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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 34 Research Studies DisplayedBurgette JM, Preisser JS, Rozier RG
Access to preventive services after the integration of oral health care into early childhood education and medical care.
The authors compared children enrolled in North Carolina Early Head Start (EHS) programs with similar children enrolled in Medicaid but not EHS on the use of POHS. They analyzed 4 dependent variables (oral assessment by medical health care provider, oral assessment by oral health care provider, fluoride application by medical health care provider, fluoride application by oral health care provider) by using multivariate logistic regression that controlled for covariates.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Burgette JM, Preisser JS, Rozier RG .
Access to preventive services after the integration of oral health care into early childhood education and medical care.
J Am Dent Assoc 2018 Dec;149(12):1024-31.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2018.07.019..
Keywords: Access to Care, Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Health Services Research (HSR), Medicaid, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Prevention
Zhou M, Oakes AH, Bridges JFP
Regional supply of medical resources and systemic overuse of health care among Medicare beneficiaries.
The goal of this study was to explore health care system factors associated with regional variation in overuse of resources, as measured by the Johns Hopkins Overuse Index (JHOI). Medicare fee-for-service claims data from beneficiaries age 65 was used to calculate the JHOI for 306 hospital referral regions in the U.S. Regions with a higher density of primary care physicians had a lower JHOI, which indicates less systemic overuse. Regional characteristics associated with higher JHOI included the number of acute care hospital beds per 1000 residents and number of hospital-based anesthesiologists, pathologists, and radiologists. The authors conclude that regional variations in health care resources are associated with the level of systemic overuse of health care, and that the role of primary care doctors in reducing overuse deserves further attention.
AHRQ-funded; T32 HS000029.
Citation: Zhou M, Oakes AH, Bridges JFP .
Regional supply of medical resources and systemic overuse of health care among Medicare beneficiaries.
J Gen Intern Med 2018 Dec;33(12):2127-31. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4638-9..
Keywords: Access to Care, Elderly, Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Utilization, Medicare, Practice Patterns
Fry CE, Sommers BD
Effect of Medicaid expansion on health insurance coverage and access to care among adults with depression.
This quasi-experimental study sought to determine the relationship between Medicaid expansion and various health and financial outcomes among low-income adults with depression. The investigators found that Medicaid expansion was associated with a significant reduction in the proportion of adults with depression who lacked health insurance. Medicaid expansion was also associated with significant reductions in delaying care and medications because of cost.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Fry CE, Sommers BD .
Effect of Medicaid expansion on health insurance coverage and access to care among adults with depression.
Psychiatr Serv 2018 Nov;69(11):1146-52. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201800181..
Keywords: Access to Care, Depression, Health Insurance, Medicaid, Behavioral Health
Allen CD
Who loses public health insurance when states pass restrictive omnibus immigration-related laws? The moderating role of county Latino density.
Using comparative interrupted time series methods and a nationally-representative sample of US citizen, Latino children with noncitizen parents from the National Health Interview Survey (2005-2014, n=18,118), this study found that living in counties with higher co-ethnic density placed children at greater risk of losing Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program coverage when their states passed restrictive state omnibus immigrant laws.
AHRQ-funded; HS024248.
Citation: Allen CD .
Who loses public health insurance when states pass restrictive omnibus immigration-related laws? The moderating role of county Latino density.
Health Place 2018 Nov;54:20-28. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2018.08.023..
Keywords: Access to Care, Children/Adolescents, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Health Insurance, Medicaid, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Brennan-Cook J, Bonnabeau E, Aponte R
Barriers to care for persons with sickle cell disease: the case manager's opportunity to improve patient outcomes.
The purpose of this paper was to review the barriers to care for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Chronic pain and the perception of addiction, implicit bias, frequent hospitalizations and emergency department visits, clinician and patient knowledge deficits, and SCD stigma all impede the ability to provide evidence-based care for patients with SCD. The authors assert that case managers can coordinate and advocate for appropriate care that improves patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024501.
Citation: Brennan-Cook J, Bonnabeau E, Aponte R .
Barriers to care for persons with sickle cell disease: the case manager's opportunity to improve patient outcomes.
Prof Case Manag 2018 Jul/Aug;23(4):213-19. doi: 10.1097/ncm.0000000000000260..
Keywords: Access to Care, Healthcare Delivery, Health Services Research (HSR), Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Sickle Cell Disease
Perez Jolles M, Thomas KC
Disparities in self-reported access to patient-centered medical home care for children with special health care needs.
The purpose of this study was to examine variation in caregiver service experience concordant with care in patient-centered medical home (PCMH) over time and by the characteristics of separate groups of children with special health care needs (CSHCNs). Researchers used 2003-2012 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey data for CSHCNs for cross-sectional pooled data analysis. Their conclusions suggest that disparities remain among high-need CSHCNs. Future research that focuses on a better understanding of how clinical settings tailor this care model, particularly to provide increased access and patient-centered care, is recommended.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Perez Jolles M, Thomas KC .
Disparities in self-reported access to patient-centered medical home care for children with special health care needs.
Med Care 2018 Oct;56(10):840-46. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000978..
Keywords: Access to Care, Children/Adolescents, Disabilities, Disparities, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Patient-Centered Healthcare, Vulnerable Populations
Lee SC, Higashi RT, Sanders JM
Effects of program scale-up on time to resolution for patients with abnormal screening mammography results.
Effects of geographic program expansion to rural areas on mammogram screening program outcomes are understudied. The authors of this study sought to determine whether time-to-resolution (TTR) varied significantly by service delivery time period, location, and participant characteristics across 19 North Texas counties.
AHRQ-funded; HS022418.
Citation: Lee SC, Higashi RT, Sanders JM .
Effects of program scale-up on time to resolution for patients with abnormal screening mammography results.
Cancer Causes Control 2018 Oct;29(10):995-1005. doi: 10.1007/s10552-018-1074-4..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Imaging, Screening, Women, Rural Health, Access to Care, Prevention
Jeffery MM, Wolfson J, Meier SK
Health care service use among elderly seasonal migrators.
Little research is available to guide providers and payers on the service use of seasonal migrators. The authors use claims data on fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries' locations throughout the year to (1) identify seasonal migrators and (2) describe the care they receive in each seasonal home, focusing on primary care and emergency department (ED) visits and the relationships between the two.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Jeffery MM, Wolfson J, Meier SK .
Health care service use among elderly seasonal migrators.
Popul Health Manag 2018 Oct;21(5):415-21. doi: 10.1089/pop.2017.0155..
Keywords: Access to Care, Elderly, Healthcare Utilization, Health Services Research (HSR)
Jolles MP, Lee PJ, Javier JR
Shared decision-making and parental experiences with health services to meet their child's special health care needs: racial and ethnic disparities.
This study investigated the relationship between shared decision-making (SDM) and parents’ frustrations in getting health needs met for their special needs child. Secondary analysis was done on data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. More Whites than Blacks engaged in SDM, and when Blacks did engage they had a higher odds of negative experiences than Whites. Researchers weren’t sure what the cause was of that, but speculated it was due to increased awareness of service challenges.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Jolles MP, Lee PJ, Javier JR .
Shared decision-making and parental experiences with health services to meet their child's special health care needs: racial and ethnic disparities.
Patient Educ Couns 2018 Oct;101(10):1753-60. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.05.022..
Keywords: Access to Care, Caregiving, Children/Adolescents, Decision Making, Disabilities, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Barnett ML, Clark KL, Sommers BD
State policies and enrollees' experiences in Medicaid: evidence from a new national survey.
This study examined patient satisfaction among Medicaid enrollees nationally from 2014-2015. Significant disparities were found among racial/ethnic groups. Managed care enrollees had higher satisfaction ratings than those with fee-for-service. If the patient had a personal doctor that increased satisfaction for an average 4.6 percent.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Barnett ML, Clark KL, Sommers BD .
State policies and enrollees' experiences in Medicaid: evidence from a new national survey.
Health Aff 2018 Oct;37(10):1647-55. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0505..
Keywords: Access to Care, Disparities, Medicaid, Patient Experience, Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Fraze TK, Fisher ES, Tomaino MR
Comparison of populations served in hospital service areas with and without comprehensive primary care plus medical homes.
The purpose of this comparative cross sectional study was to describe practices that joined the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model and compare hospital service areas with and without CPC+ practices. The authors concluded that according to this study, although a diverse set of practices joined the CPC+ program, practices in areas characterized by patient populations with greater advantage were more likely to join, which may affect access to advanced primary care medical home models such as CPC+, by vulnerable populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: Fraze TK, Fisher ES, Tomaino MR .
Comparison of populations served in hospital service areas with and without comprehensive primary care plus medical homes.
JAMA Netw Open 2018 Sep 7;1(5):e182169. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.2169..
Keywords: Primary Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Primary Care: Models of Care, Healthcare Delivery, Access to Care
Shah PD, Trogdon JG, Golden SD
Impact of pharmacists on access to vaccine providers: a geospatial analysis.
This study analyzed the impact of pharmacists on access to vaccines. The study concluded that pharmacists are more geographically dispersed across census tracts than primary care physicians. As a result, adding pharmacists to the workforce would increase the availability of vaccine providers in areas with inadequate primary care provider coverage.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Shah PD, Trogdon JG, Golden SD .
Impact of pharmacists on access to vaccine providers: a geospatial analysis.
Milbank Q 2018 Sep;96(3):568-92. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12342.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Provider: Pharmacist, Vaccination
Moniz MH, Kirch MA, Solway E
Association of access to family planning services with Medicaid expansion among female enrollees in Michigan.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of Medicaid expansion coverage with access to birth control and family planning services among women of reproductive age enrolled in the Michigan expansion plan. The investigators found that one in 3 women of reproductive age reported better ability to access birth control and family planning services through Healthy Michigan Plan compared with before enrollment.
AHRQ-funded; HS025465.
Citation: Moniz MH, Kirch MA, Solway E .
Association of access to family planning services with Medicaid expansion among female enrollees in Michigan.
JAMA Network Open 2018 Aug 31;1(4). doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.1627..
Keywords: Medicaid, Women, Sexual Health, Access to Care, Policy
Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN, Shireman TI
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults report continued problems affording care despite coverage gains.
This study’s investigators used data from three waves of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine access to a personal doctor, affordability of care, type of health insurance coverage, and self-reported health in LGB adults in the period January 2014-February 2017 in thirty-one states that implemented the Affordable Care Act system's sexual orientation module.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN, Shireman TI .
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults report continued problems affording care despite coverage gains.
Health Aff 2018 Aug;37(8):1306-12. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0281.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Vulnerable Populations
Harris VC, Links AR, Kim JM
Follow-up and time to treatment in an urban cohort of children with sleep-disordered breathing.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate follow-up and timing of sleep-disordered breathing diagnosis and treatment in urban children referred from primary care. Researchers found that half of the children referred for sleep-disordered breathing evaluation are lost to follow-up from primary care. Obstructive sleep apnea severity did not predict follow-up or timeliness of treatment. They conclude that these findings suggest social determinants may pose barriers to care in addition to the clinical burden of sleep-disordered breathing.
AHRQ-funded; HS022932.
Citation: Harris VC, Links AR, Kim JM .
Follow-up and time to treatment in an urban cohort of children with sleep-disordered breathing.
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018 Aug;159(2):371-78. doi: 10.1177/0194599818772035..
Keywords: Access to Care, Children/Adolescents, Disparities, Healthcare Delivery, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Quality of Care, Respiratory Conditions, Sleep Problems, Urban Health
Biener AI, Zuvekas SH, Hill SC
AHRQ Author: Biener AI, Zuvekas SH, Hill SC
Impact of recent Medicaid expansions on office-based primary care and specialty care among the newly eligible.
The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of Medicaid expansions on office-based care among the newly eligible. The investigators concluded that State Medicaid expansions in 2014 were associated with greater likelihoods of visits with a variety of office-based providers. The estimated effects were larger among newly eligible compared with previous estimates on broader populations of low-income adults.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Biener AI, Zuvekas SH, Hill SC .
Impact of recent Medicaid expansions on office-based primary care and specialty care among the newly eligible.
Health Serv Res 2018 Aug;53(4):2426-45. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12793.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Healthcare Utilization, Medicaid, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Primary Care
Andrews CM, Grogan CM, Smith BT
Medicaid benefits for addiction treatment expanded after implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
This study looked at the effects the Affordable Care Act (ACA) had on Medicaid benefits for addiction treatment. The ACA established a minimum standard of benefits and required state Medicaid programs to make changes to their treatment benefits. Researchers surveyed all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2014 and 2017 when the ACA requirements came into effect. There was a substantial increase in benefits with a decrease in annual service limits of over 50 percent. There was a large reduction in preauthorization requirements for medications to treat opioid use disorder as well as other reductions in preauthorizations.
AHRQ-funded; HS000084.
Citation: Andrews CM, Grogan CM, Smith BT .
Medicaid benefits for addiction treatment expanded after implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Health Aff 2018 Aug;37(8):1216-22. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0272..
Keywords: Access to Care, Behavioral Health, Health Insurance, Medicaid, Policy, Substance Abuse
Myerson R, Lu T, Tonnu-Mihara I
Medicaid eligibility expansions may address gaps in access to diabetes medications.
The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of Medicaid expansion on access to diabetes medications, researchers analyzed data on over ninety-six million prescription fills using Medicaid insurance in the period January 2008-December 2015. The researchers found that the increase in prescription fills grew significantly over time. Overall, fills for insulin and for newer medications increased by 40 percent and 39 percent, respectively.
AHRQ-funded; HS023964.
Citation: Myerson R, Lu T, Tonnu-Mihara I .
Medicaid eligibility expansions may address gaps in access to diabetes medications.
Health Aff 2018 Aug;37(8):1200-07. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0154..
Keywords: Access to Care, Diabetes, Policy, Medicaid, Medication
Yucel A, Essien EJ, Sanyal S
Racial/ethnic differences in the treatment of adolescent major depressive disorders (MDD) across healthcare providers participating in the Medicaid program.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial/ethnic differences in receipt of major depressive disorder (MDD) treatment could be explained by the specialty of provider diagnosing the adolescent. The investigators found that for adolescents with MDD, being first diagnosed by a psychiatrist was associated with higher treatment rate and reduced racial/ethnic variation in the utilization of pharmacotherapy.
AHRQ-funded; HS025251.
Citation: Yucel A, Essien EJ, Sanyal S .
Racial/ethnic differences in the treatment of adolescent major depressive disorders (MDD) across healthcare providers participating in the Medicaid program.
J Affect Disord 2018 Aug 1;235:155-61. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.045..
Keywords: Access to Care, Depression, Disparities, Medicaid, Behavioral Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Ouayogode MH, Meara E, Chang CH
Forgotten patients: ACO attribution omits those with low service use and the dying.
Alternative payment models, such as accountable care organizations, hold provider groups accountable for an assigned patient population, but little is known about unassigned patients. This study compared clinical and utilization profiles of patients attributable to a provider group with those of patients not attributable to any provider group. The study concluded that attribution approaches that more fully capture unattributable patients with low service use and patients near the end of life should be considered to reward population health efforts and improve end-of-life care.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: Ouayogode MH, Meara E, Chang CH .
Forgotten patients: ACO attribution omits those with low service use and the dying.
Am J Manag Care 2018 Jul;24(7):e207-e15..
Keywords: Access to Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Payment, Vulnerable Populations
Higuera L, Carlin CS, Dowd B
Narrow provider networks and willingness to pay for continuity of care and network breadth.
This study examined choices of health plans in a private health insurance exchange where consumers choose among one broad network and four narrow network plans. The willingness to pay for a network that covers consumers' usual source of care was between $84 and $275/month (for primary care) and between $0 and $115/month (for specialists). The investigators also found that, given that a network covers their usual source of care, consumers show aversion only to the narrowest networks.
AHRQ-funded; HS022881.
Citation: Higuera L, Carlin CS, Dowd B .
Narrow provider networks and willingness to pay for continuity of care and network breadth.
J Health Econ 2018 Jul;60:90-97. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2018.06.006..
Keywords: Access to Care, Decision Making, Health Insurance, Primary Care
Kung SA, Darney BG, Saavedra-Avendano B
Access to abortion under the health exception: a comparative analysis in three countries.
Access to abortion under the health exception varies widely. This study examines factors that result in heterogeneous application of health exception laws and consequences for access to legal abortion. The study concluded that the health exception is a valuable tool for expanding access to legal abortion. Differences in the use of the health exception as an indication for legal abortion resulted in wide access for women in Britain to nearly no access in Mexican states. The findings highlight the difference between theoretical and real access to legal abortion.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Kung SA, Darney BG, Saavedra-Avendano B .
Access to abortion under the health exception: a comparative analysis in three countries.
Reprod Health 2018 Jun 13;15(1):107. doi: 10.1186/s12978-018-0548-x..
Keywords: Access to Care, Policy, Women
Jarman MP, Curriero FC, Haut ER
Associations of distance to trauma care, community income, and neighborhood median age with rates of injury mortality.
The purpose of this study was to examine the association of injury scene characteristics with injury mortality. The study concluded that injury scene characteristics are associated with injury mortality. The authors found that odds of death are highest for patients injured in communities with higher median age or lower per capita income and at locations farthest from level 1 or 2 trauma centers.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Jarman MP, Curriero FC, Haut ER .
Associations of distance to trauma care, community income, and neighborhood median age with rates of injury mortality.
JAMA Surg 2018 Jun;153(6):535-43. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.6133..
Keywords: Access to Care, Mortality, Social Determinants of Health, Trauma, Injuries and Wounds
Cole MB, Wright B, Wilson IB
Medicaid expansion and community health centers: care quality and service use increased for rural patients.
Investigators studied the impact of Medicaid expansion in rural areas. Data from 2011-2015 found that there was an 11.4% decline in uninsured patients and a 13.5% increase in Medicaid patients at community health centers (CHCs). Relative improvements were shown in patients with chronic conditions such as asthma and hypertension; and an increase in visits for mammograms and substance abuse disorders.
AHRQ-funded; HS024652.
Citation: Cole MB, Wright B, Wilson IB .
Medicaid expansion and community health centers: care quality and service use increased for rural patients.
Health Aff 2018 Jun;37(6):900-07. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1542..
Keywords: Medicaid, Community-Based Practice, Rural Health, Access to Care, Quality of Care, Healthcare Utilization, Primary Care
Smith AB, Meyer AM, Meng K
The relationship of travel distance with cystectomy access and outcomes.
The objectives of this study was to evaluate the effect of differential distance on cystectomy receipt among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and investigate the association between travel distance and cystectomy outcomes such as readmission. The investigators found that the additional distance needed to reach a cystectomy provider did not predict receipt of surgery for MIBC. Furthermore, travel distance from cystectomy provider was not a significant predictor for subsequent readmission after cystectomy and did not affect overall survival.
AHRQ-funded; HS024134.
Citation: Smith AB, Meyer AM, Meng K .
The relationship of travel distance with cystectomy access and outcomes.
Urol Oncol 2018 Jun;36(6):308.e1-08.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2018.03.005..
Keywords: Access to Care, Cancer, Hospital Readmissions, Outcomes, Surgery