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
- Access to Care (1)
- Asthma (1)
- Children/Adolescents (2)
- Chronic Conditions (3)
- Clinician-Patient Communication (2)
- Depression (1)
- Diabetes (3)
- Disparities (1)
- Healthcare Costs (5)
- Healthcare Utilization (2)
- Health Status (1)
- (-) Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) (11)
- Medication (1)
- (-) Obesity (11)
- Obesity: Weight Management (1)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (4)
- Risk (1)
- Social Determinants of Health (1)
- Workforce (1)
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 11 of 11 Research Studies DisplayedKumar V, Encinosa W
AHRQ Author: Encinosa W
Revisiting the obesity paradox in health care expenditures among adults with diabetes.
This AHRQ-authored study explored and examined an obesity paradox identified by recent studies which suggests that in people without diabetes mortality risk increases with weight and in people with diabetes mortality risk decreases with weight. The researchers assessed changes in the association between body mass index (BMI) and health care expenditures in populations with diabetes and without diabetes while controlling for confounding risk factors. The researchers found that there is no obesity paradox; it is the result of statistical biases, and the study concluded that obesity in people with diabetes does not save costs.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Kumar V, Encinosa W .
Revisiting the obesity paradox in health care expenditures among adults with diabetes.
Clin Diabetes 2022 Spring;40(2):185-95. doi: 10.2337/cd20-0122..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Diabetes, Healthcare Costs
Kumar V, Encinosa W
AHRQ Author: Kumar V, Encinosa W
Explaining the obesity paradox in healthcare utilization among people with type 2 diabetes.
The authors sought to examine changes in the relationship between BMI and number of visits in diabetic vs nondiabetic populations, controlling for confounding risk factors. Using MEPS data, they found that the obesity paradox does not exist at the utilization level and is due to the presence of statistical biases such as confounding and reverse causation.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Kumar V, Encinosa W .
Explaining the obesity paradox in healthcare utilization among people with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetol Int 2022 Jan;13(1):232-43. doi: 10.1007/s13340-021-00530-5..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Utilization
Berdahl T, Biener A, McCormick MC
AHRQ Author: Berdahl T
Annual report on children's healthcare: healthcare access and utilization by obesity status in the United States.
This study examined access to care and utilization patterns across a set of healthcare measures by obesity status and sociodemographic characteristics among children. Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 2010-2015 was used to determine obesity status, number of well-child visits, access to a usual source of care, number of preventive dental visits and prescription medication fills in the past year. It was found that uninsured adolescents with obesity were less like to have a usual source of care provider than children without obesity. Among younger children, those living in the Northeast were more than twice as likely to have had a well-child visit than those living in the West. Preventive dental care was less likely to have occurred for children with obesity than non-obese children. More prescription refills were completed for obese adolescents than for younger children.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Berdahl T, Biener A, McCormick MC .
Annual report on children's healthcare: healthcare access and utilization by obesity status in the United States.
Acad Pediatr 2020 Mar;20(2):175-87. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2019.11.020..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Children/Adolescents, Access to Care, Healthcare Utilization, Obesity
Biener AI, Decker SL
AHRQ Author: Biener AI, Decker SL
Medical care use and expenditures associated with adult obesity in the United States.
This infographic consists of bar charts and a line graph making the following points: (1) adult obesity is associated with higher prevalence of chronic conditions, (2) growth in total medical expenditures among obese adults is outpacing that of normal weight adults, and (3) most medical expenditures rise as body mass index increases to higher than normal levels.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Biener AI, Decker SL .
Medical care use and expenditures associated with adult obesity in the United States.
JAMA 2018 Jan 16;319(3):218. doi: 10.1001/jama.2017.21063.
.
.
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity
Biener A, Cawley J, Meyerhoefer C
AHRQ Author: Biener A
The impact of obesity on medical care costs and labor market outcomes in the US.
The economic consequences of obesity are not well understood. Researchers analyzed data for 2001-2015 and estimated the percentage of healthcare costs that were associated with adult obesity. They found that a substantial and rising percentage of healthcare costs are associated with obesity. This is true for the US, for individual states, for each category of expenditure, and for each type of payer.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Biener A, Cawley J, Meyerhoefer C .
The impact of obesity on medical care costs and labor market outcomes in the US.
Clin Chem 2018 Jan;64(1):108-17. doi: 10.1373/clinchem.2017.272450.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Workforce
Wong MS, Showell NN, Bleich SN
The association between parent-reported provider communication quality and child obesity status: variation by parent obesity and child race/ethnicity.
This study examined the association between healthcare provider communication quality and child obesity status, and the role of parent obesity and child race/ethnicity regarding this association. It found that parents of obese children experienced better communication if parents were non-obese or children were non-Hispanic Black or Asian.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Wong MS, Showell NN, Bleich SN .
The association between parent-reported provider communication quality and child obesity status: variation by parent obesity and child race/ethnicity.
Patient Educ Couns 2017 Aug;100(8):1588-97. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2017.03.015.
.
.
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Clinician-Patient Communication, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Chang SH, Yu YC, Carlsson NP
Racial disparity in life expectancies and life years lost associated with multiple obesity-related chronic conditions.
This study investigated racial disparity in life expectancies (LEs) and life years lost associated with multiple obesity-related chronic conditions. It found that black individuals had higher risks of developing diabetes, hypertension, and stroke. This disparity in LE between white and black participants was largest in men age 40 to 49 with at least stroke: black men lived 3.12 years shorter than white men.
AHRQ-funded; HS022330.
Citation: Chang SH, Yu YC, Carlsson NP .
Racial disparity in life expectancies and life years lost associated with multiple obesity-related chronic conditions.
Obesity 2017 May;25(5):950-57. doi: 10.1002/oby.21822.
.
.
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Disparities, Health Status, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Leung MY, Carlsson NP, Colditz GA
The burden of obesity on diabetes in the United States: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2008 to 2012.
The researchers analyzed the risk of developing diabetes and the annual cost of diabetes for a US general population. Their results suggested that the annual health care expenditure differentials between those with and without diabetes of age 50 years were the highest for individuals with class II ($12,907) and class III ($9,703) obesity.
AHRQ-funded; HS022330.
Citation: Leung MY, Carlsson NP, Colditz GA .
The burden of obesity on diabetes in the United States: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2008 to 2012.
Value Health 2017 Jan;20(1):77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2016.08.735.
.
.
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Obesity, Diabetes, Healthcare Costs, Risk
Yang HY, Chen HJ, Marsteller JA
AHRQ Author: Liang L
Patient-health care professional gender or race/ethnicity concordance and its association with weight-related advice in the United States.
This study examined association between adult patients' and health care providers' (HCPs) gender or race/ethnicity concordance and patients' reported receiving weight-related advice from HCP's in USA. It found that patient/HCP gender or race/ethnicity concordance was not positively associated with HCPs providing weight-related advice. Patients with female HCPs or with racial/ethnic discordant HCPs (especially black or Asian HCPs) were more likely to receive advice.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Yang HY, Chen HJ, Marsteller JA .
Patient-health care professional gender or race/ethnicity concordance and its association with weight-related advice in the United States.
Patient Educ Couns 2016 Feb;99(2):271-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2015.08.030.
.
.
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Obesity, Obesity: Weight Management, Clinician-Patient Communication
Abdus S, Zuvekas SH
AHRQ Author: Abdus S, Zuvekas SH
Racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between obesity and depression treatment.
This study examined the relationship between obesity and the treatment of depression across racial/ethnic subgroups, controlling for depressive symptoms, self-rated mental health, health status, and socioeconomic characteristics. It found that the association between obesity and depression-related medication was significant for white women but not for black or Hispanic women. The results for men were, in general, mixed and inconsistent.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Abdus S, Zuvekas SH .
Racial/ethnic differences in the relationship between obesity and depression treatment.
J Behav Health Serv Res 2015 Oct;42(4):486-503. doi: 10.1007/s11414-014-9391-1..
Keywords: Obesity, Depression, Social Determinants of Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
Sarpong EM
AHRQ Author: Sarpong EM
The impact of obesity on medication use and expenditures among nonelderly adults with asthma.
The author examined the impact of obesity on medication use and expenditures among nonelderly adults with asthma using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. He found that obese classes II/III individuals were more likely to have current asthma, seek treatment for asthma, use more medications, and have higher medication and health care expenditures compared with normal weight individuals. His results suggested that reduction in body weight may help reduce health resource use and expenditures for nonelderly adults with asthma.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Sarpong EM .
The impact of obesity on medication use and expenditures among nonelderly adults with asthma.
J Health Care Poor Underserved 2014 Aug;25(3):1245-61. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2014.0142.
.
.
Keywords: Asthma, Healthcare Costs, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Medication, Obesity