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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 DisplayedHorner-Johnson W, Klein KA, Campbell J
Experiences of women with disabilities in accessing and receiving contraceptive care.
This study explored the experiences of women with different types of disability when they attempted to obtain contraceptive care. Four semistructured focus groups were created to sample 17 women with different types of disabilities: physical, intellectual and developmental, blind or low vision, and deaf or hard of hearing. Three main themes were identified in challenges to obtaining high-quality contraceptive care: Accessibility and Accommodations, Clinician Attitudes, and Health Insurance. Different challenges occurred with different types of disabilities such as inaccessible clinic rooms and examination tables, and inaccessible clinic forms and information. Processes and infrastructure of contraceptive care are based on an assumption of an able-bodied norm.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Horner-Johnson W, Klein KA, Campbell J .
Experiences of women with disabilities in accessing and receiving contraceptive care.
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2021 Nov;50(6):732-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jogn.2021.07.005..
Keywords: Access to Care, Disabilities, Vulnerable Populations, Women, Sexual Health
Leifheit KM, Schwartz GL, Pollack CE
Severe housing insecurity during pregnancy: association with adverse birth and infant outcomes.
This study measured the association of severe housing insecurity with adverse birth and infant outcomes. Data was analyzed from 3248 mother-infant dyads enrolled in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. This prospective cohort study represented births in 20 large U.S. cities from 1998 to 2000. Severe housing insecurity was defined as threatened eviction or homelessness. Adverse outcomes included low birth weight and/or preterm birth, admission to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or stepdown facility, extended hospitalization after delivery, and infant health and temperament. There were statistically significant associations found between severe housing insecurity during pregnancy and low birth weight and/or preterm births. Housing insecurity and infant fair or poor health and poor temperament were not found to have statistically significant associations. Population attributable fraction (PAF) estimates suggested that up to 3% of adverse birth and infant outcomes could be avoided by eliminating severe housing insecurity among low-income, pregnant women.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Leifheit KM, Schwartz GL, Pollack CE .
Severe housing insecurity during pregnancy: association with adverse birth and infant outcomes.
Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 Nov 21;17(22):8659. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17228659..
Keywords: Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery, Vulnerable Populations, Outcomes, Adverse Events, Women, Low-Income, Newborns/Infants
Lara OD, O'Cearbhaill RE, Smith MJ
COVID-19 outcomes of patients with gynecologic cancer in New York City.
Researchers studied clinical characteristics and outcomes of vulnerable populations with gynecologic cancer who developed COVID-19 infections. Among patients from six New York City area hospital systems with known gynecologic cancer and a COVID-19 diagnosis, the researchers found a case fatality rate of 14 percent, with no association between cytotoxic chemotherapy and cancer-directed surgery and COVID-19 severity or death. They recommended that patients be counseled regarding the safety of continued anticancer treatments during the pandemic, as the ability to continue cancer therapies for cancer control and cure is critical.
AHRQ-funded; HS026120.
Citation: Lara OD, O'Cearbhaill RE, Smith MJ .
COVID-19 outcomes of patients with gynecologic cancer in New York City.
Cancer 2020 Oct 1;126(19):4294-303. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33084..
Keywords: COVID-19, Respiratory Conditions, Cancer, Women, Vulnerable Populations, Outcomes, Urban Health
Rael CT, Giguere R, Lopez-Rios J
Transgender women's experiences using a home HIV-testing kit for partner-testing.
HIV partner-testing (PT) may represent a unique and empowering HIV prevention strategy for groups that face structural and institutional barriers to HIV testing and care, including transgender women. In this study, the investigators reported on in-depth interviews (IDIs) with transgender women who used HIV self-test kits for three months to screen potential sexual partners in a randomized controlled trial that took place in New York City and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
AHRQ-funded; HS026383.
Citation: Rael CT, Giguere R, Lopez-Rios J .
Transgender women's experiences using a home HIV-testing kit for partner-testing.
AIDS Behav 2020 Sep;24(9):2732-41. doi: 10.1007/s10461-020-02829-x..
Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Prevention, Vulnerable Populations, Women, Patient Experience, Screening
Arana-Chicas E, Kioumarsi A, Carroll-Scott A
Barriers and facilitators to mammography among women with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative approach.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine barriers and facilitators to mammography among women with intellectual disabilities. During 2015-2016 the researchers administered in-depth interviews with 30 women with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers in Philadelphia. The study found additional evidence supporting prior research on barriers to mammography among women with intellectual disabilities as well as novel barriers (e.g., lack of awareness of breast ultrasound, sedation failing to work, and lack of mammogram education) and novel facilitators (e.g., extended family support and positive attitudes.) The researchers concluded that the study results support the need to address barriers and focus on facilitators to improve the mammography experience in women with intellectual disabilities.
AHRQ-funded; HS023966.
Citation: Arana-Chicas E, Kioumarsi A, Carroll-Scott A .
Barriers and facilitators to mammography among women with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative approach.
Disabil Soc 2020;35(8):1290-314. doi: 10.1080/09687599.2019.1680348..
Keywords: Women, Disabilities, Vulnerable Populations, Screening, Prevention, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Imaging
Giguere R, Lopez-Rios J, Frasca T
Use of HIV self-testing kits to screen clients among transgender female sex workers in New York and Puerto Rico.
This research focused on the use of HIV self-testing (HIVST) kits given to transgender female sex workers (TFSW) to screen sexual partners. Ten TFSWs were given ten HIVST kits each and they complete an online questionnaire 3 months later or underwent an interview. Eight of them reported using the test kit with potential clients or partners. The majority who were asked to test were clients (84%). Out of those 50 potential partners or clients, 34 out of 50 accepted and 16 refused. Participants felt empowered but the market cost of these kits is prohibitive and could only be implemented if the costs were lowered or subsidized.
AHRQ-funded; HS026383.
Citation: Giguere R, Lopez-Rios J, Frasca T .
Use of HIV self-testing kits to screen clients among transgender female sex workers in New York and Puerto Rico.
AIDS Behav 2020 Feb;24(2):506-15. doi: 10.1007/s10461-019-02730-2..
Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Vulnerable Populations, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Sexual Health, Patient Self-Management, Women
Burnett-Zeigler I, Hong S, Waldron EM
A mindfulness-based intervention for low-income African American women with depressive symptoms delivered by an experienced instructor versus a novice instructor.
The authors piloted a streamlined mindfulness teacher training protocol for Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) staff. They also examined the distribution and variability of psychologic outcomes for participants in groups led by an experienced instructor compared to a FQHC staff instructor who received the streamlined training. They concluded that preliminary data indicate that health care staff who receive streamlined training to deliver mindfulness-based interventions have comparable outcomes as experienced instructors.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Burnett-Zeigler I, Hong S, Waldron EM .
A mindfulness-based intervention for low-income African American women with depressive symptoms delivered by an experienced instructor versus a novice instructor.
J Altern Complement Med 2019 Jul;25(7):699-708. doi: 10.1089/acm.2018.0393..
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Comparative Effectiveness, Depression, Low-Income, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Vulnerable Populations, Training, Women
Wu J, Braunschweig Y, Harris LH
Looking back while moving forward: a justice-based, intersectional approach to research on contraception and disability.
This paper discusses the higher use of female sterilization than long-acting reversible contraception use among women with disabilities compared to women without disabilities. The reasons for that were discussed and the authors advocate for a justice-based intersectional approach to research on contraception and disability.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Wu J, Braunschweig Y, Harris LH .
Looking back while moving forward: a justice-based, intersectional approach to research on contraception and disability.
Contraception 2019 May;99(5):267-71. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2019.01.006..
Keywords: Disabilities, Sexual Health, Vulnerable Populations, Women
Horner-Johnson W, Biel FM, Caughey AB
Differences in prenatal care by presence and type of maternal disability.
This study examined timing and frequency of prenatal care of women with disabilities by disability type. A retrospective cohort study was done of all births in California from 2000-2012. Women with intellectual/developmental disabilities, or limited hearing had the most significant risk of receiving less prenatal care compared to women with physical disabilities. However women with intellectual/developmental or physical disabilities may have a higher than normal number of prenatal visits. Delays in prenatal care may result in poorer birth outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Horner-Johnson W, Biel FM, Caughey AB .
Differences in prenatal care by presence and type of maternal disability.
Am J Prev Med 2019 Mar;56(3):376-82. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2018.10.021..
Keywords: Disabilities, Healthcare Utilization, Pregnancy, Vulnerable Populations, Women
Adam GP, Di M, Cu-Uvin S
Strategies for improving the lives of US women aged 40 and above living with HIV/AIDS: an evidence map.
This work aims to identify and characterize empirical studies of strategies for the comprehensive management of women over 40, including transgender women, who live with HIV/AIDS. Few of the 37 eligible studies focused on women facing obvious challenges, such as immigrants, transgender, physically abused, or those recently released from prison. No studies focused on women caring for dependents, including children and grandchildren, or those diagnosed after age 40.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500002I.
Citation: Adam GP, Di M, Cu-Uvin S .
Strategies for improving the lives of US women aged 40 and above living with HIV/AIDS: an evidence map.
Syst Rev 2018 Feb 2;7(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s13643-018-0684-y.
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Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Vulnerable Populations, Women
Highfield L, Rajan SS, Valerio MA
A non-randomized controlled stepped wedge trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-level mammography intervention in improving appointment adherence in underserved women.
This study evaluated a theoretically based, systematically designed implementation strategy to support adoption and implementation of a patient navigation-based intervention, called Peace of Mind Program (PMP), aimed at improving breast cancer screening among underserved women.. Any potential confounding or bias will be controlled in the analysis. Outcomes such as appointment adherence, patient referral to diagnostics, time to diagnostic referral, patient referral to treatment, time to treatment referral, and budget impact of the intervention will be assessed.
AHRQ-funded; HS023255.
Citation: Highfield L, Rajan SS, Valerio MA .
A non-randomized controlled stepped wedge trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-level mammography intervention in improving appointment adherence in underserved women.
Implement Sci 2015 Oct 14;10:143. doi: 10.1186/s13012-015-0334-x.
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Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Women, Vulnerable Populations, Prevention, Imaging
Allgood KL, Rauscher GH, Whitman S
Validating self-reported mammography use in vulnerable communities: findings and recommendations.
The researchers examined the potential extent of overreporting of mammography use in low-income African-American and Latina women, and whether self-report inaccuracies might bias estimated associations between patient characteristics and mammography use. They found that although 73% of women self-reported a mammogram in the last 2 years, only 44% of self-reports were documented. Overreporting of mammography use was observed for all ethnic groups studied.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Allgood KL, Rauscher GH, Whitman S .
Validating self-reported mammography use in vulnerable communities: findings and recommendations.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014 Aug;23(8):1649-58. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-13-1253.
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Keywords: Healthcare Utilization, Vulnerable Populations, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Women, Low-Income, Urban Health