National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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
51 to 75 of 946 Research Studies DisplayedTemkin-Greener H, Mao Y, McGarry B
Patient safety culture in assisted living: staff perceptions and association with state regulations.
The purpose this study was to evaluate views on patient safety culture (PSC) among assisted living (AL) administrators and direct care workers (DCWs), and their relationships with state regulations. The researchers utilized the PSC instrument developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality to conduct a survey of administrators and DCWs working in assisted living communities serving Medicare beneficiary residents. Secondary data on ALs and residents were obtained from the Medicare Master Beneficiary Summary Files. Other data sources included: the Area Health Resource Files, a previous national AL directory, the US census, and a prior study citing AL regulations. 714 administrators and DCWs in 257 The study found that administrators' and DCWs' perspectives on PSC differed significantly across almost all domains. The researchers concluded that PSC is a relevant metric for evaluating organizational performance.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: Temkin-Greener H, Mao Y, McGarry B .
Patient safety culture in assisted living: staff perceptions and association with state regulations.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2022 Dec;23(12):1997-2022.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.09.007..
Keywords: Patient Safety, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Policy
Ortiz D, Perkins AJ, Fuchita M
Pre-existing anxiety and depression in injured older adults: an under-recognized comorbidity with major health implications.
The purpose of this retrospective post-hoc analysis study was to evaluate variations in baseline depression and anxiety screenings between older injured patients with pre-existing diagnoses and those without. Data from the Trauma Medical Home, a multicenter randomized controlled trial was used for analysis. The study found that almost 50% of the patients screened positive for at least mild depressive symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and 41% of the patients screened positive for at least mild anxiety symptoms as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale. Female patients with a history of concurrent anxiety and depression, greater injury severity scores, and higher Charlson scores were more likely to have mild anxiety at the baseline assessment. Patients with a history of depression only, a prior history of depression and concurrent anxiety, and higher Charlson scores (greater medical comorbidity) were more likely to have experienced at least mild depression at the time of hospital discharge after traumatic injury.
AHRQ-funded; HS026390.
Citation: Ortiz D, Perkins AJ, Fuchita M .
Pre-existing anxiety and depression in injured older adults: an under-recognized comorbidity with major health implications.
Ann Surg Open 2022 Dec; 3(4):e217. doi: 10.1097/as9.0000000000000217..
Keywords: Elderly, Anxiety, Depression, Behavioral Health, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Injuries and Wounds
Bongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E
Prolonged use of newly prescribed gabapentin after surgery.
This study investigated postoperative prolonged gabapentin use in adults 65 years and older. The authors merged a 20% sample of Medicare Carrier, MedPAR, and Outpatient Files with Part D for 2013-2018. They defined new postoperative gabapentin as fills for 7 days before surgery until 7 days after discharge. Overall, 3% of all eligible patients (n = 17,970) had a new prescription for gabapentin postsurgery. Out of those, the mean age was 73 years old and 62% were female. The most common surgeries that gabapentin was prescribed for was total knee (45%) and total hip (21%) replacements. Prolonged use occurred in 22% of patients, with women, non-White, those with concurrent prolonged opioid use, and patients having undergone emergency surgery more likely to have prolonged use.
Citation: Bongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E .
Prolonged use of newly prescribed gabapentin after surgery.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Dec;70(12):3560-69. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18005..
Keywords: Medication, Surgery, Pain, Elderly, Practice Patterns
Crnich CJ
Reimagining infection control in U.S. nursing homes in the era of COVID-19.
This paper provides an overview of nursing home (NH) infection and control, reviews the 2016 CMS changes to federal regulations, and proposes recommendations to sustain improvements. COVID-19 put further pressure on nursing homes who were already strained by rising numbers of infections from C. difficile and multidrug-resistant organisms. The author puts out a call for reimagining infection prevention and control using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety framework. Additional recommendations are made to enhance NH infection prevention and control programs in the areas of people, tasks, tools, organization, built environment, and external environment.
AHRQ-funded; HS022465.
Citation: Crnich CJ .
Reimagining infection control in U.S. nursing homes in the era of COVID-19.
J Am Med Dir Assoc 2022 Dec;23(12):1909-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.10.022..
Keywords: Elderly, COVID-19, Public Health, Infectious Diseases, Nursing Homes, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Prevention
Xiao Y, Smith A, Abebe E
Understanding hazards for adverse drug events among older adults after hospital discharge: insights from frontline care professionals.
The purpose of this study was to utilize a systems approach to examine hazards to medication safety for older adults during care transitions. The researchers interviewed 38 hospital-based professionals (5 hospitalists, 24 nurses, 4 clinical pharmacists, 3 pharmacy technicians, and 2 social workers) from 4 hospitals about ADE risks after hospital discharge among older adults. For each concern the participants provided, the hazard for medication-related harms was coded and grouped by its sources utilizing a human factors and systems engineering model. The study found that the hazards fell into 6 groups: 1) medication tasks related at home, 2) patient and caregiver related, 3) hospital work system related, 4) home resource related, 5) hospital professional-patient collaborative work related, and 6) external environment related. The type of medications indicated most frequently when describing concerns included anticoagulants, insulins, and diuretics. The types of hazards coded the most were: complex dosing, patient and caregiver knowledge gaps in medication management, errors in discharge medications, unaffordable cost, inadequate understanding about changes in medications, and gaps in access to care or in sharing medication information.
AHRQ-funded; HS024436.
Citation: Xiao Y, Smith A, Abebe E .
Understanding hazards for adverse drug events among older adults after hospital discharge: insights from frontline care professionals.
J Patient Saf 2022 Dec 1;18(8):e1174-e80. doi: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001046..
Keywords: Elderly, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Medication, Medication: Safety, Hospital Discharge, Hospitals, Transitions of Care
Hashemi-Arend A, Vasquez KS, Guishard D
Implementing DASH-aligned meals and Self-Measured Blood Pressure to reduce hypertension at senior centers: a RE-AIM analysis.
Investigators implemented two evidence-based interventions not previously tested in senior centers, DASH-aligned congregate meals and Self-Measured Blood Pressure (SMBP), to lower blood pressure (BP) at two senior centers serving low-income, racially diverse communities. Using the RE-AIM framework to analyze implementation, they found that change in systolic BP at Month 1 trended towards significance and change in SMBP reached significance at Month 6; food costs increased by 10%. They concluded that this RE-AIM analysis highlighted the acceptability, feasibility, and fidelity of this DASH/SMBP health intervention to lower BP at senior centers.
AHRQ-funded; HS021667.
Citation: Hashemi-Arend A, Vasquez KS, Guishard D .
Implementing DASH-aligned meals and Self-Measured Blood Pressure to reduce hypertension at senior centers: a RE-AIM analysis.
Nutrients 2022 Nov 18;14(22):4890. doi: 10.3390/nu14224890..
Keywords: Blood Pressure, Patient Self-Management, Elderly, Nutrition, Lifestyle Changes
Semere W, Kaplan L, Valle K
Caregiving needs are unmet for many older homeless adults: findings from the Hope Home study.
Researchers described characteristics of older homeless-experienced adults with caregiving need and determined factors associated with having unmet need. Using data from the longitudinal study, Health Outcomes in People Experiencing Homelessness in Older Middle Age (HOPE HOME), they found that better self-rated health and being a man were associated with higher odds of unmet need. Moderate or high-risk substance use was associated with lower odds of unmet need. They recommended interventions that increase caregiving access for homeless-experienced individuals in order to avoid poor health outcomes and costly long-term-care needs due to untreated disabilities.
AHRQ-funded; HS027844.
Citation: Semere W, Kaplan L, Valle K .
Caregiving needs are unmet for many older homeless adults: findings from the Hope Home study.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Nov;37(14):3611-19. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07438-z..
Keywords: Elderly, Vulnerable Populations, Caregiving, Access to Care
Arora S, Fowler ME, Harmon C
Differences in pretreatment frailty across gastrointestinal cancers in older adults: results from the Cancer and Aging Resilience Evaluation registry.
The purpose of this study was to explore differences in pretreatment frailty between colorectal (CRC), hepatobiliary, and pancreatic cancers. The researchers included adults aged 60 years and higher enrolled in the Cancer and Aging Resilience Evaluation registry. A 44-item Cancer and Aging Resilience Evaluation frailty index was utilized to define frailty, which included geriatric assessment impairments of functional status, cognitive complaints, health-related quality of life, comorbidities, polypharmacy, anxiety, depression, malnutrition, falls, ability to walk one block, and interference in social activities. A total of 505 patients were included in the study: 41.8% with CRC, 35.2% with pancreatic cancer, and 116 23.0% with hepatobiliary cancer. The study found the following prevalence of frailty: 40.6% pancreatic, 34.3% hepatobiliary, and 23.3% CRC. Frailty was linked with higher rates of malnutrition and instrumental activities of daily living impairments in patients with pancreatic cancer and higher number of comorbidities in patients with hepatobiliary cancer. The study concluded that adults aged 60 and over with pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers are at high-risk of pretreatment frailty.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Arora S, Fowler ME, Harmon C .
Differences in pretreatment frailty across gastrointestinal cancers in older adults: results from the Cancer and Aging Resilience Evaluation registry.
JCO Oncol Pract 2022 Nov;18(11):e1796-e806. doi: 10.1200/op.22.00270..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer, Digestive Disease and Health
Chen Z, Gleason LJ, Sanghavi P
Accuracy of pressure ulcer events in US nursing home ratings.
This study investigated the accuracy of the government website Nursing Home Compare (NHC) pressure ulcer measures, which are chief indicators of nursing home patient safety. The authors identified hospital admissions for pressure ulcers and linked them to the nursing home-reported data at the patient level using Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries who were nursing home residents between 2011 and 2017. Percentages of pressure ulcers that were appropriately reported by stage, long-stay versus short-stay status, and race was calculated. Reporting rates were low for both short-stay (70.2%) and long-stay (59.7%) for stage 2-4 pressure ulcer hospitalizations. Black residents experienced more severe pressure ulcers than White residents. Correlations between claims-based measures and NHC ratings were found to be poor.
AHRQ-funded; HS026957.
Citation: Chen Z, Gleason LJ, Sanghavi P .
Accuracy of pressure ulcer events in US nursing home ratings.
Med Care 2022 Oct;60(10):775-83. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001763.
AHRQ-funded; HS026957..
AHRQ-funded; HS026957..
Keywords: Elderly, Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care, Pressure Ulcers, Quality Measures, Quality of Care, Patient Safety
Harrison JD, Sudore RL, Auerbach AD
Automated telephone follow-up programs after hospital discharge: do older adults engage with these programs?
The purpose of this study was to examine whether and how older adults experience automated post-hospital discharge telephone follow-up programs and characterize the prevalence of patient-reported post-discharge issues. Eighteen thousand and seventy-six patients, all part of a post-hospital discharge program between May 1, 2018 and April 30, 2019, were included and categorized into age groups. The study found that more patients 65-84 years old were reached compared to patients 64 years old or less (84.3% compared to 78.9%). Patients aged 85 or older were more likely to have questions about their follow-up plans and require assistance scheduling appointments compared to those 64 years old or less (19.0% vs. 11.9%). The researchers concluded that post-hospital automated telephone calls are effective at reaching older adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS026383.
Citation: Harrison JD, Sudore RL, Auerbach AD .
Automated telephone follow-up programs after hospital discharge: do older adults engage with these programs?
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Oct;70(10):2980-87. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17939..
Keywords: Elderly, Patient and Family Engagement, Hospital Discharge, Transitions of Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Campbell NL, Pitts C, Corvari C
Deprescribing anticholinergics in primary care older adults: experience from two models and impact on a continuous measure of exposure.
The purpose of this study was to assess two pilot pharmacist-based advanced practice deprescribing intervention models and their impact on patients’ exposure to high-risk anticholinergics. The researchers conducted pilot studies of a collaborative clinic-based pharmacist deprescribing intervention and a telephone-based pharmacist deprescribing intervention. Deprescribing was defined as a discontinuation or dose reduction. Patients participating in the clinic-based pharmacy model were aged 55 years and older and were referred for deprescribing at a specialty clinic. Patients participating in the telephone-based pharmacy model were aged 65 years and older and called by a clinical pharmacist for deprescribing without referral. The study found that among the 24 medications deemed eligible for deprescribing for the18 patients in the clinic-based model, 23 were deprescribed. The clinic-based deprescribing model resulted in a 93% reduction in median annualized total standardized dose (TSD), 56% lowered their annualized exposure below a cognitive risk threshold, and 17% of medications were represcribed within 6 months. Among the 24 medications deemed eligible for deprescribing for the 24 patients in the telephone-based pharmacy model, 50% were deprescribed. There was no change in the median annualized TSD, the annualized TSD was lowered below a cognitive risk threshold in 46%, and no medications were represcribed within 6 months. The researchers concluded that pharmacist-based deprescribing successfully reduced exposure to high-risk anticholinergics in the study population.
AHRQ-funded; HS24384.
Citation: Campbell NL, Pitts C, Corvari C .
Deprescribing anticholinergics in primary care older adults: experience from two models and impact on a continuous measure of exposure.
Journal of the American College of Pharmacy 2022 Oct;5(10):1039-47. doi: 10.1002/jac5.1682..
Keywords: Elderly, Primary Care, Medication, Provider: Pharmacist, Medication: Safety, Patient Safety
Ross RL, Rubio K, Rodriguez HP
Mammography and decision aid use for breast cancer screening in older women.
This study examines the association between practice-level decision-aid use and mammography use among older women. Physician practice responses to the 2017/2018 National Survey of Healthcare Organizations and Systems were linked to 2016-17 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiary data from eligible beneficiaries aged 65-74 years. Findings showed that health information technology-enabled automation of mammography reminders and other advanced health information technology functions may support mammography, whereas breast cancer decision aids may reduce patients' propensities to be screened through the alignment of their preferences and screening decision.
AHRQ-funded; HS022241; HS024075.
Citation: Ross RL, Rubio K, Rodriguez HP .
Mammography and decision aid use for breast cancer screening in older women.
Am J Prev Med 2022 Oct;63(4):630-35. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.04.014..
Keywords: Imaging, Screening, Shared Decision Making, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Women, Prevention, Cancer, Elderly
Leland NE, Lekovitch C, Martínez J
Optimizing post-acute care patient safety: a scoping review of multifactorial fall prevention interventions for older adults.
The purpose of this scoping review was to describe the evidence for multifactorial post-acute care (PAC) fall prevention interventions for older patients. The researchers included 33 studies and characterized common intervention domains including: evaluating patient-specific fall risk factors, developing an individualized risk profile and treatment plan that targets each patient's fall risk factors, and implementing facility-based strategies such as staff education. There was not consensus across studies in how the domains were addressed and to what extent. The researchers concluded that health system efforts to prevent accidental falls in PAC should consider a patient-centered multifactorial approach.
AHRQ-funded; HS022907.
Citation: Leland NE, Lekovitch C, Martínez J .
Optimizing post-acute care patient safety: a scoping review of multifactorial fall prevention interventions for older adults.
J Appl Gerontol 2022 Oct;41(10):2187-96. doi: 10.1177/07334648221104375..
Keywords: Elderly, Falls, Prevention, Patient Safety, Evidence-Based Practice
Kim N, Jacobson M
Comparison of catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditure among older adults in the United States and South Korea: what affects the apparent difference?
In the United States seniors aged 65 and older have Medicare and almost-universal coverage, and in South Korea all residents have national health insurance. The purpose of this study was to compare catastrophic out-of-pocket medical spending (defined as out-of-pocket medical spending over the past two years that exceeded 50% of household income) among adults 65 and older in the United States with the same senior-aged population in South Korea. The study found that the proportion of participants with catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditures was 5.8% in the US and 3.0% in South Korea. The researchers concluded that exposure to that level of expenditures was significantly higher in the US than South Korea, with the difference attributed to unobservable system level factors rather than observable sociodemographic characteristics.
AHRQ-funded; HS026488.
Citation: Kim N, Jacobson M .
Comparison of catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditure among older adults in the United States and South Korea: what affects the apparent difference?
BMC Health Serv Res 2022 Sep 26;22(1):1202. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08575-1..
Keywords: Elderly, Healthcare Costs, Access to Care, Low-Income
Jiang Y, Mason M, Cho Y
Tolerance to oral anticancer agent treatment in older adults with cancer: a secondary analysis of data from electronic health records and a pilot study of patient-reported outcomes.
The purpose of this study was to explore the tolerance of capecitabine oral chemotherapy among older adults with cancer and investigate factors associated with related side effects and treatment changes. The researchers combined data from electronic health records and a pilot study of patient-reported outcomes, and found that older adults were more likely to experience fatigue and experienced more severe fatigue and hand-foot syndrome (HFS) than younger adults. The severity of fatigue and HFS were associated with the number of outpatient medications and the duration of treatment respectively. Female sex, breast cancer diagnosis, capecitabine monotherapy, and severe HFS were found to be associated with subsequent dose reductions. The study concluded that older adults were less likely to tolerate capecitabine treatment and had different co-occurring side effects compared to younger adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS027846.
Citation: Jiang Y, Mason M, Cho Y .
Tolerance to oral anticancer agent treatment in older adults with cancer: a secondary analysis of data from electronic health records and a pilot study of patient-reported outcomes.
BMC Cancer 2022 Sep 3;22(1):950. doi: 10.1186/s12885-022-10026-3..
Keywords: Elderly, Cancer, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Wei YJ, Chen C, Cheng TD
Association of injury after prescription opioid initiation with risk for opioid-related adverse events among older Medicare beneficiaries in the United States: a nested case-control study.
This study’s objectives were to examine the association between incident injury after prescription opioid initiation and subsequent risk of opioid-related adverse events (ORAEs) and to assess whether the association differs by recency of injury among older patients. The researchers observed that incident diagnosis of injury following opioid initiation was associated with subsequent increased risk of ORAEs, and the risk was only significant among patients with injury in the month before the index date. They recommended regular monitoring for injury in order to identify older opioid users at high risk for ORAEs.
AHRQ-funded; HS027230.
Citation: Wei YJ, Chen C, Cheng TD .
Association of injury after prescription opioid initiation with risk for opioid-related adverse events among older Medicare beneficiaries in the United States: a nested case-control study.
PLoS Med 2022 Sep;19(9):e1004101. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004101..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Substance Abuse, Elderly, Adverse Events
Laskow T, Zhu J, Buta B
Risk factors for nonresilient outcomes in older adults after total knee replacement.
The purpose of this study was to develop a simple measure of physical resilience and identify risk factors for nonresilient patient outcomes in total knee replacement procedures (TKR). The researchers conducted a secondary analysis of the Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement (FORCE-TJR) cohort study, including 7,239 adults aged 60 or older who underwent TKR between 2011 and 2015. The study found that the variables of age, body mass index, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were associated with increased risk of physically nonresilient outcomes across the 3 patient-reported outcomes of the physical component summary (PCS), bodily pain (BP), and vitality (VT). A household income of greater than $45 000 associated with lower risk for PCS (RR = 0.81 [0.70-0.93]), BP (RR = 0.80 [0.69-0.91]), and VT (RR = 0.86 [0.78-0.93]). CONCLUSIONS: We operationalized physical resilience and identified factors predicting resilience after TKR. This approach may aid clinical risk stratification, guide further investigation of causes, and ultimately aid patients through the design of interventions to enhance physical resilience.
AHRQ-funded; HS018910.
Citation: Laskow T, Zhu J, Buta B .
Risk factors for nonresilient outcomes in older adults after total knee replacement.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2022 Sep;77(9):1915-22. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glab257..
Keywords: Orthopedics, Surgery, Elderly, Risk
Nair D, Hall RK
Clin-Star corner: what is new at the interface of geriatrics and nephrology?
In this article, the authors highlight key findings of three recent original investigations in nephrology and describe each study, the relevance to the care of older adults, and current areas of uncertainty that warrant further investigation. The three articles relate to removal of the race adjustment in the estimation of kidney function, the use of novel therapeutics to halt chronic kidney disease progression and improve cardiovascular outcomes, and medication management for short-term pain control in chronic kidney disease.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Nair D, Hall RK .
Clin-Star corner: what is new at the interface of geriatrics and nephrology?
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Aug;70(8):2219-24. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17942..
Keywords: Elderly, Kidney Disease and Health, Chronic Conditions
Guo W, Li Y, Temkin-Greener H
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in assisted living communities: neighborhood deprivation and state social distancing policies matter.
Investigators examined the association between COVID-19 cases in assisted living communities (ALCs) and the proportion of Medicare-Medicaid (dual) eligible minority residents, neighborhood area deprivation, and state COVID-19 policy stringency. They found that ALCs with higher proportions of dual-eligible minority residents were more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks within their communities. Further, ALCs located in more socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods, and in states with less stringent state social distancing policies, tended to have more COVID-19 cases.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: Guo W, Li Y, Temkin-Greener H .
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in assisted living communities: neighborhood deprivation and state social distancing policies matter.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2022 Aug;43(8):1004-09. doi: 10.1017/ice.2022.46..
Keywords: COVID-19, Elderly, Long-Term Care, Policy, Public Health
Temkin-Greener H, Mao Y, McGarry B
Health care use and outcomes in assisted living communities: race, ethnicity, and dual eligibility.
The purpose of this study was to examine the type and quality of care received in residential long-term care setting by racial/ ethnic minorities or residents eligible for dual Medicare and Medicaid. With 2018 Medicare data, the researchers identified 255,564 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 55 who were living in 24,108 assisted living facilities across the United States and evaluated the relationship between race/ethnicity and dual status with emergency room use, inpatient hospital admission, 30-day readmission, and placement in a nursing home. The study found variations within and across assisted living facilities for racial/ethnic minority and dual residents, suggesting that outcome disparities are the most significant by dual eligibility status instead of only race/ ethnicity. The researchers concluded that these results can be used to inform and guide future research, as well as healthcare providers and policy makers.
AHRQ-funded; HS026893.
Citation: Temkin-Greener H, Mao Y, McGarry B .
Health care use and outcomes in assisted living communities: race, ethnicity, and dual eligibility.
Med Care Res Rev 2022 Aug;79(4):500-10. doi: 10.1177/10775587211050189..
Keywords: Elderly, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Long-Term Care, Medicare
Hashemi A, Vasquez K, Guishard D
Implementing dash-aligned congregate meals and self-measured blood pressure in two senior centers: An open label study.
This study tested whether implementing two evidence-based interventions--DASH-aligned meals provided through an existing congregate meal program, and support for home Self-Measured Blood Pressure (SMBP) monitoring--lowers blood pressure among participants at two senior centers serving low-income, racially diverse communities. Participants were clients aged ≥60, eating ≥4 meals/week at two NYC senior centers. They received DASH-aligned congregate meals, and training in nutrition, BP management education, and personal SMBP device. Primary outcomes was a) change in systolic BP measured by independent health professionals, and b) change in percent with "controlled BP" (Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC-8) Guidelines), at Month 1 compared to Baseline. The authors enrolled 94 participants, with COVID closures interrupting implementation mid-study. Mean systolic BP at Month-1 changed by -4.41 mmHg compared to Baseline. Participants with controlled BP increased at Month 1 and changes in mean BP at Month 1 was significantly correlated with BMI, age, and baseline BP. Mean systolic mean SMBP changed by -6.9 mmHg at Months 5/6.
AHRQ-funded; HS021667.
Citation: Hashemi A, Vasquez K, Guishard D .
Implementing dash-aligned congregate meals and self-measured blood pressure in two senior centers: An open label study.
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2022 Aug;32(8):1998-2009. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2022.05.018..
Keywords: Elderly, Blood Pressure, Community-Based Practice, Patient Self-Management, Nutrition, Lifestyle Changes, Vulnerable Populations
Curatolo M, Rundell SD, Gold LS
Long-term effectiveness of epidural steroid injections after new episodes of low back pain in older adults.
The purpose of this prospective study was to compare older adults undergoing epidural steroid injections (ESI) with patients not receiving ESI to test the hypotheses that those on ESI: 1) have worse outcomes before ESI, 2) have improved outcomes after ESI, and 3) have improved outcomes due to a specific ESI effect. The researchers evaluated patients 65 years of age or older from 3 United States health care systems who presented to primary care with new episodes of back pain. The three outcomes assessed were back and leg pain intensity, disability, and quality of life, all of which were evaluated at baseline, and then with 3-, 6-, 12- and 24- month follow-ups. The study found that in ESI patients, pain intensity, disability, and quality of life at baseline were significantly worse than in non-ESI patients. The study concluded that adults 65 and older who were treated with ESI have long-term improvement, but the improvement is not likely to be related to a specific effect of ESI, making epidural steroid injections unlikely to provide long-term benefits.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222; HS022972.
Citation: Curatolo M, Rundell SD, Gold LS .
Long-term effectiveness of epidural steroid injections after new episodes of low back pain in older adults.
Eur J Pain 2022 Aug;26(7):1469-80. doi: 10.1002/ejp.1975..
Keywords: Elderly, Back Health and Pain, Pain, Treatments
Gaugler JE, Rosebush CA, Zmora R
Outcomes of remote activity monitoring for persons living with dementia over an 18-month period.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether Remote Activity Monitoring (RAM) technology was associated with reductions in negative health transitions and service utilization for persons with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia over an 18-month period. The researchers enrolled 88 recipients and their caregivers in a clinical trial, with 88 care recipients and their caregivers in the RAM intervention arm and 91 care recipients and their caregivers in the control arm. The treatment group had the RAM system installed in their home. The attention control group did not receive RAM technology. Baseline and follow-up surveys assessed whether the care recipient had fallen or wandered in the past 6 months (yes/no). Caregivers were also asked whether the care recipient had used any of the following healthcare services in the past 6 months: nursing home stays, assisted living stays other residential care stays, hospital stays, or emergency room visits. The study found that in adjusted models, emergency department visits were almost 50% lower in the intervention group compared with the control group. In addition, the odds of experiencing a higher frequency of falls versus a lower frequency of falls was 0.36 for those in the intervention group compared with controls. The RAM technology did not have a statistically significant effect on any other outcome. The researchers concluded that although RAM did not provide direct support for the management of behaviors for persons with AD/ADRD, the findings imply that this technology may prevent some adverse health events for people living with dementia in the community. The ongoing, unobtrusive monitoring and system alerts of RAM may have resulted in caregivers identifying activity or the lack thereof that may
have prevented falls and wandering events. In turn, emergency room use among persons with dementia may have been avoided.
have prevented falls and wandering events. In turn, emergency room use among persons with dementia may have been avoided.
AHRQ-funded; HS022836.
Citation: Gaugler JE, Rosebush CA, Zmora R .
Outcomes of remote activity monitoring for persons living with dementia over an 18-month period.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Aug;70(8):2439-42. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17839..
Keywords: Elderly, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Outcomes, Caregiving
Kagarmanova A, Sparkman H, Laiteerapong N
Improving the management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder in older adults: study protocol for i-cope study.
This article describes a protocol for an upcoming study on the planned implementation and evaluation of I-COPE (Improving Chicago Older Adult Opioid and Pain Management through Patient-centered Clinical Decision Support and Project ECHO®) to improve care for older adults with chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder (OUD). The study will be implemented in 35 clinical sites across the metropolitan Chicago area for patients aged ≥ 65 with chronic pain, opioid use, or OUD who receive primary care at one of the clinics. I-COPE includes the integration of patient-reported data on symptoms and preferences, clinical decision support tools and shared decision making into routine primary care. Primary care providers will be trained on the tools through web-based videos and an optional Project ECHO® course, entitled "Pain Management and OUD in Older Adults." A framework called RE-AIM will be used to assess the I-COPE implementation. Outcomes considered effective include an increased variety of recommended pain treatments, decreased prescriptions of higher-risk pain treatments, and decreased patient pain scores. Outcomes will be evaluated at 6 and 12 months after implementation, and PCPs participating in Project ECHO® will be evaluated on changes in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy using pre- and post-course surveys.
AHRQ-funded; HS027910.
Citation: Kagarmanova A, Sparkman H, Laiteerapong N .
Improving the management of chronic pain, opioid use, and opioid use disorder in older adults: study protocol for i-cope study.
Trials 2022 Jul 27;23(1):602. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06537-w..
Keywords: Elderly, Pain, Chronic Conditions, Opioids, Medication, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Shared Decision Making, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Manjunath J, Silverberg JI
Association of sleep disturbances with geriatric age in atopic dermatitis patients.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association of geriatric age with atopic dermatitis (AD) severity and sleep disturbances (SD). Patients over the age of 18 seen at an eczema clinic were recruited and completed a self-administered questionnaire for encounters between 2014 and 2019. AD severity was assessed using the patient-oriented eczema measure (POEM), eczema area and severity index, Scoring AD (SCORAD), SCORAD-itch, investigator global assessment, and patient global assessment. The frequency of SD due to eczema was assessed using POEM. The impact of itching on the activity of falling asleep was assessed using 5 dimensions (5D) of itch. Fatigue was assessed using the patient-reported outcome measurement information system (PROMIS)-global health. Difficulty sleeping, falling asleep, and staying asleep was assessed using PROMIS-SD. The study found that geriatric AD patients had more profound SD, particularly staying asleep and fatigue, despite having AD severity similar to younger adult AD patients. The researchers concluded that future research is needed to understand why there is a difference between geriatric and non-geriatric patients as related to increased itching from atopic dermatitis and sleep disorders.
AHRQ-funded; HS023011.
Citation: Manjunath J, Silverberg JI .
Association of sleep disturbances with geriatric age in atopic dermatitis patients.
J Am Acad Dermatol 2022 Jul;87(1):206-08. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2021.07.039..
Keywords: Elderly, Sleep Problems, Skin Conditions