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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 12 of 12 Research Studies DisplayedLee K, Gani F, Canner JK
Racial disparities in utilization of palliative care among patients admitted with advanced solid organ malignancies.
The primary objective of this study was to describe racial differences in the use of inpatient palliative care consultations (IPCC) for patients with advanced cancer who are admitted to a hospital in the United States. Hospital admissions of patients with advanced cancers were identified through the National Inpatient Dataset. Findings showed that death during hospitalization was a significant modifier of the relationship between race and receipt of palliative care consultation. There were significant racial disparities in the utilization of IPCC for patients with advanced cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS024736.
Citation: Lee K, Gani F, Canner JK .
Racial disparities in utilization of palliative care among patients admitted with advanced solid organ malignancies.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2021 Jun;38(6):539-46. doi: 10.1177/1049909120922779..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Palliative Care, Cancer, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Healthcare Utilization, Inpatient Care, Chronic Conditions
Iyer AS, Goodrich CA, Dransfield MT
End-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
This study examined end-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who died during the period 2013-2014. Data on 146,240 decedents with COPD was investigated from 306 hospital referral regions (HRRs). The overall spending during the last 2 years of life varied significantly nationwide. Inpatient care accounted for 40.2% of spending, with 82% of decedents admitted to the hospital for 13.7±3.1 days and 55%±11% admitted to an intensive care unit for 3-7 days. Skilled nursing facilities accounted for 11.6% of spending and were utilized by 31-45% of decedents for 14-23 days. Hospitals were utilized by 39-56% of decedents and accounted for 10.3% of spending.
AHRQ-funded; HS023009.
Citation: Iyer AS, Goodrich CA, Dransfield MT .
End-of-life spending and healthcare utilization among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Am J Med 2020 Jul;133(7):817-24.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.11.024..
Keywords: Elderly, Healthcare Utilization, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Palliative Care
Kubi B, Enumah ZO, Lee KT
Theory-based development of an implementation intervention using community health workers to increase palliative care use.
This study used the Behavior Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework models to help design an implementation intervention using community health workers (CHWs) to increase palliative care use in African American communities. There were two phases to the study. In Phase 1, focus group sessions were conducted to identify barriers and facilitators of palliative care use. Phase 2 consisted of a stakeholder meeting to select intervention content and prioritize modes of delivery after applying the framework. There were 15 stakeholders total that participated in the study. Interventions identified were designed to improve patient capability and motivation, physician capability and motivation, and increase patient opportunities to use palliative care services. The strategies were all facilitated by CHWs and included creation and dissemination of brochures, empowerment and activation of patients to initiate goals-of-care discussions, outreach to community churches, and expanding patient social support.
AHRQ-funded; HS024736.
Citation: Kubi B, Enumah ZO, Lee KT .
Theory-based development of an implementation intervention using community health workers to increase palliative care use.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2020 Jul;60(1):10-19. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.02.009..
Keywords: Community-Based Practice, Palliative Care, Healthcare Utilization, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Implementation, Disparities, Healthcare Delivery
Ray EM, Riedel RF, LeBlanc TW
Assessing the impact of a novel integrated palliative care and medical oncology inpatient service on health care utilization before hospice enrollment.
The goal of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the impact of integrating specialist palliative care (PC) on health care utilization among hospitalized cancer patients before hospice enrollment. Patients in the solid tumor inpatient unit who were discharged to hospice pre- and post-integration were compared on the following outcomes: intensive care unit days, invasive procedures, subspecialty consultations, radiographic studies, hospital length of stay, and use of chemotherapy or radiation. Health care utilization was relatively low in both groups, and researchers found no significant differences in utilization between the two groups. They conclude that PC integration may not impact health care utilization during the final hospitalization before discharge to hospice, which may reflect the greater benefits of integrating PC farther ‘upstream’ from the final hospitalization.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Ray EM, Riedel RF, LeBlanc TW .
Assessing the impact of a novel integrated palliative care and medical oncology inpatient service on health care utilization before hospice enrollment.
J Palliat Med 2019 Apr;22(4):420-23. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0235..
Keywords: Cancer, Healthcare Utilization, Inpatient Care, Palliative Care
Johnston FM, Neiman JH, Parmley LE
Stakeholder perspectives on the use of community health workers to improve palliative care use by African Americans with cancer.
This study focused on the issue of lack of palliative care for African-Americans with cancer. Stakeholder interviews and focus groups were conducted with cancer patients, caregivers, health care administrators, oncologists, and community health workers (CHWs). Participants felt that CHWs could play a central role in bridging patients with their providers, information and resources. They also felt that CHWs should either come from the community, or be familiar with the history, culture, and norms of the communities from which they operate.
AHRQ-funded; HS024736.
Citation: Johnston FM, Neiman JH, Parmley LE .
Stakeholder perspectives on the use of community health workers to improve palliative care use by African Americans with cancer.
J Palliat Med 2019 Mar;22(3):302-06. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0366..
Keywords: Access to Care, Cancer, Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Utilization, Cultural Competence, Disparities, Palliative Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Knox-Rice T, Xuan L, Wadsworth H
Knox-Rice T, Xuan L, Wadsworth H, Halm EA, Rhodes RL. Examining the association between healthcare utilization and clinical characteristics among cancer patients in a safety net health system.
The goal of this study was to examine the association between available patient and clinical characteristics and healthcare utilization in a cohort of breast, lung, and colorectal cancer patients within a safety-net hospital system. The investigators found that some patient and clinical characteristics associated with increased ER visits and hospitalizations in this cohort included race/ethnicity, palliative care referral, markers of advanced disease, and number opioids prescribed.
AHRQ-funded; R24 HS022418.
Citation: Knox-Rice T, Xuan L, Wadsworth H .
Knox-Rice T, Xuan L, Wadsworth H, Halm EA, Rhodes RL. Examining the association between healthcare utilization and clinical characteristics among cancer patients in a safety net health system.
J Palliat Med 2019 Jan;22(1):80-83. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0202..
Keywords: Cancer, Healthcare Utilization, Palliative Care, Hospitals
Gani F, Enumah ZO, Conca-Cheng AM
Palliative care utilization among patients admitted for gastrointestinal and thoracic cancers.
Although a growing body of literature recommends the early initiation of palliative care (PC), the use of PC remains variable. The current study sought to describe the use of PC and to identify factors associated with the use of inpatient PC. The investigators found that among patients admitted for cancer, PC services were used in 8.5% of patients during their inpatient admission with surgical patients being 79% less likely to receive a PC consultation.
AHRQ-funded; HS024736.
Citation: Gani F, Enumah ZO, Conca-Cheng AM .
Palliative care utilization among patients admitted for gastrointestinal and thoracic cancers.
J Palliat Med 2018 Apr;21(4):428-37. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2017.0295..
Keywords: Cancer, Palliative Care, Healthcare Utilization, Inpatient Care
Furuno JP, Noble BN, Bearden DT
Feasibility of retrospective pharmacovigilance studies in hospice care: a case study of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections.
In this letter to the editor, the authors assert that pharmacovigilance may be useful to improve the evidence base for medication use in hospice care and an efficient alternative to expensive and logistically complicated clinical trials. They discuss the feasibility of retrospective pharmacovigilance studies in hospice care and provide a case study of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections.
AHRQ-funded; HS023366.
Citation: Furuno JP, Noble BN, Bearden DT .
Feasibility of retrospective pharmacovigilance studies in hospice care: a case study of antibiotics for the treatment of urinary tract infections.
J Palliat Med 2017 Apr;20(4):316-17. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2016.0531..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Evidence-Based Practice, Healthcare Utilization, Medication, Palliative Care, Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Yim CK, Barron Y, Moore S
Hospice enrollment in patients with advanced heart failure decreases acute medical service utilization.
Patients with advanced heart failure (HF) enroll in hospice at low rates, and data on their acute medical service utilization after hospice enrollment is limited. This descriptive analysis of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries found that home health care Medicare beneficiaries with advanced HF who enrolled in hospice had lower acute medical service utilization after their enrollment.
AHRQ-funded; HS020257.
Citation: Yim CK, Barron Y, Moore S .
Hospice enrollment in patients with advanced heart failure decreases acute medical service utilization.
Circ Heart Fail 2017 Mar;10(3). doi: 10.1161/circheartfailure.116.003335.
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Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Heart Disease and Health, Healthcare Utilization, Medicare, Palliative Care
Dinan MA, Li Y, Zhang Y
Resource use in the last year of life among patients who died with versus of prostate cancer.
The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data of men with prostate cancer. Patients who died of prostate cancer rather than from other causes had more hospice and outpatient use, less inpatient and ICU use, and lower overall costs. Efforts to shift care toward outpatient settings might provide more efficient and judicious care for patients during the end of life.
AHRQ-funded; HS022189.
Citation: Dinan MA, Li Y, Zhang Y .
Resource use in the last year of life among patients who died with versus of prostate cancer.
Clin Genitourin Cancer 2016 Feb;14(1):28-37.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.clgc.2015.07.006.
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Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Men's Health, Mortality, Palliative Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Holden TR, Smith MA, Bartels CM
Hospice enrollment, local hospice utilization patterns, and rehospitalization in Medicare patients.
The study objective was to examine the association between hospice enrollment, local hospice utilization patterns and 30-day rehospitalization in Medicare patients. It found that area-level hospice utilization is inversely proportional to rehospitalization rates. This relationship is not fully explained by direct hospice enrollment, and may reflect a spillover effect of the benefits of hospice extending to nonenrollees.
AHRQ-funded; HS000083.
Citation: Holden TR, Smith MA, Bartels CM .
Hospice enrollment, local hospice utilization patterns, and rehospitalization in Medicare patients.
J Palliat Med 2015 Jul;18(7):601-12. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2014.0395..
Keywords: Long-Term Care, Palliative Care, Hospital Readmissions, Medicare, Healthcare Utilization
Huo J, Du XL, Lairson DR
Utilization of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hospice at the end of life for patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma.
The authors examined the patterns of utilization of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and hospice at the end-of-life care for patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. They found that surgery and hospice care use increased over the 8 years of this study, whereas the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy remained consistent for patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Huo J, Du XL, Lairson DR .
Utilization of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hospice at the end of life for patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma.
Am J Clin Oncol 2015 Jun;38(3):235-41. doi: 10.1097/COC.0b013e31829378f9.
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Keywords: Cancer, Cancer: Skin Cancer, Treatments, Elderly, Healthcare Utilization, Palliative Care, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Surgery