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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 10 of 10 Research Studies DisplayedSteenland MW, Wilson IB, Matteson KA
Association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities.
This study’s objective was to measure the association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities. A total of 60,990 childbirths were reviewed from January 1, 2014 on with a total of 72.3% paid for by Medicaid and 27.7% paid for by a commercial payer. The mean age of the birthing person was 27; with 67% White, 22% Black, and 7% Hispanic. Medicaid expansion in Arkansas was associated with a 27.8 percentage point increase in continuous insurance coverage and an increase in outpatient visits of 0.9 during the first 6 months postpartum, representing relative increases of 54.9% and 75.0%, respectively. Racial disparities in postpartum coverage decreased from 6.3 percentage points before expansion to -2.0 after. However, disparities in outpatient care after expansion persisted between Black and White individuals.
AHRQ-funded; HS027464.
Citation: Steenland MW, Wilson IB, Matteson KA .
Association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities.
JAMA Health Forum 2021 Dec;2(12):e214167. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.4167..
Keywords: Medicaid, Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Policy, Women, Access to Care
Burris HH, Passarella M, Handley SC
Black-white disparities in maternal in-hospital mortality according to teaching and black-serving hospital status.
This study’s objective was to determine whether black-white disparities in maternal in-hospital mortality during delivery vary across hospital types (black-serving vs non-black and teaching vs non-teaching) and whether overall maternal mortality differs across hospital types. The authors performed a population-based, retrospective cohort study of 5,679,044 deliveries among black (14.2%) and white patients (85.8%) in 3 states (California, Missouri, and Pennsylvania) from 1995 to 2009. Examination of black-white disparities found that after risk adjustment, black patients had significantly greater risk of death and that the disparity was similar within each of the hospital types. At teaching hospitals, mortality was similar in black-serving and nonblack-serving hospitals. Among non-teaching hospitals, mortality was significantly higher in black-serving vs nonblack-serving hospitals. Over half (53%) of black patients delivered in nonteaching black-serving hospitals compared with just 19% of white patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS018661.
Citation: Burris HH, Passarella M, Handley SC .
Black-white disparities in maternal in-hospital mortality according to teaching and black-serving hospital status.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021 Jul;225(1):83.e1-83.e9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.01.004..
Keywords: Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Mortality, Women, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Hospitals
Lange EMS, Toledo P
Peripartum racial/ethnic disparities.
Addressing disparities has been a focus of the US Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People initiative for decades, with the most recent Healthy People 2020 establishing a need for health equity in the United States. In this article, the investigators presented an overview of peripartum racial/ethnic disparities and address potential structural solutions to improve maternal health equity.
AHRQ-funded; HS025267.
Citation: Lange EMS, Toledo P .
Peripartum racial/ethnic disparities.
Int Anesthesiol Clin 2021 Jul 1;59(3):1-7. doi: 10.1097/aia.0000000000000326..
Keywords: Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Women
Chen DW, Reyes-Gastelum D, Hawley ST
Unmet information needs among Hispanic women with thyroid cancer.
The authors sought to determine the relationship between acculturation level and unmet information needs among Hispanic women with thyroid cancer. They assessed acculturation with the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics. They found that low-acculturated (vs high-acculturated) Hispanic women with thyroid cancer have greater unmet information needs, emphasizing the importance of patient-focused approaches to providing medical information.
AHRQ-funded; HS024512.
Citation: Chen DW, Reyes-Gastelum D, Hawley ST .
Unmet information needs among Hispanic women with thyroid cancer.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021 Jun 16;106(7):e2680-e87. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgab128..
Keywords: Cancer, Women, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Cultural Competence
Pollack LM, Lowder JL, Keller M
Racial/ethnic differences in the risk of surgical complications and posthysterectomy hospitalization among women undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions.
The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate whether 30- and 90-day surgical complication and postoperative hospitalization rates after hysterectomy for benign conditions differed by race/ethnicity and whether the differences remained after controlling for patient, hospital, and surgical characteristics. The investigators concluded that Black and Asian/Pacific Islander women had higher risk of some 30- and 90-day surgical complications after hysterectomy than white women. Black and Hispanic women had higher risk of posthysterectomy hospitalization.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Pollack LM, Lowder JL, Keller M .
Racial/ethnic differences in the risk of surgical complications and posthysterectomy hospitalization among women undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions.
J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2021 May;28(5):1022-32.e12. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2020.12.032..
Keywords: Surgery, Risk, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Adverse Events, Hospitalization, Women
Wegienka G, Stewart EA, Nicholson WK
Black women are more likely than White women to schedule a uterine-sparing treatment for leiomyomas.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in the proportion of uterine fibroid (UF) treatments that were uterine-sparing between Black women and White women and identify factors that could explain disparities. The investigators concluded that in these participants, Black women were more likely to schedule a uterine-sparing UF treatment and a nonsurgical UF treatment than their White counterparts; the researchers indicated that this may not be true for all women though.
AHRQ-funded; HS023418.
Citation: Wegienka G, Stewart EA, Nicholson WK .
Black women are more likely than White women to schedule a uterine-sparing treatment for leiomyomas.
J Womens Health 2021 Mar;30(3):355-66. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2020.8634..
Keywords: Women, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Surgery
Hill LM, Lightfoot AF, Riggins L
Awareness of and attitudes toward pre-exposure prophylaxis among African American women living in low-income neighborhoods in a Southeastern city.
The authors conducted a venue-based community survey with 53 African American women living in low-income neighborhoods of a Southeastern city in order to understand women's knowledge of and attitudes toward pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). They found that awareness of PrEP was very low, with only 16% being aware that PrEP is used for HIV prevention. The vast majority reported that they would use or would consider using PrEP, most frequently citing a general interest in HIV prevention or a lack of awareness of their partners' HIV status as motivations for their interest. Some women expressed concerns about side effects or low perceived HIV risk as disincentives for PrEP use.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Hill LM, Lightfoot AF, Riggins L .
Awareness of and attitudes toward pre-exposure prophylaxis among African American women living in low-income neighborhoods in a Southeastern city.
AIDS Care 2021 Feb;33(2):239-43. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2020.1769834..
Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Women, Low-Income, Prevention, Medication
Lee CI, Zhu W, Onega T
Comparative access to and use of digital breast tomosynthesis screening by women's race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
This study looked at access to digital breast tomography (DBT) versus regular mammography and whether women of minority race/ethnicity and lower socioeconomic status experienced lower DBT access during the early adoption period and persistently lower DBT use over time. This cross-sectional study included 92 geographically diverse imaging facilities across 5 US states, with over 2.3 million screening examinations performed among women aged 40 to 89 years from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017. Data were analyzed from June 2019, to August 2020. Women who used DBT increased for all women from 3.3% in 2011 to 82.6% in 2017. In 2012, Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and women with less than a high school education had lower DBT access compared to White women attending the same facility and also college graduates. Lower DBT access continued over time regardless of the number of years after facility-level DBT adoption.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Lee CI, Zhu W, Onega T .
Comparative access to and use of digital breast tomosynthesis screening by women's race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Feb;4(2):e2037546. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.37546..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Imaging, Access to Care, Women, Social Determinants of Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Screening
Safon CB, Heeren TC, Kerr SM
Disparities in breastfeeding among U.S. Black mothers: identification of mechanisms.
Disparities in U.S. breastfeeding rates persist among Black mothers according to birth country and between Black and White mothers, necessitating further investigation of modifiable mediating factors to inform interventions. This study sought to examine the extent that social, maternal, infant factors and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) domains (attitudes, perceived control, and subjective norms) mediated the association of maternal race/birth country and breastfeeding continuation.
AHRQ-funded; HS022242.
Citation: Safon CB, Heeren TC, Kerr SM .
Disparities in breastfeeding among U.S. Black mothers: identification of mechanisms.
Breastfeed Med 2021 Feb;16(2):140-49. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2020.0310..
Keywords: Breast Feeding, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Maternal Care, Women
Reese TJ, Schlechter CR, Potter LN
Evaluation of revised US Preventive Services Task Force lung cancer screening guideline among women and racial/ethnic minority populations.
The purpose of this study was to determine the changes associated with the revised USPSTF guideline for lung cancer screening eligibility among female, Black, and Hispanic populations using a large nationwide survey. The investigators concluded that the revised USPSTF guideline may likely increase lung cancer screening rates for female, Black, and Hispanic populations. However, despite these potential improvements, lung cancer screening inequities may persist without tailored eligibility criteria.
AHRQ-funded; HS026198.
Citation: Reese TJ, Schlechter CR, Potter LN .
Evaluation of revised US Preventive Services Task Force lung cancer screening guideline among women and racial/ethnic minority populations.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Jan;4(1):e2033769. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.33769..
Keywords: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Cancer: Lung Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Women, Guidelines, Evidence-Based Practice