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 (2)
- Adverse Events (1)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Cancer (1)
- Care Coordination (1)
- Care Management (1)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (1)
- Community-Based Practice (1)
- Cultural Competence (1)
- Depression (1)
- Diabetes (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (1)
- Dialysis (1)
- Disparities (3)
- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- Health Literacy (1)
- Home Healthcare (1)
- Hospital Discharge (1)
- Kidney Disease and Health (1)
- Low-Income (2)
- Medication (1)
- Obesity (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Provider: Pharmacist (1)
- Quality of Care (1)
- (-) Racial and Ethnic Minorities (11)
- Risk (2)
- Screening (1)
- Social Determinants of Health (1)
- (-) Urban Health (11)
- Vulnerable Populations (2)
- Women (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 11 of 11 Research Studies DisplayedArcia A, Pho AT, Lor M
Comparison of newest vital sign and brief health literacy screen scores in a large, urban Hispanic cohort.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Newest Vital Sign (NVS) and Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS) scores in a large cohort of English- and Spanish-speaking urban Hispanic adults. Scores on both measures showed good internal consistency but NVS items had high difficulty; greater than 50% of respondents scored 0. The correlation between measures was weak. The study concluded that health literacy scores were poor predictors of objective scores.
AHRQ-funded; HS019853; HS022961.
Citation: Arcia A, Pho AT, Lor M .
Comparison of newest vital sign and brief health literacy screen scores in a large, urban Hispanic cohort.
Patient Educ Couns 2023 Apr; 109:107628. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107628
.
.
Keywords: Health Literacy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health
Costello WG, Zhang L, Schnipper J
Post-discharge adverse events among African American and Caucasian patients of an urban community hospital.
This study compared post-discharge adverse events (AEs) among African American and Caucasian patients at an urban community hospital. This prospective cohort study was conducted from December 2011 to October 2012. The cohort included 589 English-speaking patients who were discharged home and could be contacted after discharge for evaluation. Two nurses performed 30-day post-discharge telephone interviews, and two physicians reviewed health records to determine AEs using a previous methodology. African Americans had a slightly higher incidence of post-discharge AEs than Caucasian patients (30.6 vs. 29.9%) but it was not statistically significant.
AHRQ-funded; HS018694.
Citation: Costello WG, Zhang L, Schnipper J .
Post-discharge adverse events among African American and Caucasian patients of an urban community hospital.
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2021 Apr;8(2):439-47. doi: 10.1007/s40615-020-00800-z..
Keywords: Adverse Events, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health, Disparities, Hospital Discharge
Lee H, Caldwell JT, Maene C
Racial/ethnic inequities in access to high-quality dialysis treatment in Chicago: does neighborhood racial/ethnic composition matter?
Investigators examined whether neighborhood racial composition contributes to racial/ethnic inequities in access to high-quality dialysis care in Chicago. Data from the United States Renal Data System was merged with the ESRD Quality Incentive Program file and the American Community Survey (2005-2009) for facility and neighborhood characteristics. The investigators concluded that expanding opportunities for Blacks and Hispanics to gain access to racially integrated and minority neighborhoods may help alleviate racial/ethnic inequities in access to quality care among kidney disease patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS00078.
Citation: Lee H, Caldwell JT, Maene C .
Racial/ethnic inequities in access to high-quality dialysis treatment in Chicago: does neighborhood racial/ethnic composition matter?
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2020 Oct;7(5):854-64. doi: 10.1007/s40615-020-00708-8..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Access to Care, Urban Health, Dialysis, Disparities, Quality of Care, Kidney Disease and Health
Koller KR, Day GE, Hiratsuka VY
Increase in diabetes among urban Alaska Native people in the Alaska EARTH follow-up study: a call for prediabetes screening, diagnosis, and referral for intervention.
This study estimated incidence of diabetes (DM) and pre-DM relative to DM risk factors among relatively healthy Alaska Native and American Indian (AN) adults living in urban south-central Alaska. Results showed that, controlling for age and sex, obesity, abdominal adiposity, pre-DM, and metabolic syndrome independently increased DM risk. Recommendations included advising health care providers of AN populations to seize the opportunity to screen, refer, and treat individuals with pre-DM and other modifiable DM risk factors prior to DM diagnosis in order to alter the epidemiologic course of disease progression in this urban AN population.
AHRQ-funded; HS000084.
Citation: Koller KR, Day GE, Hiratsuka VY .
Increase in diabetes among urban Alaska Native people in the Alaska EARTH follow-up study: a call for prediabetes screening, diagnosis, and referral for intervention.
Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2020 Sep;167:108357. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2020.108357..
Keywords: Diabetes, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health, Risk, Prevention, Screening, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Chronic Conditions
Tung EL, Cagney KA, Peek ME
Spatial context and health inequity: reconfiguring race, place, and poverty.
The authors build on the Chicago School of Sociology's contributions in urban research and one of its contemporary elaborations, often described as the "neighborhood effects approach," to propose a three-axis model of health inequity. This model, in alignment with Chicago School theory, postulates a dynamic and adaptive relationship between spatial context and health inequity. Compositional axes of race and poverty form the foundation of the model.
AHRQ-funded; HS023007.
Citation: Tung EL, Cagney KA, Peek ME .
Spatial context and health inequity: reconfiguring race, place, and poverty.
J Urban Health 2017 Dec;94(6):757-63. doi: 10.1007/s11524-017-0210-x.
.
.
Keywords: Disparities, Low-Income, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Social Determinants of Health, Urban Health
Hong S, Burnett-Zeigler I
The frequency of PTSD and subthreshold PTSD among African-American women with depressive symptoms in a disadvantaged urban neighborhood: pilot study.
This report examined the frequency of a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and subthreshold PTSD among 72 female participants with depressive symptoms in a mindfulness-based intervention for depression at an urban federally qualified health center. The authors reported the high frequency of PTSD diagnosis and subthreshold PTSD among underserved women with depressive symptoms.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Hong S, Burnett-Zeigler I .
The frequency of PTSD and subthreshold PTSD among African-American women with depressive symptoms in a disadvantaged urban neighborhood: pilot study.
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2017 Dec;4(6):1069-73. doi: 10.1007/s40615-016-0311-3.
.
.
Keywords: Depression, Behavioral Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health, Vulnerable Populations
Squires A, Peng TR, Barrón-Vaya Y
An exploratory analysis of patient-provider language-concordant home health care visit patterns.
In a 2-year period, this study showed that among the 238,513 visits with 18,132 limited English proficiency patients, only 20 percent of visits were language concordant. The study suggests that home health care services may not be meeting the demand for language services, but more research is needed to determine the right “dose” of bilingual home care visits to optimize home care outcomes and establish a standard for care.
AHRQ-funded; HS023593.
Citation: Squires A, Peng TR, Barrón-Vaya Y .
An exploratory analysis of patient-provider language-concordant home health care visit patterns.
Home Health Care Management & Practice 2017 Aug 1;29(3):161-67. doi: 10.1177/1084822317696706.
.
.
Keywords: Cultural Competence, Home Healthcare, Clinician-Patient Communication, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health
Masterson Creber RM, Fleck E, Liu J
Identifying the complexity of multiple risk factors for obesity among urban Latinas.
The prevalence of obesity is rising rapidly among Hispanics/Latinas. Researchers evaluated the prevalence of being obese or overweight and associated risk factors among 630 low-income, Latina women. They found that being obese was strongly associated with having hypertension, pre-hypertension, diabetes and moderate/moderately severe/severe depression. Women who reported that finding time was a barrier to physical activity were also more likely to be obese.
AHRQ-funded; HS019853.
Citation: Masterson Creber RM, Fleck E, Liu J .
Identifying the complexity of multiple risk factors for obesity among urban Latinas.
J Immigr Minor Health 2017 Apr;19(2):275-84. doi: 10.1007/s10903-016-0433-z.
.
.
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Obesity, Risk, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health
Qato DM, Daviglus ML, Wilder J
'Pharmacy deserts' are prevalent in Chicago's predominantly minority communities, raising medication access concerns.
The authors examined whether trends in the availability of pharmacies varied across communities in Chicago with different racial or ethnic compositions and whether "pharmacy deserts," or low-access neighborhoods, were more common in segregated black and Hispanic communities than elsewhere. They found that in 2012 there were disproportionately more pharmacy deserts in segregated black communities, as well as in low-income communities and federally designated Medically Underserved Areas. These findings suggest that public policies aimed at improving access to prescription medications may need to address factors beyond insurance coverage and medication affordability.
AHRQ-funded; HS021093.
Citation: Qato DM, Daviglus ML, Wilder J .
'Pharmacy deserts' are prevalent in Chicago's predominantly minority communities, raising medication access concerns.
Health Aff 2014 Nov;33(11):1958-65. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.1397.
.
.
Keywords: Access to Care, Medication, Provider: Pharmacist, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health
Allgood KL, Rauscher GH, Whitman S
Validating self-reported mammography use in vulnerable communities: findings and recommendations.
The researchers examined the potential extent of overreporting of mammography use in low-income African-American and Latina women, and whether self-report inaccuracies might bias estimated associations between patient characteristics and mammography use. They found that although 73% of women self-reported a mammogram in the last 2 years, only 44% of self-reports were documented. Overreporting of mammography use was observed for all ethnic groups studied.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Allgood KL, Rauscher GH, Whitman S .
Validating self-reported mammography use in vulnerable communities: findings and recommendations.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014 Aug;23(8):1649-58. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-13-1253.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Utilization, Vulnerable Populations, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Women, Low-Income, Urban Health
Halbert CH, Briggs V, Bowman M
Acceptance of a community-based navigator program for cancer control among urban African Americans.
The researchers evaluated acceptance of a community-based navigator program for cancer control and identified factors having significant independent associations with navigation acceptance in an urban sample of African Americans. They found that age and perceived risk of developing cancer had a significant independent association with navigation acceptance. Participants who believed that they were at high risk for developing cancer had a lower likelihood of completing navigation.
AHRQ-funded; HS019339.
Citation: Halbert CH, Briggs V, Bowman M .
Acceptance of a community-based navigator program for cancer control among urban African Americans.
Health Educ Res 2014 Feb;29(1):97-108. doi: 10.1093/her/cyt098..
Keywords: Cancer, Care Coordination, Care Management, Community-Based Practice, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Urban Health