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Research Studies is a monthly compilation of research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers and recently published in journals or newsletters.

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1 to 11 of 11 Research Studies Displayed
Longacre CF, Neprash HT, Shippee ND
Evaluating travel distance to radiation facilities among rural and urban breast cancer patients in the Medicare population.
This study characterizes the actual distance older breast cancer patients traveled to radiation treatment and the minimum distance necessary to reach radiation care, and examines whether any patient demographic or clinical factors are associated with greater travel distance. Findings showed that patients living in rural areas traveled on average nearly 3 times as far as those from urban areas, and their nearest facility was more than 4 times farther away. Older age, being single or widowed, and lower household income were significantly associated with shorter actual travel distance, while increasing rurality was significantly associated with greater actual and minimum travel distance to radiation treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS026660.
Citation: Longacre CF, Neprash HT, Shippee ND . Evaluating travel distance to radiation facilities among rural and urban breast cancer patients in the Medicare population. J Rural Health 2020 Jun;36(3):334-46. doi: 10.1111/jrh.12413..
View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Rural Health, Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Elderly, Women, Access to Care, Disparities
Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL
Racial differences in long-term adjuvant endocrine therapy adherence and mortality among Medicaid-insured breast cancer patients in Texas: findings from TCR-Medicaid linked data.
There are racial/ethnic disparities in breast cancer mortality that may be attributed to differences in receipt of adjuvant cancer treatment. The purpose of this article was to determine whether the mortality disparities could be explained by racial/ethnic differences in long-term adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET). The investigators concluded that long-term adherence in the Medicaid population was suboptimal and racial/ethnic differences in AET adherence may partially explain disparities in mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL . Racial differences in long-term adjuvant endocrine therapy adherence and mortality among Medicaid-insured breast cancer patients in Texas: findings from TCR-Medicaid linked data. BMC Cancer 2018 Dec 4;18(1):1214. doi: 10.1186/s12885-018-5121-z..
View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Medicaid, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Racial / Ethnic Minorities
Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL
Racial and geographic disparities in adherence and discontinuation to adjuvant endocrine therapy in Texas Medicaid-insured patients with breast cancer.
The purpose of the study is to examine disparities in adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) adherence and discontinuation among Texas Medicaid-insured early-stage breast cancer patients. The studies concluded that patients from the Texas/Mexico border had higher odds of adherence compared to other regions. There are substantial racial and geographic disparities in AET adherence and discontinuation among Texas Medicaid-insured women.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL . Racial and geographic disparities in adherence and discontinuation to adjuvant endocrine therapy in Texas Medicaid-insured patients with breast cancer. Med Oncol 2018 Jun 20;35(7):113. doi: 10.1007/s12032-018-1168-6..
View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Medicaid, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Racial / Ethnic Minorities
Rauscher GH, Dabbous F, Dolecek TA
Absence of an anticipated racial disparity in interval breast cancer within a large health care organization.
The researchers sought to estimate the extent of an anticipated racial disparity in interval breast cancer (IBC) within a single, large health care organization. Contrary to expectation, in patient-adjusted models, there was no IBC racial disparity. The sorting of patients by race across facilities appears to have mitigated an otherwise anticipated disparity in IBC.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Rauscher GH, Dabbous F, Dolecek TA . Absence of an anticipated racial disparity in interval breast cancer within a large health care organization. Ann Epidemiol 2017 Oct;27(10):654-58. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2017.09.002.
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View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Disparities, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Women, Mammogram, Screening, Prevention, Imaging
Farias AJ, Du XL
Racial differences in adjuvant endocrine therapy use and discontinuation in association with mortality among Medicare breast cancer patients by receptor status.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether racial/ethnic differences in use and discontinuation of adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) differed by hormone receptor status and whether discontinuation was associated with mortality. There are racial/ethnic differences in AET use and discontinuation. Discontinuing treatment was associated with higher risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality regardless of hormone receptor status.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Farias AJ, Du XL . Racial differences in adjuvant endocrine therapy use and discontinuation in association with mortality among Medicare breast cancer patients by receptor status. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017 Aug;26(8):1266-75. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-17-0280.
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View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Elderly, Mortality, Racial / Ethnic Minorities
Roberts MC, Weinberger M, Dusetzina SB
Racial variation in the uptake of oncotype DX testing for early-stage breast cancer.
Oncotype DX (ODX) has the potential to improve quality of care; however, if not equally accessible across racial groups, disparities in cancer care quality may persist or worsen. The researchers examined racial disparities in ODX testing uptake. They did not find racial disparities in ODX testing for node-negative patients for whom ODX testing is guideline recommended and widely covered by insurers.
HS019468; HS022189
Citation: Roberts MC, Weinberger M, Dusetzina SB . Racial variation in the uptake of oncotype DX testing for early-stage breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2016 Jan 10;34(2):130-8. doi: 10.1200/jco.2015.63.2489..
View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Healthcare Delivery, Treatments, Disparities, Racial / Ethnic Minorities
Mortel M, Rauscher GH, Murphy AM
Racial and ethnic disparity in symptomatic breast cancer awareness despite a recent screen: the role of tumor biology and mammography facility characteristics.
In a racially and ethnically diverse sample of recently diagnosed urban patients with breast cancer, the researchers examined associations of patient, tumor biology, and mammography facility characteristics on the probability of symptomatic discovery of their breast cancer despite a recent prior screening mammogram. They concluded that facility resources and tumor aggressiveness explain much of the racial/ethnic disparity in symptomatic breast cancer among recently screened patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation: Mortel M, Rauscher GH, Murphy AM . Racial and ethnic disparity in symptomatic breast cancer awareness despite a recent screen: the role of tumor biology and mammography facility characteristics. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015 Oct;24(10):1599-606. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-15-0305.
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View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Mammogram, Racial / Ethnic Minorities
Rust G, Zhang S, Malhotra K
Paths to health equity: local area variation in progress toward eliminating breast cancer mortality disparities, 1990-2009.
The researchers examined county-level, age-adjusted breast cancer mortality rates for women who were 35 to 74 years old during the period of 1989-2010. They found that more than half of the counties (54%) showed persistent, unchanging disparities. Roughly 1 in 4 (24%) had a divergent pattern of worsening black/white disparities.
AHRQ-funded; HS022444.
Citation: Rust G, Zhang S, Malhotra K . Paths to health equity: local area variation in progress toward eliminating breast cancer mortality disparities, 1990-2009. Cancer 2015 Aug 15;121(16):2765-74. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29405..
View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Mortality, Racial / Ethnic Minorities
Yaghjyan L, Wolin K, Chang SH
Racial disparities in healthy behaviors and cancer screening among breast cancer survivors and women without cancer: National Health Interview Survey 2005.
This study aimed to compare healthy behaviors and cancer screening practices among breast cancer survivors and respondents without cancer separately in Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic women. It found that most differences were suggestive and do not differ by race.
AHRQ-funded; HS022330.
Citation: Yaghjyan L, Wolin K, Chang SH . Racial disparities in healthy behaviors and cancer screening among breast cancer survivors and women without cancer: National Health Interview Survey 2005. Cancer Causes Control. 2014 May;25(5):605-14. doi: 10.1007/s10552-014-0365-7..
View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Mammogram, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Women
Percac-Lima S, Ashburner JM, Bond B
Decreasing disparities in breast cancer screening in refugee women using culturally tailored patient navigation.
The goal of this research was to evaluate whether a patient navigator (PN) program for refugee women decreases disparities in breast cancer screening. Results showed that linguistically and culturally tailored PN decreased disparities over time in breast cancer screening among female refugees from Somalia, the Middle East, and Bosnia.
AHRQ-funded; HS018161.
Citation: Percac-Lima S, Ashburner JM, Bond B . Decreasing disparities in breast cancer screening in refugee women using culturally tailored patient navigation. J Gen Intern Med 2013 Nov;28(11):1463-8. doi: 10.1007/s11606-013-2491-4.
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View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cultural Competence, Disparities, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Screening
Nurgalieva ZZ, Franzini L, Morgan RO
Utilization of lymph node dissection, race/ethnicity, and breast cancer outcomes.
This study reports on the impact of nodal surgery utilization on survival among white, African American, Hispanic, and Asian women in a large population of women with breast cancer. It found that the disparities in survival among African American and Hispanic women with breast cancer are not explained by nodal surgery utilization among women with micrometastasis and macrometastasis in sentinel lymph nodes.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Nurgalieva ZZ, Franzini L, Morgan RO . Utilization of lymph node dissection, race/ethnicity, and breast cancer outcomes. Am J Manag Care 2013 Oct;19(10):805-10..
View abstract on the National Library of Medicine site.
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Comparative Effectiveness, Disparities, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Racial / Ethnic Minorities

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