National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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- Access to Care (1)
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- Social Determinants of Health (1)
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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 9 of 9 Research Studies DisplayedShankar LG, Habich M, Rosenman M
Mental health emergency department visits by children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Investigators described pediatric mental health emergency department (ED) visit rates and visit characteristics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that mental health ED visit rates by children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Shankar LG, Habich M, Rosenman M .
Mental health emergency department visits by children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acad Pediatr 2022 Sep-Oct;22(7):1127-32. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.05.022..
Keywords: COVID-19, Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Behavioral Health, Healthcare Utilization, Public Health
Cutler GJ, Bergmann KR, Doupnik SK
Pediatric mental health emergency department visits and access to Inpatient care: a crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this study was to explore the author’s previous research findings on trends in pediatric emergency department (ED) visits for mental health (MH) vs non-mental health in light of more recent related data corresponding with the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that recent research supports the dramatic increase in pediatric MH ED visits found in the author’s previous research and provides additional evidence that the increase has been driven by specific MH diagnoses. The researchers conclude that depressive disorders, self-harm behavior, and non-alcohol substance use disorders should be prioritized for the development of ED- and hospital-based strategies, and that EDs, hospitals, health systems, and the government urgently need to increase capacity for MH services and identify innovative solutions to improve access to high quality MH care for children.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Cutler GJ, Bergmann KR, Doupnik SK .
Pediatric mental health emergency department visits and access to Inpatient care: a crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acad Pediatr 2022 Aug;22(6):889-91. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.03.015..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Behavioral Health, Emergency Department, Access to Care, Public Health, Inpatient Care
Michelson KA, Samuels-Kalow ME
Association of elementary school reopening status and county COVID-19 incidence.
This study examined the association between elementary school opening status (ESOS) and pediatric COVID-19 incidence. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of US counties with school districts with ≥500 elementary school students. The main exposure was ESOS in September 2020 and outcome was county incidence of COVID-19. Among 3220 US counties, 19.2% were remote, 12.1% were hybrid, and 62.8% were in person. In unadjusted models, COVID-19 incidence after school started was higher among children in hybrid or in-person counties compared with remote only counties. After adjusting for local COVID-19 incidence, the incidence rate ratio compared with remote counties was 1.01 in hybrid counties and 0.79 in in-person counties.
AHRQ-funded; HS026503.
Citation: Michelson KA, Samuels-Kalow ME .
Association of elementary school reopening status and county COVID-19 incidence.
Acad Pediatr 2022 May-Jun;22(4):667-70. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.09.006..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Public Health, Education
Kranz AM, Steiner ED, Mitchell JM
School-based health services in Virginia and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this study was to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the provision of school health services and related student needs. In May 2021, all 1178 Virginia public elementary schools received a web-based survey regarding the impact of the pandemic on school-based health services, with 65% of schools responding (N=767). Schools reported providing fewer school-based health services during the pandemic than before, with dental screenings declining the most (51% before vs 15% after). The study also reported that mental health as a top concern for students increased from 15% before the pandemic to 27% during the pandemic. The study concluded that schools reported providing fewer health services to students during pandemic in the 2020-2021 school year and increased concern about students' mental health.
AHRQ-funded; HS025430.
Citation: Kranz AM, Steiner ED, Mitchell JM .
School-based health services in Virginia and the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Sch Health 2022 May;92(5):436-44. doi: 10.1111/josh.13147..
Keywords: COVID-19, Children/Adolescents, Public Health, Healthcare Delivery, Community-Based Practice
Masonbrink AR, Harris M, Hall M
Safety events in children's hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted hospitals, potentially affecting quality and safety. The objective of this study was to compare pediatric hospitalization safety events during the pandemic versus previous years. The investigators concluded that postoperative sepsis rates increased among children hospitalized during COVID-19. They suggest that efforts are needed to improve safety of postoperative care for hospitalized children.
AHRQ-funded; HS024554; HS024592.
Citation: Masonbrink AR, Harris M, Hall M .
Safety events in children's hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hosp Pediatr 2021 Jun;11(6):e95-e100. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2020-004937..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Patient Safety, Sepsis, Adverse Events, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Inpatient Care, Infectious Diseases, Public Health
Dickinson-Copeland CM, Immergluck LC, Britez M
Increased risk of sub-clinical blood lead levels in the 20-county metro Atlanta, Georgia area-a laboratory surveillance-based study.
This study looked at the distribution of blood lead levels (BLLs) in children aged 0-72 months and their associations with sociodemographic and area-level variables. Data from the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Healthy Homes for Lead Prevention Program surveillance data was used to describe the distribution of BLLs in metro Atlanta area children from 2010 to 2018. Residential addresses were geocoded and if BLLs were spatially clustered they were defined at “Hotspots”. Geographically defined hotspots for both clinical (≥5 µg/dL) and sub-clinical (2 to <5 µg/dL) BLLs diffused from the city-central area into suburban areas. Predictors of sub-clinical BLL levels from those with lower (<2 µg/dL) or higher ((≥5 µg/dL) BLLs included non-Medicaid insurance, the proportion of renters in a given geographical area, and proportion of individuals with a GED/high school diploma. Over half of the study children had sub-clinical BLL levels, a range that does not currently trigger public health measures but could result in adverse development outcomes if ignored.
AHRQ-funded; HS024338.
Citation: Dickinson-Copeland CM, Immergluck LC, Britez M .
Increased risk of sub-clinical blood lead levels in the 20-county metro Atlanta, Georgia area-a laboratory surveillance-based study.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 May 13;18(10). doi: 10.3390/ijerph18105163..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Children/Adolescents, Social Determinants of Health, Public Health, Public Health
Hofstetter AM, Schaffer S
Childhood and adolescent vaccination in alternative settings.
This article reviews the unique advantages, challenges, and experiences regarding vaccine delivery in alternative settings, such as schools, emergency rooms, hospitals, and pharmacies. It describes the key components that each setting must possess as well as other important factors to consider when assessing the ability of each to deliver vaccines to the children and adolescents they serve. It is important to emphasize that these settings should not replace the medical home as the primary location for vaccination, but rather serve as a critical safety net for high-risk individuals and communities and in situations where access to traditional locations may be limited, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS025470.
Citation: Hofstetter AM, Schaffer S .
Childhood and adolescent vaccination in alternative settings.
Acad Pediatr 2021 May-Jun;21(4s):S50-s56. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.02.001..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Vaccination, Healthcare Delivery, Public Health
Angier H, Garvey B, DeVoe JE. H, Angier H, Garvey B, DeVoe JE. B, DeVoe JE
Focus on families to improve child health during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
This article discusses the need for policymakers to develop interventions designed to help entire families during the pandemic because children’s health is affected by parent health. The authors advocate creating family-centered health care and enable primary care practices and public health programs to help families apply for health insurance coverage. They also discuss work that must be done to address health equity and increasing health and health care disparities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS025962.
Citation: Angier H, Garvey B, DeVoe JE. H, Angier H, Garvey B, DeVoe JE. B, DeVoe JE .
Focus on families to improve child health during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
JAMA Health Forum 2021 Mar;2(3). doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.0238..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Family Health and History, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Policy, Public Health
Balikai SC, Badheka A, Casey A
Simulation to train pediatric ICU teams in endotracheal intubation of patients with COVID-19.
This paper describes the outcomes of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) simulation training to safely perform endotracheal intubations in children with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Confidence levels before and after training was measured using the Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET-M, Likert scale 0-2). Fifty unique PICU staff members participated in 9 simulation sessions and mean confidences scores increased from 0.9 to 2.
AHRQ-funded; HS026965.
Citation: Balikai SC, Badheka A, Casey A .
Simulation to train pediatric ICU teams in endotracheal intubation of patients with COVID-19.
Pediatr Qual Saf 2021 Jan-Feb;6(1):e373. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000373..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Critical Care, Simulation, Training, Public Health, Infectious Diseases