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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 25 of 449 Research Studies Displayed
Eliason EL, A Spishak-Thomas, Steenland MW
Association of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions with postpartum contraceptive use and early postpartum pregnancy.
The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion with postpartum contraception use and pregnancy. The researchers found that Medicaid expansion was associated with a 7.0 percentage point increase in postpartum use of the contraceptive implant and intrauterine device LARC, a 3.1 percentage point decrease in short-acting contraception, and a 3.9 percentage point decrease in non-prescription contraceptive use overall. Increases in LARC use were concentrated among non-Hispanic, White, and Black respondents. Medicaid expansion was associated with a decrease in early postpartum pregnancy only among non-Hispanic Black respondents. The researchers concluded that the ACA Medicaid expansion improved postpartum contraceptive access and led to shifts from methods with a lower upfront out-of-pocket cost for people without insurance towards methods with the higher upfront out-of-pocket cost for people without insurance. These changes suggest that Medicaid expansions increased access to the full range of contraceptive methods.
AHRQ-funded; HS027464; HS000011
Citation:
Eliason EL, A Spishak-Thomas, Steenland MW .
Association of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions with postpartum contraceptive use and early postpartum pregnancy.
Contraception 2022 Sep;113:42-48. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2022.02.012..
Keywords:
Sexual Health, Pregnancy, Maternal Care, Women, Medicaid, Access to Care, Policy
Thompson I, Bryant AG, Stuebe AM
Centering the patient in postpartum contraceptive counseling.
This article discusses the timing of postpartum contraceptive counseling and the fact that many health care providers believe prevention of future pregnancies is a priority in the postpartum period and that the inpatient postpartum stay is an ideal time to discuss contraception. However, this belief is not necessarily shared by the birthing parent, and they might be unready to discuss contraceptives, especially for people whose reproduction has been marginalized. The authors state that health care providers must acknowledge this harmful and racist history to change counseling practices actively and thoughtfully to best meet patient needs while simultaneously respecting patient autonomy.
AHRQ-funded; HS027260.
Citation:
Thompson I, Bryant AG, Stuebe AM .
Centering the patient in postpartum contraceptive counseling.
Clin Obstet Gynecol 2022 Sep 1;65(3):588-93. doi: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000725..
Keywords:
Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Women, Sexual Health
White VanGompel E, Lai JS, Davis DA
Psychometric validation of a patient-reported experience measure of obstetric racism© (The PREM-OB Scale™ suite).
This study sought to develop a valid patient-reported experience measure (PREM) of Obstetric Racism(©) in hospital-based intrapartum care designed for, by, and with Black women as patient, community, and content experts. The study was conducted using PROMIS© instrument development standards adapted with cultural rigor methodology. The study had 2 phases: Phase 1 included item pool generation, modified Delphi method, and cognitive interviews and Phase 2 evaluated the item pool using factor analysis and item response theory. Items were identified or written to cover 7 previously identified theoretical domains with 806 Black mothers and birthing people completing the pilot test. Good fit indices were indicated with factor analysis. Factor 1 was “Humanity” which had 31 items measuring experiences of safety and accountability, autonomy, communication, and empathy; Factor 2 “Racism” which had 12 items measuring experiences of neglect and mistreatment; and Factor 3 “Kinship” which had 7 items measuring hospital denial and disruption of relationships between Black mothers and their child or support system.
AHRQ-funded; HS028028.
Citation:
White VanGompel E, Lai JS, Davis DA .
Psychometric validation of a patient-reported experience measure of obstetric racism© (The PREM-OB Scale™ suite).
Birth 2022 Sep;49(3):514-25. doi: 10.1111/birt.12622..
Keywords:
Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Women, Patient Experience
Horner-Johnson W, Garg B, Darney BG BG
Severe maternal morbidity and other perinatal complications among women with physical, sensory, or intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The authors assessed differences in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and other perinatal complications by presence and type of disability in a retrospective cohort study of California births from 2000-2012. They found that SMM and other perinatal complications were more common among women with disabilities than among women without disabilities.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation:
Horner-Johnson W, Garg B, Darney BG BG .
Severe maternal morbidity and other perinatal complications among women with physical, sensory, or intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2022 Sep;36(5):759-68. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12873..
Keywords:
Maternal Care, Disabilities, Adverse Events, Pregnancy, Women
Jackson Levin N, Zhang A, Reyes-Gastelum D
Change in worry over time among Hispanic women with thyroid cancer.
This survey assessed change in worry over time in Hispanic women with thyroid cancer. A total of 273 Hispanic women with thyroid cancer diagnosed in 2014-2015 were recruited from SEER Los Angeles. Participants were surveyed at two points in time: time 1 from 2017 to 2018 and time 2 in 2019 on recurrence, quality of life, family at risk, death, and harm from treatments. Women were surveyed on their amount of worry: high worry (somewhat, quite a bit, very much) or low worry (not at all, a little). The survey showed 20.1-39.6% had high worry at both time 1 and time 2. An additional 7.6-13.4% had low worry at time 1 that evolved into high worry at time 2. Women with younger age (20-39) compared to older (40-79) had higher worry about thyroid cancer recurrence. A history of recurrent or persistent disease was associated with high worry about harms from treatment. Greater number of complications or side effect symptoms was associated with worry across all five items.
AHRQ-funded; HS024512.
Citation:
Jackson Levin N, Zhang A, Reyes-Gastelum D .
Change in worry over time among Hispanic women with thyroid cancer.
J Cancer Surviv 2022 Aug;16(4):844-52. doi: 10.1007/s11764-021-01078-8..
Keywords:
Cancer, Women, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Quality of Life, Anxiety
Wernli KJ, Smith RE, Henderson LM
Decision quality and regret with treatment decisions in women with breast cancer: pre-operative breast MRI and breast density.
The authors evaluated self-report of decision quality and regret with breast cancer surgical treatment by pre-operative breast MRI use in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. They found that breast MRI use in the diagnostic work-up of breast cancer does not negatively alter women's perceptions of surgical treatment decisions in early survivorship.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Wernli KJ, Smith RE, Henderson LM .
Decision quality and regret with treatment decisions in women with breast cancer: pre-operative breast MRI and breast density.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 2022 Aug;194(3):607-16. doi: 10.1007/s10549-022-06648-7..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Decision Making, Women, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Hirai AH, Owens PL, Reid LD
Associations between state-level severe maternal morbidity and other perinatal indicators.
This study used the HCUP State Inpatient Databases (HCUP-SID) to determine the correlation between state-level severe maternal morbidity (SMM) rates and perinatal indicators. HCUP-SID was analyzed from 2017 to 2019 using revised code sets for 20 indicators excluding blood transfusions. Perinatal indicators used included prepregnancy hypertension, prepregnancy diabetes, prepregnancy obesity, low-risk cesarean delivery, preterm birth, infant mortality, and maternal mortality. HCUP-SID data for 10,542,942 maternal deliveries and 11,394,752 live births from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) were aggregated for state-level analysis. SMM rates were significantly correlated with 2 of the 7 perinatal indicators: prepregnancy hypertension and low-risk cesarean deliveries. All other perinatal indicators were significantly associated with at least 4 of 7 other indicators, and most correlations were higher in magnitude. Maternity mortality rates were highest in the southeast.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation:
Hirai AH, Owens PL, Reid LD .
Associations between state-level severe maternal morbidity and other perinatal indicators.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Jul;5(7):e2224621. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.24621..
Keywords:
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Women, Labor and Delivery, Hospitalization
Smith AJB, Zhou RA, Sites E
Childbirths at home and in birthing centers rose during COVID-19: Oregon 2020 vs prior years.
This study’s objectives were to compare place of birth between 2020 and years before the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate whether changes in place of birth differed between system-owned and independent hospitals and urban and rural regions in Oregon. Findings showed that, in Oregon, in-hospital births declined significantly during the first year of COVID-19 and affected system-owned hospitals more than independent ones. Further, shifts toward out-of-hospital births occurred in both urban and rural areas.
AHRQ-funded; HS024072.
Citation:
Smith AJB, Zhou RA, Sites E .
Childbirths at home and in birthing centers rose during COVID-19: Oregon 2020 vs prior years.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022 Jul;227(1):108-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.027..
Keywords:
Labor and Delivery, Pregnancy, Women, COVID-19
Ellison J, Wang C, Yarrington C
Insurance and geographic variations in non-invasive prenatal testing.
The purpose of this study was to estimate the population-level rate of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) uptake in Massachusetts and identify disparities based on patient zip-code and insurance type. The researchers identified pregnant patients aged 35 years or older at their delivery between 7/1/2015 to 12/31/2015 who were eligible for NIPT use, to assess the role of area‐level sociodemographic characteristics and NIPT uptake. The study reported that considerable geographic variation was discovered. Patients living in zip‐codes within and surrounding the Boston metropolitan area were more likely to receive NIPT, as were those living in Eastern MA. The observed NIPT rate (per 1000 pregnant individuals aged 35 and over) was 48.7 for Medicaid enrollees and 272.1 for commercial enrollees; 123.0 and 223.2 for patients living in a zip‐code with a high versus low proportion of Black/Hispanic residents; and 107.7 and 218.4 for those in a zip‐code with a high versus low proportion of low‐income residents. The researchers reported that birthing people covered by Medicaid were over five times less likely to receive NIPT than their counterparts with commercial coverage. Lower NIPT rates in zip‐codes with a high proportion of low‐income or Black/Hispanic residents also suggests that geographic variations in uptake may reflect racial/ethnic and income disparities independent of insurance coverage. The researchers concluded that the study findings emphasize the presence of substantial disparities in NIPT uptake based on insurance and zip-code of residence, and that further research is needed to identify barriers and facilitators to uptake and to evaluate interventions to address inequities in NIPT use.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation:
Ellison J, Wang C, Yarrington C .
Insurance and geographic variations in non-invasive prenatal testing.
Prenat Diagn 2022 Jul;42(8):1004-07. doi: 10.1002/pd.6155..
Keywords:
Pregnancy, Maternal Care, Women, Health Insurance, Screening
Parikh DA, Kody L, Brain S
Patient perspectives on window of opportunity clinical trials in early-stage breast cancer.
This qualitative study aimed to understand patient perspectives on participation in window of opportunity (WOT) clinical trials with women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. The authors recruited 25 women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer who were awaiting definitive therapy at a single-academic medical center to participate in semi-structured interviews. Interviewees indicated positive attitudes toward participation in such a trial were a desire to contribute to research and a hope for personal benefit. The most common concerns were the potential for side effects and how they impact fitness for planned treatment. Family was indicated as an important normative factor. Participation could be hindered by delay in standard treatment and the requirement for additional visits or procedures. Ultimately, 17 out of 25 interviewees stated that they would participate in a WOT if offered.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation:
Parikh DA, Kody L, Brain S .
Patient perspectives on window of opportunity clinical trials in early-stage breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 2022 Jul;194(1):171-78. doi: 10.1007/s10549-022-06611-6..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women
Moniz MH, Peahl AF, Zinsser D
Social vulnerability and use of postpartum long-acting reversible contraception and sterilization.
This retrospective cohort analysis examined whether social determinants like transportation, housing quality, childcare, and structural racism may plausibly shape individuals’ postpartum contraceptive preferences and access. The authors used administrative claims data from a statewide collaborative quality initiative to identify childbirth episodes from January 2016 to December 2019. Outcomes included long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) and sterilization use by 60 days postpartum. They used the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to evaluate associations between the outcomes and exposures to the highest quintile SVI by census tract by theme and controlling for patient characteristics. Individuals with the highest quintile of socioeconomic vulnerability and minority status and language vulnerability were the most likely to use LARCs, while those with the highest household composition vulnerability were least likely. Housing/transportation vulnerability was not associated with LARC utilization. Sterilization use was less like to be taken up by those with the highest socioeconomic vulnerability and minority status/language vulnerability, while it was for those with the highest housing/transportation vulnerability and household composition vulnerability.
AHRQ-funded; HS025465.
Citation:
Moniz MH, Peahl AF, Zinsser D .
Social vulnerability and use of postpartum long-acting reversible contraception and sterilization.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022 Jul;227(1):111-13.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.031..
Keywords:
Sexual Health, Women
Danan ER, Brunner J, Bergman A
The relationship between sexual assault history and cervical cancer screening completion among women veterans in the Veterans Health Administration.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a history of sexual assault in women Veterans is associated with decreased cervical cancer screening completion. The researchers analyzed data from a 2015 survey of 1049 women Veterans who accessed primary care services at 12 Veterans health administration facilities (VA’s) in nine states, and linked responses with electronic health data from the VA system. Fifty-seven percent (616) of women Veterans reported lifetime sexual assault, and those who did so had a greater likelihood of reporting a high level of distress associated with pelvic examinations and delaying a gynecologic exam due to distress. However, in the final adjusted model, there was not a significant association between lifetime sexual assault and reduced odds of cervical cancer screening completion. The study concluded that there was no significant association between sexual assault and gaps in cervical cancer screening completion.
AHRQ-funded; HS026379.
Citation:
Danan ER, Brunner J, Bergman A .
The relationship between sexual assault history and cervical cancer screening completion among women veterans in the Veterans Health Administration.
J Womens Health 2022 Jul;31(7):1040-47. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2021.0237.AHRQ-funded; HS026379..
Keywords:
Women, Veterans, Cancer: Cervical Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Trauma
Admon LK, Ford ND, Ko JY
Trends and distribution of in-hospital mortality among pregnant and postpartum individuals by pregnancy period.
The purpose of this study was to examine long-term trends in inpatient death rates among pregnant and postpartum individuals and proportion of deaths by pregnancy period (antenatal, delivery, and postpartum). The researchers examined patterns of inpatient mortality during pregnancy-associated hospitalizations utilizing data from the National Inpatient Sample for 1994 to 2015 and 2017 to 2019. The study found that between 1994 and 2015, among 84,181,338 hospitalizations an estimated 12,654 inpatient deaths occurred among pregnant and postpartum individuals with a mean age of 29.37. Inpatient deaths during delivery hospitalizations decreased from 10.6 deaths per 100 000 delivery hospitalizations to 4.7 deaths per 100 000 delivery hospitalizations between 1994 to 1995 and 2014 to 2015. The rate of inpatient deaths in antenatal and postpartum periods remained unchanged between 1994 to 1995 and 2014 to 2015. The researchers concluded that resources directed toward improving quality of care at obstetric delivery have been associated with decreased rates of severe morbidity and may be associated with decreased mortality, but additional efforts need to be directed toward antenatal and postpartum hospitalizations.
AHRQ-funded; HS027640.
Citation:
Admon LK, Ford ND, Ko JY .
Trends and distribution of in-hospital mortality among pregnant and postpartum individuals by pregnancy period.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Jul;5(7):e2224614. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.24614..
Keywords:
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Maternal Care, Mortality, Pregnancy, Women, Hospitals
Hirai AH, Owens PL, Reid LD
Trends in severe maternal morbidity in the US across the transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS from 2012-2019.
This study evaluated national and state trends in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) rates from 2012 to 2019, and potential disruptions associated with the transition to International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-CM/PCS) in October 2015. This repeated cross-sectional analysis examined delivery hospitalizations in the HCUP’s National Inpatient Sample and State Inpatient Databases. There were almost 6 million delivery hospitalizations in the national sample representing a weighted total of 29.8 million deliveries with a mean maternal age of 28.6 years. SMM rates increased from 69.5 per 10,000 deliveries to 79.7 per 10,000 in 2019 without a significant change across the ICD-10-CM/PCS transition. OF 20 SMM indicators, rates for 10 indicators increased while 3 significantly decreased with 5 of those changes associated with the ICD-10-CM/PCS transition. Acute kidney failure had the largest increase, from 6.4 to 15.3 per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations, with no change associated with ICD transition. Disseminated intravascular coagulation had the largest decrease from 31.3 to 21.2 per 10,000, with a significant drop associated with ICD transition. State SMM rates significantly decreased for 1 state and significantly increased for 21 states from 2012 to 2019 and with varying associations with ICD transition.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation:
Hirai AH, Owens PL, Reid LD .
Trends in severe maternal morbidity in the US across the transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS from 2012-2019.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Jul;5(7):e2222966. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.22966..
Keywords:
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Women, Labor and Delivery, Hospitalization
Kerlikowske K, Su YR, Sprague BL
Association of screening with digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography with risk of interval invasive and advanced breast cancer.
The purpose of this study was to compare digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) with digital mammography to determine whether DBT was correlated with lower rates of internal invasive cancer and advanced breast cancer, taking into consideration breast density and breast cancer risk. From 2011 through 2018, the researchers studied a cohort of 504,427 women between the ages of 40 and 79 who underwent 375,189 screening DBT exams and 1,003,900 screening digital mammography exams, and who were then followed up for cancer diagnoses between 2011 and 2019 after being identified via linkage to state or regional cancer registries. The median age at the time of screening was 58 years (IQR 50-65 years) and the diagnostic screenings took place at 44 Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) facilities in the United States. The study found that among women at low to average risk, or at high risk with almost entirely fatty, scattered fibroglandular densities, or heterogeneously dense breasts, advanced cancer rates were not significantly different for DBT vs digital mammography. There was no significant difference between DBT and digital mammography for interval cancer rates per 1000 exams. Interval invasive cancer rates were also not significantly different among the 413,061 examinations with BCSC 5-year risk of 1.67% or higher (high risk) across breast density categories, or among all the 836,250 examinations with BCSC 5-year risk less than 1.67% (low to average-risk). For the 3.6% of women with extremely dense breasts and at high risk of breast cancer (13,291 examinations in the DBT group and 31,300 in the digital mammography group) advanced cancer rates per 1000 examinations were significantly lower for DBT vs digital mammography, but not for women at low to average risk (10,611 examinations in the DBT group and 37,796 in the digital mammography group). The researchers reported that there was no significant difference in the 96.4% of women with extremely dense breasts not at high risk, heterogeneously dense breasts, or nondense breasts, and concluded that screening with DBT vs digital mammography was associated with a significantly lower risk of advanced breast cancer among the 3.6% of women with extremely dense breasts and at high risk of breast cancer, and was not associated with a significant difference in risk of interval invasive cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS018366.
Citation:
Kerlikowske K, Su YR, Sprague BL .
Association of screening with digital breast tomosynthesis vs digital mammography with risk of interval invasive and advanced breast cancer.
JAMA 2022 Jun 14;327(22):2220-30. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.7672..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Women, Imaging, Risk
Shields AD, Battistelli J, Kavanagh L
Staying current: developing just-in-time evidence-ased learning objectives for a maternal cardiac arrest simulation curriculum.
The authors’ objective was to review the latest evidence on resuscitation care for maternal cardiac arrest (MCA) and to gain expert consensus on best practices to inform an evidence-based curriculum. A multidisciplinary panel of stakeholders in MCA developed an evidence-based simulation training, Obstetric Life Support™ (OBLS). The researchers found that a novel three-step process including reaffirmation of evidence process, systematic review, and a modified Research and Development technique resulted in unanimous consensus from experts in MCA resuscitation on existing and new just-in-time best practices to inform the learning objectives for an evidence-based curriculum.
AHRQ-funded; HS026169.
Citation:
Shields AD, Battistelli J, Kavanagh L .
Staying current: developing just-in-time evidence-ased learning objectives for a maternal cardiac arrest simulation curriculum.
Cardiol Cardiovasc Med 2022 Jun;6(3):245-54. doi: 10.26502/fccm.92920260..
Keywords:
Evidence-Based Practice, Education: Curriculum, Simulation, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Women, Education: Academic
Roberson ML, Nichols HB, Olshan AF
Trends in surgical treatment of early-stage breast cancer reveal decreasing mastectomy use between 2003 and 2016 by age, race, and rurality.
The authors sought to examine trends in the surgical treatment of breast cancer by age, rurality, and among Black women in a populous, racially diverse, state in the Southeastern United States of America. Using data from the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry, they found declining mastectomy rates in the early 2000s in a Southern US state with a racially and geographically diverse population. These decreasing trends were consistent among key subgroups affected by cancer inequities, including Black and White rural women.
AHRQ-funded; HS027299.
Citation:
Roberson ML, Nichols HB, Olshan AF .
Trends in surgical treatment of early-stage breast cancer reveal decreasing mastectomy use between 2003 and 2016 by age, race, and rurality.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 2022 Jun;193(2):445-54. doi: 10.1007/s10549-022-06564-w..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Women, Surgery, Racial / Ethnic Minorities, Rural Health
Bunting AM, Dickson M, Staton M
Polysubstance use and re-incarceration in the 12-months after release from jail: a latent transition analysis of rural Appalachian women.
The purpose of this study was to: 1) identify the patterns of polysubstance use of rural Appalachian justice-involved women, 2) examine how women's participation in polysubstance use changed in the 12-months after initial release from jail, and 3) determine if changes in women's substance use patterns were correlated with re-incarceration during the 12-months of follow-up after release. The researchers randomly recruited 339 women with a recent history of substance use from three rural jails, and analyzed their substance use from baseline (in jail) to 6 and 12-months. The study found three latent classes: High Polysubstance/injection drug use (IDU) (36.3% baseline), Opioid/Benzo (Benzodiazepine) Involved Polysubstance Use (57.3% baseline), and Low Use (6.4% baseline). After release, and especially in the first 6 months, women transitioned to latent classes of reduced substance use and/or reduced injection drug use. Women who were re-incarcerated during follow-up were likely to remain engaged in, or transition to, the High Polysubstance/IDU class. The researchers concluded that a crucial period for changes in substance use lies in the six-months post-release.
AHRQ-funded; HS026120.
Citation:
Bunting AM, Dickson M, Staton M .
Polysubstance use and re-incarceration in the 12-months after release from jail: a latent transition analysis of rural Appalachian women.
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2022 May 4;48(3):356-66. doi: 10.1080/00952990.2021.1995402..
Keywords:
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Rural Health, Women
Jaynes S, Brathwaite D, Tully KP
Systematic review of the effect of technology-mediated education intervention on maternal outcomes in the first year after birth.
This systematic literature review synthesized the findings on the effect of technology-mediated education intervention in the first year after birth on maternal health outcomes and to evaluate interventions for participant perspectives and health equity. The literature search found articles published between 2010 and 2020. The authors identified 21 articles that met their inclusion criteria. Videos were the most commonly reported education intervention, followed by text messages, phone calls, and websites. Maternal health topics addressed in the included articles were mental health, weight loss, breastfeeding, general postpartum education, perineal care, and substance use. These technology-mediated interventions were shown to positively affect mental health, weight loss, and breastfeeding outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS027260.
Citation:
Jaynes S, Brathwaite D, Tully KP .
Systematic review of the effect of technology-mediated education intervention on maternal outcomes in the first year after birth.
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2022 May;51(3):278-89. doi: 10.1016/j.jogn.2022.02.005..
Keywords:
Pregnancy, Women, Maternal Care, Education: Patient and Caregiver, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Rosenberg SM, Gierisch JM, Revette AC
"Is it cancer or not?" A qualitative exploration of survivor concerns surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ.
This study investigated the impact of a ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) diagnosis by engaging self-identified patients regarding their experience. Findings showed that, in a large, national sample, participants with a history of DCIS reported confusion and concern about the diagnosis and treatment, which caused worry and significant uncertainty.
AHRQ-funded; HS023680.
Citation:
Rosenberg SM, Gierisch JM, Revette AC .
"Is it cancer or not?" A qualitative exploration of survivor concerns surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ.
Cancer 2022 Apr 15;128(8):1676-83. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34126..
Keywords:
Cancer: Breast Cancer, Cancer, Decision Making, Women, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Clinician-Patient Communication, Patient and Family Engagement, Communication
Eliason EL, Daw JR, Steenland MW
Changes in postpartum insurance coverage in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this study was to examine changes in postpartum insurance loss or changes (churn) in Medicaid-insured pregnant people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers utilized the 2019 to 2021 Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement
(CPS-ASEC), with an annual sample size of approximately 98,000 households. The study covered 3 time periods: prepandemic (2019), early pandemic (2020), and pandemic (2021), and included female respondents aged 18 to 44 years who were living with a child
younger than 1 year at the time. Coverage was assigned to one of three categories: private, Medicaid, or uninsured. Churn was defined as loss of insurance or changes in insurance type between current insurance and insurance in the previous year. The study found that in 2019 (before the pandemic), among postpartum respondents with Medicaid during the last year, 88.2% had consistent Medicaid, 10.3% lost coverage, and 1.6%switched to private coverage. In 2021 (during the pandemic), consistent Medicaid increased by 6.8 percentage points and Medicaid-uninsured churn decreased by 6.6 percentage points representing a 64% decline from 2019. The researchers concluded that postpartum insurance loss decreased during the pandemic, primarily associated with large increases in consistent Medicaid coverage, and that these findings suggest that the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which prevented Medicaid disenrollment, was associated with substantial reductions in postpartum Medicaid loss.
(CPS-ASEC), with an annual sample size of approximately 98,000 households. The study covered 3 time periods: prepandemic (2019), early pandemic (2020), and pandemic (2021), and included female respondents aged 18 to 44 years who were living with a child
younger than 1 year at the time. Coverage was assigned to one of three categories: private, Medicaid, or uninsured. Churn was defined as loss of insurance or changes in insurance type between current insurance and insurance in the previous year. The study found that in 2019 (before the pandemic), among postpartum respondents with Medicaid during the last year, 88.2% had consistent Medicaid, 10.3% lost coverage, and 1.6%switched to private coverage. In 2021 (during the pandemic), consistent Medicaid increased by 6.8 percentage points and Medicaid-uninsured churn decreased by 6.6 percentage points representing a 64% decline from 2019. The researchers concluded that postpartum insurance loss decreased during the pandemic, primarily associated with large increases in consistent Medicaid coverage, and that these findings suggest that the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which prevented Medicaid disenrollment, was associated with substantial reductions in postpartum Medicaid loss.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011; HS027464.
Citation:
Eliason EL, Daw JR, Steenland MW .
Changes in postpartum insurance coverage in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Apr;3(4):e220688. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.0688..
Keywords:
COVID-19, Health Insurance, Maternal Care, Women, Pregnancy
Bui LN, Marshall C, Miller-Rosales C
Hospital adoption of electronic decision support tools for preeclampsia management.
Maternal morbidity and mortality can be reduced by the utilization of evidence-based clinical guidelines for preeclampsia management. Electronic health record (EHR)-based clinical decision support tools can improve the use of those guidelines. The purpose of this study was to investigate the organizational capabilities and hospital adoption of HER-based decision tools for preeclampsia management. The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of hospitals that provided obstetric care in 2017. A total of 739 hospitals that responded to the 2017-2018 National Survey of Healthcare Organizations and Systems (NSHOS) and their results were linked to the 2017 Area Health Resources File (AHRF) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey Database. A final total of 425 hospitals from 49 states were analyzed. The primary outcome of the analysis was whether a hospital adopted EHR-based clinical decision support tools for preeclampsia management. The study found that 68% of the hospitals utilized EHR-based decision support tools for preeclampsia, and that hospitals with a single EHR system were more likely to adopt EHR-based decision support tools for preeclampsia than hospitals with multiple systems, including a combination of EHR and paper-based systems. The researchers also determined that hospitals with more processes to disseminate best patient care practices were more likely to adopt EHR-based decision support tools for preeclampsia management. The study concluded that having standardized EHRs and policies to disseminate evidence can help hospitals advance the use of EHR-based decision support tools for preeclampsia management in those hospitals that have not yet adopted them.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation:
Bui LN, Marshall C, Miller-Rosales C .
Hospital adoption of electronic decision support tools for preeclampsia management.
Qual Manag Health Care 2022 Apr-Jun;31(2):59-67. doi: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000328..
Keywords:
Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Hospitals, Pregnancy, Women
Tang LA, Jeffery AD, Leech AA
A comparison of methods to identify antenatal substance use within electronic health records.
This study described the development of a natural-language-processing-based algorithm for detecting antenatal substance use among individuals receiving perinatal care. Findings showed that the accuracy of antenatal substance use detection was improved with more stringent case definitions; however, the overall proportion of true cases confirmed by manual chart review decreased.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation:
Tang LA, Jeffery AD, Leech AA .
A comparison of methods to identify antenatal substance use within electronic health records.
Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2022 Mar;4(2):100535. doi: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2021.100535..
Keywords:
Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Substance Abuse, Pregnancy, Women, Behavioral Health
Kramer RD, Higgins JA, Everett B
A prospective analysis of the relationship between sexual acceptability and contraceptive satisfaction over time.
This analysis examined the relationship between contraceptive method and sex life satisfaction. Eligible participants were individuals in the HER Salt Lake Contraceptive Initiative who switched contraceptive methods and continued their new method for at least 1 month and completed all relevant surveys. Primary predictor variables included changes in sexual functioning, sexual satisfaction, and perceived impact of the contraceptive method of sex life at one month. The sample included 1879 individuals. At 3 months 52.1% of participants were completely satisfied with their contraceptive method, 30.7% were somewhat satisfied, and 6.2% were completely dissatisfied. Patients at 3 months who said the method improved their sex life “a lot” had 7.7 times increased odds of greater satisfaction at 3 months than patients who said their contraceptive method made their sex life “a lot” worse at 1 month. Patients whose method improved their sex life a “little” had 5.88 times increased odds of greater satisfaction. Experiencing less or no vaginal bleeding was significantly associated with increased satisfaction.
AHRQ-funded; HS027220.
Citation:
Kramer RD, Higgins JA, Everett B .
A prospective analysis of the relationship between sexual acceptability and contraceptive satisfaction over time.
Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022 Mar;226(3):396.31-96.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.10.008..
Keywords:
Sexual Health, Women
Wallace K, Stewart EA, Wise LA
Anxiety, depression, and quality of life after procedural intervention for uterine fibroids.
The authors studied quality of life (QOL) and psychological health following treatment for uterine fibroids (UFs). Using data from the COMPARE-UF registry, they found that UF symptoms were more severe among women reporting anxiety/depression at baseline. At the 1-year follow-up, health-related QOL scores improved among all women and the prevalence of anxiety/depression decreased in most, but not all, women. However, the severity of anxiety/depression worsened in a small percentage of women.
AHRQ-funded; HS023418.
Citation:
Wallace K, Stewart EA, Wise LA .
Anxiety, depression, and quality of life after procedural intervention for uterine fibroids.
J Womens Health 2022 Mar;31(3):415-24. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2020.8915..
Keywords:
Women, Quality of Life
