.
JAMA 2016 Jul 26;316(4):436-47. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.5415.
.
.
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Cancer, Screening, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice
Croswell J, Owings J
Screening for breast cancer.
This case study involves a 47-year-old woman who presents to your office for a well-woman visit. She is healthy, takes no medications, and has no health concerns. She has never been diagnosed with breast cancer, nor have any of her first-degree relatives. Her digital mammography two years ago was negative, and she asks whether she should be screened again this year. The study poses three multiple choice questions together with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations and related background information.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Croswell J, Owings J .
Screening for breast cancer.
Am Fam Physician 2016 Jul 15;94(2):143-4.
.
.
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Prevention, Evidence-Based Practice, Women, Imaging, Case Study
Roth JA, Gulati R, Gore JL
Economic analysis of prostate-specific antigen screening and selective treatment strategies.
The researchers evaluated the potential cost-effectiveness of plausible prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening strategies and assessed the value added by increased use of conservative management among low-risk, screen-detected cases. They found that, with contemporary treatment, only strategies with biopsy referral for PSA levels higher than 10.0 ng/mL or age-dependent thresholds were associated with increased quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and only quadrennial screening of patients aged 55 to 69 years was potentially cost-effective in terms of cost per QALY. They concluded that, for PSA screening to be cost-effective, it needs to be used conservatively and ideally in combination with a conservative management approach for low-risk disease.
AHRQ-funded; HS022982.
Citation: Roth JA, Gulati R, Gore JL .
Economic analysis of prostate-specific antigen screening and selective treatment strategies.
JAMA Oncol 2016 Jul;2(7):890-8. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.6275.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Prevention, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Quality of Life, Screening
Reeves SL, Madden B, Freed GL
Transcranial doppler screening among children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia.
The study’s objectives were to assess the feasibility of using administrative claims data to identify and describe the receipt of transcranial Doppler (TCD) screening among children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia and to characterize opportunities for intervention. Despite national recommendations, TCD screening rates remain low. Successful strategies to improve TCD screening rates may capitalize on the numerous health care interactions among children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia.
AHRQ-funded; HS020516.
Citation: Reeves SL, Madden B, Freed GL .
Transcranial doppler screening among children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia.
JAMA Pediatr 2016 Jun;170(6):550-6. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4859.
.
.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Imaging, Prevention, Screening
Nelson HD, O'Meara ES, Kerlikowske K
Factors associated with rates of false-positive and false-negative results from digital mammography screening: an analysis of registry data.
The researchers sought to determine factors associated with false-positive and false-negative digital mammography results, additional imaging, and biopsies among a general population of women screened for breast cancer. They found that false-positive mammography results and additional imaging are common, particularly for younger women and those with risk factors, whereas biopsies occur less often. Rates of false-negative results are low.
AHRQ-funded; 290201200015I.
Citation: Nelson HD, O'Meara ES, Kerlikowske K .
Factors associated with rates of false-positive and false-negative results from digital mammography screening: an analysis of registry data.
Ann Intern Med 2016 Feb 16;164(4):226-35. doi: 10.7326/m15-0971.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Women, Screening, Prevention
Liss DT, French DD, Buchanan DR
Outreach for annual colorectal cancer screening: a budget impact analysis for community health centers.
This budget impact analysis investigated benefits and costs of fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) outreach-with FIT kits mailed to patients, followed by reminders and phone calls-compared with point-of-care (POC) strategies. Cost per patient screened was $20.60 for POC and $71.84 for outreach ($51.24 difference). Outreach costs decreased by approximately one fourth under optimized workflows.
AHRQ-funded; HS021141.
Citation: Liss DT, French DD, Buchanan DR .
Outreach for annual colorectal cancer screening: a budget impact analysis for community health centers.
Am J Prev Med 2016 Feb;50(2):e54-61. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2015.07.003.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Community-Based Practice, Health Promotion, Prevention, Screening
Singal AG, Gupta S, Tiro JA
Outreach invitations for FIT and colonoscopy improve colorectal cancer screening rates: a randomized controlled trial in a safety-net health system.
Among a racially diverse and socioeconomically disadvantaged cohort of patients, the researchers compared the effectiveness of fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outreach and colonoscopy outreach to increase screening participation rates, compared with usual visit-based care. Mailed outreach invitations appear to significantly increase colorectal cancer screening rates among underserved populations. In the current study, FIT-based outreach was found to be more effective than colonoscopy-based outreach.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Singal AG, Gupta S, Tiro JA .
Outreach invitations for FIT and colonoscopy improve colorectal cancer screening rates: a randomized controlled trial in a safety-net health system.
Cancer 2016 Feb 1;122(3):456-63. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29770.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Prevention
Strom MA, Silverberg JI
Utilization of preventive health care in adults and children with eczema.
This study examined associations of eczema with vaccination, disease screening, health maintenance, and healthcare utilization. Childhood eczema was associated with higher rates of vaccination for influenza; well child checkups; and interaction with most types of healthcare providers . Adult eczema was associated with higher odds of vaccination for various diseases. It was also associated with increased measurement of blood glucose; cholesterol; blood pressure and HIV infection.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Strom MA, Silverberg JI .
Utilization of preventive health care in adults and children with eczema.
Am J Prev Med 2016 Feb;50(2):e33-44. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2015.07.029.
.
.
Keywords: Vaccination, Prevention, Screening, Healthcare Utilization, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Sheridan SL, Sutkowi-Hemstreet A, Barclay C
A comparative effectiveness trial of alternate formats for presenting benefits and harms information for low-value screening services: a randomized clinical trial.
The researchers examined the effect of different benefits and harms presentations on patients' intentions to accept low-value or potentially low-value screening services (prostate cancer screening in men ages 50-69 years; osteoporosis screening in low-risk women ages 50-64 years) They concluded that single, brief, written decision support interventions, such as the ones in this study, are unlikely to be sufficient to change intentions for screening.
AHRQ-funded; HS021133.
Citation: Sheridan SL, Sutkowi-Hemstreet A, Barclay C .
A comparative effectiveness trial of alternate formats for presenting benefits and harms information for low-value screening services: a randomized clinical trial.
JAMA Intern Med 2016 Jan;176(1):31-41. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.7339.
.
.
Keywords: Screening, Decision Making, Health Services Research (HSR), Prevention, Healthcare Utilization
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
Chung S, Azar KM, Baek M
Reconsidering the age thresholds for type II diabetes screening in the U.S.
In order to examine the optimal age cut-point for opportunistic universal screening (as opposed to targeted screening), the researchers used a nationally representative sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2010) and other resources. They found that opportunistic screening among individuals 35 years of age and older could greatly reduce the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes or pre-diabetes.
AHRQ-funded; HS019815; HS019815.
Citation: Chung S, Azar KM, Baek M .
Reconsidering the age thresholds for type II diabetes screening in the U.S.
Am J Prev Med. 2014 Oct;47(4):375-81. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2014.05.012..
Keywords: Diabetes, Screening, Prevention, Chronic Conditions
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
Nelson HD, Pappas M, Zakher B
Risk assessment, genetic counseling, and genetic testing for BRCA-related cancer in women: a systematic review to update the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation.
This systematic review was done in support of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updated recommendation on the benefit and harms of risk assessment, genetic testing, and genetic counseling for BRCA-related cancer in women. A systematic review was done on literature from 2004 to July 30, 2013 from MEDLINE, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Health Technology Assessment, Scopus, and reference lists. Data on the participants, study design, analysis, follow-up, and results was extracted and a second investigator confirmed key data. The studies were rated on study quality and applicability. The analysis found women with high-risk for breast cancer had decreased risk of breast cancer by 85% to 100% by having a mastectomy, and risk of mortality by 81% to 100% compared to women without surgery. There was also a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer after having salpingo-oopherectomy surgery.
AHRQ-funded; 290200710057
Citation: Nelson HD, Pappas M, Zakher B .
Risk assessment, genetic counseling, and genetic testing for BRCA-related cancer in women: a systematic review to update the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation.
Ann Intern Med 2014 Feb 18;160(4):255-66. doi: 10.7326/m13-1684..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer: Ovarian Cancer, Cancer, Genetics, Screening, Prevention, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice, Women, Risk, Family Health and History
Zai AH, Kim S, Kamis A
Applying operations research to optimize a novel population management system for cancer screening.
The objective of this paper is to optimize a new visit-independent, population-based cancer screening system (TopCare) by using operations research techniques to simulate changes in patient outreach staffing levels (delegates, navigators), modifications to user workflow within the information technology (IT) system, and changes in cancer screening recommendations. Results showed that simulating the impact of changes in staffing, system parameters, and clinical inputs on the effectiveness and efficiency of care can inform the allocation of limited resources in population management.
AHRQ-funded; HS018161.
Citation: Zai AH, Kim S, Kamis A .
Applying operations research to optimize a novel population management system for cancer screening.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2014 Feb;21(e1):e129-35. doi: 10.1136/amiajnl-2013-001681.
.
.
Keywords: Cancer, Health Information Technology (HIT), Prevention, Screening, Workflow