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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 DisplayedTruong S, Foley OW, Fallah P
Transcending language barriers in obstetrics and gynecology: a critical dimension for health equity.
This article discusses the issue of language barriers in obstetrics and gynecology. The authors present two cases of language-discordant care and a framework for addressing language as a critical lens for health inequities in obstetrics and gynecology, which includes a variety of clinical settings such as labor and delivery, perioperative care, outpatient clinics, and inpatient services, as well as sensitivity around reproductive health topics. Drivers of language-related inequities at the clinician, health system, and societal level are explored in the proposed framework. They end with actionable recommendations for enhancing equitable care for patients experiencing language barriers.
AHRQ-funded; HS026370.
Citation: Truong S, Foley OW, Fallah P .
Transcending language barriers in obstetrics and gynecology: a critical dimension for health equity.
Obstet Gynecol 2023 Oct 1; 142(4):809-17. doi: 10.1097/aog.0000000000005334..
Keywords: Cultural Competence, Women, Maternal Care, Disparities
Blebu BE, Liu PY, Harrington M
Implementation of cross-sector partnerships: a description of implementation factors related to addressing social determinants to reduce racial disparities in adverse birth outcomes.
The purpose of this mixed methods design study was to integrate the perspectives of healthcare staff and community-based partner organizations to describe the implementation of a cross-sector partnership developed for the purpose of addressing social and structural determinants in pregnancy. The researchers utilized in-depth interviews and social network analysis to incorporate the perspectives of healthcare clinicians and staff with the views of community-based partner organizations to identify implementation factors related to cross-sector partnerships. The study identified 7 implementation variables related to 3 themes: strengths of a network approach to cross-sector collaboration, relationship-centered care, and barriers and facilitators of cross-sector partnerships. The study results highlighted establishing relationships between healthcare staff, patients, and community-based partner organizations.
AHRQ-funded; HS026407.
Citation: Blebu BE, Liu PY, Harrington M .
Implementation of cross-sector partnerships: a description of implementation factors related to addressing social determinants to reduce racial disparities in adverse birth outcomes.
Front Public Health 2023 Jun 16; 11:1106740. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1106740..
Keywords: Social Determinants of Health, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Maternal Care, Women, Implementation
Reid LD, Weiss AJ, Fingar KR
AHRQ Author: Reid LD
Contributors to disparities in postpartum readmission rates between safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals: a decomposition analysis.
The authors assessed how patient, hospital, and community characteristics explain the safety-net hospital (SNH)/non-SNH disparity in postpartum readmission rates. Using HCUP data, they found that higher postpartum readmission rates at SNHs versus non-SNHs were largely due to differences in the patient mix rather than hospital factors. They recommended hospital initiatives to reduce the risk of postpartum readmissions among SNH patients. They concluded that improving factors that contribute to the disparity, including underlying health conditions and health inequities associated with race, will require enduring investments in public health.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201800001C.
Citation: Reid LD, Weiss AJ, Fingar KR .
Contributors to disparities in postpartum readmission rates between safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals: a decomposition analysis.
J Hosp Med 2022 Feb;17(2):77-87. doi: 10.1002/jhm.2769..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Disparities, Hospital Readmissions, Maternal Care, Women, Disparities
Steenland 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
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
Klawetter S, McNitt C, Hoffman JA
Perinatal depression in low-income women: a literature review and innovative screening approach.
This paper is a literature review of perinatal depression prevalence, consequences, and screening among low-income women and women of color. The Warm Connections program has an innovative perinatal depression screening protocol and was used with WIC participants. The literature showed mixed findings of perinatal prevalence among low-income women and women of color. There were lower perinatal depression rates in the Warm Connections program in studies using less specific perinatal depression screening instruments with similar samples.
AHRQ-funded; HS026370.
Citation: Klawetter S, McNitt C, Hoffman JA .
Perinatal depression in low-income women: a literature review and innovative screening approach.
Curr Psychiatry Rep 2020 Jan 7;22(1):1. doi: 10.1007/s11920-019-1126-9.
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Keywords: Depression, Pregnancy, Women, Low-Income, Social Determinants of Health, Screening, Behavioral Health, Maternal Care, Disparities, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Li J, Pesko MF, Unruh MA
Effect of the Medicaid primary care rate increase on prenatal care utilization among Medicaid-insured women.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the 2013-2014 ACA Medicaid Primary Care Rate Increase on Medicaid-insured women's prenatal care utilization, overall and by race and ethnicity. The investigators concluded that the Medicaid "fee bump" improved prenatal care utilization for non-Hispanic Black and White women. They suggest that policymakers may consider reinstating higher Medicaid reimbursements to improve access to care for disadvantaged populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS024357.
Citation: Li J, Pesko MF, Unruh MA .
Effect of the Medicaid primary care rate increase on prenatal care utilization among Medicaid-insured women.
Matern Child Health J 2019 Nov;23(11):1564-72. doi: 10.1007/s10995-019-02804-6..
Keywords: Medicaid, Primary Care, Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Women, Healthcare Utilization, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities
Mehra R, Cunningham SD, Lewis JB
Recommendations for the pilot expansion of Medicaid coverage for doulas in New York state.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Mehra R, Cunningham SD, Lewis JB .
Recommendations for the pilot expansion of Medicaid coverage for doulas in New York state.
Am J Public Health 2019 Feb;109(2):217-19. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2018.304797..
Keywords: Medicaid, Pregnancy, Maternal Care, Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Prevention, Women, Disparities
Servan-Mori E, Sosa-Rubi SG, Najera-Leon E
Timeliness, frequency and content of antenatal care: which is most important to reducing indigenous disparities in birth weight in Mexico?
The authors estimated the potential for added weight gain among indigenous infants if their mothers received timely, frequent, and complete antenatal care (ANC). They found that the frequency of ANC was positively associated with birth weight for all women but complete ANC appears to differentially affect indigenous women at the bottom of the birth weight distribution.
AHRQ-funded; HS017582.
Citation: Servan-Mori E, Sosa-Rubi SG, Najera-Leon E .
Timeliness, frequency and content of antenatal care: which is most important to reducing indigenous disparities in birth weight in Mexico?
Health Policy Plan 2016 May;31(4):444-53. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czv082.
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Keywords: Disparities, Maternal Care, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Newborns/Infants, Obesity: Weight Management
Attanasio L, Kozhimannil KB
Patient-reported communication quality and perceived discrimination in maternity care.
The researchers assessed racial/ethnic disparities in patient-reported communication problems and perceived discrimination in maternity care among women nationally and measured racial/ethnic variation in the correlates of these outcomes. They found that over 40 percent of women reported communication problems in prenatal care, and 24 percent perceived discrimination during their hospitalization for birth.
AHRQ-funded; HS000036.
Citation: Attanasio L, Kozhimannil KB .
Patient-reported communication quality and perceived discrimination in maternity care.
Med Care 2015 Oct;53(10):863-71. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000411..
Keywords: Communication, Disparities, Maternal Care, Clinician-Patient Communication, Racial and Ethnic Minorities