National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
Topics
- Back Health and Pain (2)
- Cancer (3)
- Cancer: Breast Cancer (2)
- Dementia (1)
- Diagnostic Safety and Quality (4)
- (-) Elderly (8)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) (1)
- Evidence-Based Practice (1)
- (-) Imaging (8)
- Neurological Disorders (1)
- Outcomes (1)
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (1)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Prevention (2)
- Primary Care (2)
- Screening (2)
- Shared Decision Making (2)
- Women (2)
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 8 of 8 Research Studies DisplayedRoss 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
Ricci KB, Oslock WM, Ingraham AM
Importance of radiologists in optimizing outcomes for older Americans with acute abdomen.
Patients presenting with acute abdominal pain often undergo a computed tomography (CT) scan as part of their diagnostic workup. The authors of this study investigated the relationship between availability, timeliness, and interpretation of CT imaging and outcomes for life-threatening intra-abdominal diseases or "acute abdomen," in older Americans. The investigators concluded that delays obtaining results were associated with adverse outcomes in older patients with acute abdomen.
AHRQ-funded; HS022694.
Citation: Ricci KB, Oslock WM, Ingraham AM .
Importance of radiologists in optimizing outcomes for older Americans with acute abdomen.
J Surg Res 2021 May;261:361-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.12.022..
Keywords: Elderly, Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality
Fink HA, Linskens EJ, Silverman PC
Accuracy of biomarker testing for neuropathologically defined Alzheimer disease in older adults with dementia
This study is a systematic review of biomarker and test accuracy for identification of Alzheimer Disease (AD) in older adults. Studies with low or medium risk of bias were analyzed, and two reviewers rated risk of bias. Fifteen brain imaging studies and 9 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies met analysis criteria and were included. The meta-analysis found that in methodologically heterogeneous studies of uncertain applicability to typical clinical settings, the biomarkers amyloid PET, 18F-FDG proton emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were highly sensitive for neuropathologic AD. Single studies suggested that adding amyloid PET, 18F-FDG PET, and CSF test combinations may add accuracy to clinical evaluation.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500008I.
Citation: Fink HA, Linskens EJ, Silverman PC .
Accuracy of biomarker testing for neuropathologically defined Alzheimer disease in older adults with dementia
Ann Intern Med 2020 May 19;172(10):669-77. doi: 10.7326/m19-3888..
Keywords: Elderly, Dementia, Neurological Disorders, Imaging, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Evidence-Based Practice
Haymart MR, Banerjee M, Reyes-Gastelum D
Adverse Events, Health Status, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Physician, Surgery
This study used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data to analyze thyroid cancer incidence in adults aged 65 years or older. Data was analyzed in the SEER-Medicare database from 2002 and 2013. Thyroid ultrasound use as initial imaging increased in all types of thyroid cancer, which increased the diagnosis of low-risk thyroid cancer. It was associated with female and comorbidities. Researchers believe that there is greater thyroid ultrasound use which results in increased diagnosis.
AHRQ-funded; HS024512.
Citation: Haymart MR, Banerjee M, Reyes-Gastelum D .
Adverse Events, Health Status, Provider: Clinician, Provider: Nurse, Provider: Physician, Surgery
J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2019 Mar;104(3):785-92. doi: 10.1210/jc.2018-01933..
Keywords: Cancer, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Elderly, Imaging
Pappadis MR, Volk RJ, Krishnan S
Perceptions of overdetection of breast cancer among women 70 years of age and older in the USA: a mixed-methods analysis.
The authors explored older women's perceptions about the concept of overdetection of breast cancer and its influence on future screening intentions. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 59 English-speaking women aged 70 years or older with no prior history of breast cancer. The authors found that many older women did not understand the concept of overdetection, in addition to being suspicious of or resistant to the concept. Providing older women with descriptions of overdetection may not be sufficient to influence screening intentions.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Pappadis MR, Volk RJ, Krishnan S .
Perceptions of overdetection of breast cancer among women 70 years of age and older in the USA: a mixed-methods analysis.
BMJ Open 2018 Jun 14;8(6):e022138. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022138..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Elderly, Screening, Shared Decision Making, Women, Prevention, Imaging
Tan A, Zhou J, Kuo YF
Variation among primary care physicians in the use of imaging for older patients with acute low back pain.
The authors sought to estimate the variation among primary care providers (PCPs) in the use of diagnostic imaging for older patients with non-specific acute low back pain. They used Texas Medicare claims data and tracked whether each patient received lumbar imaging within 4 weeks of the initial visit. They found that the specific physician seen by a patient accounted for 25 % of the variability in whether imaging was performed and that the use of imaging by individual physicians was stable over time.
AHRQ-funded; HS022134.
Citation: Tan A, Zhou J, Kuo YF .
Variation among primary care physicians in the use of imaging for older patients with acute low back pain.
J Gen Intern Med 2016 Feb;31(2):156-63. doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3475-3.
.
.
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Elderly, Imaging, Primary Care, Practice Patterns
Jarvik JG, Gold LS, Comstock BA
Association of early imaging for back pain with clinical outcomes in older adults.
This study compared function and pain at the 12-month follow-up visit among older adults who received early imaging with those who did not receive early imaging after a new primary care visit for back pain without radiculopathy. It found that early imaging was not associated with better 1-year outcomes. The researchers concluded that the value of early diagnostic imaging in older adults for back pain with radiculopathy is uncertain.
AHRQ-funded; HS019222, HS022972
Citation: Jarvik JG, Gold LS, Comstock BA .
Association of early imaging for back pain with clinical outcomes in older adults.
JAMA. 2015 Mar 17;313(11):1143-53. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.1871..
Keywords: Back Health and Pain, Elderly, Primary Care, Outcomes, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Imaging
Samim M, Goss S, Luty S
Incidental findings on CT for suspected renal colic in emergency department patients: prevalence and types in 5,383 consecutive examinations.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence, importance, and types of incidental findings (IF) in non-enhanced CT scans performed for suspected renal colic, based on ACR white papers and other accepted radiographic recommendations. It found that important IF occurred in 12.7% of non-enhanced CT scans performed for suspected renal colic in the emergency department and are more common in older individuals.
AHRQ-funded; HS018322.
Citation: Samim M, Goss S, Luty S .
Incidental findings on CT for suspected renal colic in emergency department patients: prevalence and types in 5,383 consecutive examinations.
J Am Coll Radiol 2015 Jan;12(1):63-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2014.07.026..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Imaging, Elderly