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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
1 to 25 of 110 Research Studies DisplayedRamanathan S, Evans CT, Hershow RC
Comparison of guideline concordant antibiotic prophylaxis in Veterans Affairs and non-Veterans Affairs dental settings among those with cardiac conditions or prosthetic joints.
The objective of this retrospective study was to compare prescribing of antibiotic prophylaxis in Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA settings. Subjects were veteran and non-veteran dental patients with cardiac conditions or prosthetic joints; most were males aged 55 years older. The results showed that VA settings had a higher prevalence of guideline concordant prescribing among those with prosthetic joints, and when assessing dosing errors. The authors recommended that future studies focus on the extent to which integrated electronic health records may be responsible for increased guideline concordant prescribing in the VA setting.
AHRQ-funded; HS025177.
Citation: Ramanathan S, Evans CT, Hershow RC .
Comparison of guideline concordant antibiotic prophylaxis in Veterans Affairs and non-Veterans Affairs dental settings among those with cardiac conditions or prosthetic joints.
BMC Infect Dis 2023 Jun 23; 23(1):427. doi: 10.1186/s12879-023-08400-y..
Keywords: Dental and Oral Health, Antibiotics, Medication, Prevention, Cardiovascular Conditions, Practice Patterns
Feyman Y, Avila CJ, Auty S
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess mortality among U.S. veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study examined whether minority veterans experienced higher rates of all-cause mortality than White veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors used administrative data from the Veterans Health Administration’s Corporate Data Warehouse. Veterans were excluded in the analysis if they were missing county of residence or race-ethnicity data. Overall, veteran mortality rates were 16% above normal during March-December 2020 which equates to 42,348 excess deaths. Non-Hispanic White veterans experienced the smallest relative increase in mortality (17%), while Native American veterans had the highest increase (40%). Black Veterans (32%) and Hispanic Veterans (26%) had somewhat lower excess mortality, although these changes were significantly higher compared to White veterans. Disparities were smaller compared to the general population.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Feyman Y, Avila CJ, Auty S .
Racial and ethnic disparities in excess mortality among U.S. veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Serv Res 2023 Jun; 58(3):642-53. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.14112..
Keywords: COVID-19, Mortality, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities
Roddy MK, Chen P, Jeffery AD
Telemental health in emergency care settings: a qualitative analysis of considerations for sustainability and spread.
The purpose of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators for the spread and sustainability of telemental health video (TMH-V) as precaution policies from the pandemic declined. The researchers conducted a qualitative study using semistructured interviews and observations guided by RE-AIM. Local clinicians, facility leadership, Veterans, and external partners were asked about barriers and facilitators impacting patient willingness to engage in telemental health video (TMH-V) (reach), quality of care (effectiveness), barriers and facilitators impacting provider uptake (adoption), possible adaptations to TMH-V (implementation), and possibilities for long-term use of TMH-V (maintenance). The researchers also observed TMH-V encounters in one emergency department (ED) and one urgent care (UC) to understand how clinicians and Veterans engaged with the technology. The study found that in 10 observations, all interviewees were satisfied with the TMH-V program, and interviewees emphasized greater comfort discussing difficult topics for Veterans (reach). Clinicians indicated that TMH-V provided cross-coverage across sites as well as greater safety and flexibility for clinicians (adoption). Opportunities for improvement include reducing technological responsibilities for on-site staff, electronic health record (EHR) adaptations to correctly depict workload and modality (telehealth vs. in-person), and standardizing protocols to improve efficiency in communication between on-site and remote clinical staff (implementation). Participants supported its dissemination to other sites (maintenance) and indicated there was significant possibility for expanding the service.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Roddy MK, Chen P, Jeffery AD .
Telemental health in emergency care settings: a qualitative analysis of considerations for sustainability and spread.
Acad Emerg Med 2023 Apr; 30(4):368-78. doi: 10.1111/acem.14682..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Schuttner L, Guo R, Wong E
High-risk patient experiences associated with an intensive primary care management program in the Veterans Health Administration.
This study assessed high-risk patient experiences associated with an intensive primary care management program conducted at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The authors assessed patient experience using a patient survey based on the CAHPS Survey in 2019. Patient experience was assessed among 1) prior enrollees (n = 59) of an intensive management program (2014-2018); (2) nonenrollees (n = 356) at program sites; and (3) nonprogram site patients (n = 728). The VHA Office of Primary Care used a patient-centered medical home model (PACT) to deliver coordinated, continuous primary care through multidisciplinary teams. The PACT-Intensive Management (PIM) program was piloted at 5 sites from 2014 to 2018. Outcomes examined included patient ratings of patient-centered care; overall health care experience; and satisfaction with their usual outpatient care provider. Enrollees were more satisfied with their current provider versus nonenrollees within program sites. However, the authors weren’t sure if the benefits persisted after program conclusion.
AHRQ-funded; HS026369.
Citation: Schuttner L, Guo R, Wong E .
High-risk patient experiences associated with an intensive primary care management program in the Veterans Health Administration.
J Ambul Care Manage 2023 Jan-Mar;46(1):45-53. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000428..
Keywords: Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), Patient Experience, Primary Care
Wells KB, Skrine Jeffers K, Mango J
Integration of arts and health sciences in developing an opera on veteran resilience and recovery.
This case study describes development of an opera on veteran resilience and recovery that integrated arts and health sciences. The opera libretto was developed using themes informed from deidentified interviews from 280 adults with a history of depression at 10-year follow-up to a randomized trial. The opera was written using the following key themes: a) resilience in the face of stress; b) post-Vietnam depression or anxiety; c) pathways to recovery; and d) a “collage” of coping strategies. Three main lead characters were developed including a lead veteran, the veteran’s wife, and a second veteran.
AHRQ-funded; HS008349.
Citation: Wells KB, Skrine Jeffers K, Mango J .
Integration of arts and health sciences in developing an opera on veteran resilience and recovery.
Health Promot Pract 2023 Mar; 24(2):207-13. doi: 10.1177/15248399211065402..
Keywords: Social Stigma, Trauma, Behavioral Health
Dorsch MP, Chen CS, Allen AL
Nationwide implementation of a population management dashboard for monitoring direct oral anticoagulants: Insights from the Veterans Affairs health system.
Although they exhibit a robust efficacy and safety profile, prescribing Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in accordance with evidence-based practices can be difficult due to varying dosage requirements based on factors like indication, renal function, and drug interactions. To assist pharmacists in reviewing anticoagulant prescriptions, the Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) created and deployed a population management dashboard that displays information on DOACs, prescribed dosages, renal function, age, weight, potential drug interactions, and refill needs. This dashboard operates as a standalone system. The purpose of this study was to assess the DOAC dashboard using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, analyzing login data from the dashboard. The study found that from August 2016 to June 2020, 150 out of 164 VHA sites utilized the dashboard, with an average of 1875 patients per site. The dashboard was introduced to sites in a staggered manner. Moderate or high adoption, defined as logging in on at least two separate days per month, started slowly with 3 out of 5 pilot sites but quickly rose to 142 out of 150 (94.7%) sites by June 2020. The mean number of unique users per site grew from 2.4 to 7.5 during the study. By the end of the research period, 126 out of 150 (84.0%) sites maintained moderate to high adoption of the dashboard for over six months. The researchers concluded that the population health dashboard for evidence-based anticoagulant prescribing witnessed rapid and sustained implementation and adoption across the national VHA health system in the United States. Investigating the tool's impact on clinical outcomes and replicating this care model in other healthcare systems would be crucial for widespread dissemination and adoption.
AHRQ-funded; HS026874.
Citation: Dorsch MP, Chen CS, Allen AL .
Nationwide implementation of a population management dashboard for monitoring direct oral anticoagulants: Insights from the Veterans Affairs health system.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 Feb; 16(2):e009256. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009256..
Keywords: Blood Thinners, Medication, Implementation
Strayer TE, Spalluto LB, Burns A
Using the framework for reporting adaptations and modifications-expanded (frame) to study adaptations in lung cancer screening delivery in the Veterans Health Administration: a cohort study.
The purpose of this study was to apply the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Expanded (FRAME) to study adaptations in lung cancer screening delivery processes in a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Initiative. Between 2019 and 2021 the researchers prospectively administered semi-structured interviews with lung cancer screening program navigators at 10 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs). Baseline process maps were developed for each program, and each program navigator reviewed process maps in subsequent years 1 and 2. Researchers then identified, documented, and mapped adaptations in screening processes to the FRAME categories. 16 interviews were conducted across 10 VHA lung cancer screening programs, with 6 of these being operational, and of those 3 reported adaptations to their screening processes that were planned or in response to COVID-19. In year 2 all 10 programs were operational and eligible. Programs reported 14 adaptations in year 2. The adaptations identified were both planned and unplanned and often prompted by increased workload; 57% of year 2 adaptations were associated with the identification and eligibility of Veterans and 43% were associated with follow-up with Veterans for screening results. During the 2 years, adaptations associated with data management and patient tracking took place in 60% of programs to improve the data collection and tracking of Veterans in the screening process. The study concluded that adaptations took place predominantly in the categories of patient identification and communication of results due to increased workload.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122; HS026395.
Citation: Strayer TE, Spalluto LB, Burns A .
Using the framework for reporting adaptations and modifications-expanded (frame) to study adaptations in lung cancer screening delivery in the Veterans Health Administration: a cohort study.
Implement Sci Commun 2023 Jan 12; 4(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s43058-022-00388-x..
Keywords: Cancer: Lung Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Evidence-Based Practice, Learning Health Systems
Goodsmith N, Cohen AN, Pedersen ER
Predictors of functioning and recovery among men and women veterans with schizophrenia.
This study examined predictors of functioning and recovery among men and women veterans with schizophrenia in treatment at Veterans Affairs medical centers using participant surveys at baseline and one year later. The cohort included 734 men and 67 women at baseline and 604 men and 58 women one year later. They were surveyed on quality of life and functioning. Men and women did not differ significantly in baseline social support, psychiatric symptoms, or recovery. Being female predicted higher occupational functioning, while social functioning in men was inversely related to baseline symptom severity. Marriage predicted higher quality of life for women, but not for men.
AHRQ-funded; HS026407.
Citation: Goodsmith N, Cohen AN, Pedersen ER .
Predictors of functioning and recovery among men and women veterans with schizophrenia.
Community Ment Health J 2023 Jan; 59(1):110-21. doi: 10.1007/s10597-022-00979-x..
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Sex Factors
Meyer AND, Singh H, Zimolzak AJ
Cancer evaluations during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study using National Veterans Affairs data.
This observational study examined the reasons why fewer cancer diagnoses have been made during the COVID-19 pandemic using electronic health record data from the Department of Veterans Affairs before (March 10, 2019-March 7, 2020) and during (March 8, 2020-March 6, 2021) the pandemic. Electronic triggers were applied to 8,021,406 veterans' electronic health records to identify follow-up delays for abnormal results warranting evaluation for 5 cancers: bladder, breast, colorectal, liver, and lung cancers. Between the prepandemic and pandemic periods, test quantities decreased by 12.6%-27.8%, and proportions of abnormal results lacking follow-up decreased for urinalyses by 0.8%, increased by 2.3% for fecal occult blood tests/fecal immunochemical test and 1.8% for chest imaging, and remained constant for the other diagnostic tests (mammograms for breast cancer and elevated alpha-fetoprotein for liver cancer). This significant decrease in diagnostic testing may have led to reduced cancer rates.
AHRQ-funded; HS027363.
Citation: Meyer AND, Singh H, Zimolzak AJ .
Cancer evaluations during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study using National Veterans Affairs data.
Am J Prev Med 2022 Dec;63(6):1026-30. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.07.004..
Keywords: COVID-19, Cancer, Public Health
Fletcher EH, Kalofonos I
Adaptation of a Hearing Voices group facilitation training for VA stakeholders.
The purpose of this study was to describe an adaptation of a Hearing Voices (HV) group facilitation training at the Veterans Administration hospital of Greater Los Angeles (VAGLA) and to explore training modifications, trainee perceptions and application and intervention outcomes. Researchers conducted surveys of trainees (n = 18) and collected field notes throughout the 24-hour online training. The study found that the training had high acceptability and appropriateness and high feasibility in implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026407.
Citation: Fletcher EH, Kalofonos I .
Adaptation of a Hearing Voices group facilitation training for VA stakeholders.
Community Ment Health J 2022 Nov;58(8):1592-604. doi: 10.1007/s10597-022-00975-1..
Keywords: Behavioral Health, Training
Williams PH, Gilmartin HM, Leonard C
The influence of the Rural Transitions Nurse Program for veterans on healthcare utilization costs.
This study’s objective was to examine changes from pre- to post-hospitalization in total, inpatient, and outpatient 30-day healthcare utilization costs for Veterans Affairs Healthcare System Rural Transitions Nurse Program (TNP) enrollees compared to controls. Although findings showed no difference in change in total costs between veterans enrolled in TNP and controls, TNP was associated with a smaller increase in direct inpatient medical costs and a larger increase in direct outpatient medical costs, suggesting a shifting of costs from the inpatient to outpatient setting.
AHRQ-funded; HS024569.
Citation: Williams PH, Gilmartin HM, Leonard C .
The influence of the Rural Transitions Nurse Program for veterans on healthcare utilization costs.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Nov;37(14):3529-34. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07401-y..
Keywords: Rural Health, Nursing, Transitions of Care, Healthcare Utilization, Healthcare Costs
Griffith KN, Asfaw DA, Childers RG
Changes in US veterans' access to specialty care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This research letter examined changes in US veterans’ access to specialty care during the COVID-19 pandemic through October 2021. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) completed 14,516,937 internal referrals and purchased an additional 9,904,132 referrals to community-based specialists during the study period. Before the pandemic VHA specialists completed a mean 452,148 referrals each month. Volume dropped starting in March 2020 and did not fully until recover until March 2021. Peak decline was in April 2020 by 70.7% to 132,481 referrals. Community care referrals declined by 32.9% in June 2020, but rebounded thereafter and exceeded the prepandemic baseline by March 2021. Waits for VHA specialists began rising in June 2020, peaked in July 2020 and returned to prepandemic levels by spring 2021. Mean waits for community specialists peaked in June 2020 and returned to prepandemic baseline levels by August 2020.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Griffith KN, Asfaw DA, Childers RG .
Changes in US veterans' access to specialty care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Sep;5(9):e2232515. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.32515..
Keywords: COVID-19, Access to Care
McGinnis KA, Justice AC, Moore RD
Discrimination and calibration of the veterans aging cohort study index 2.0 for predicting mortality among people with human immunodeficiency virus in North America.
Using data from the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration (NA-ACCORD), the authors translated Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Index 2.0 scores into validated probability estimates of mortality among people with HIV (PWH). They found that predicted and observed mortality largely overlapped in VACS and the NA-ACCORD subset, overall and within subgroups. Based on this validation, they concluded that VACS Index 2.0 can reliably estimate probability of all-cause mortality, at various follow-up times, among PWH in North America.
AHRQ-funded; 90047713.
Citation: McGinnis KA, Justice AC, Moore RD .
Discrimination and calibration of the veterans aging cohort study index 2.0 for predicting mortality among people with human immunodeficiency virus in North America.
Clin Infect Dis 2022 Aug 25;75(2):297-304. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab883..
Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Chronic Conditions
Feyman Y, Asfaw DA, Griffith KN
Geographic variation in appointment wait times for US military veterans.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine geographic variation in wait times experienced by veterans for primary care, mental health, and other specialties since the passage of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act in 2014 and the VA MISSION (Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks) Act in 2018. These acts allowed veterans to have access to community-based care centers. Data analysis was performed using data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Corporate Data Warehouse. Participants include a final sample of 22,632,918 million appointments for 4,846,892 unique veterans who sought medical care from January 1, 2018, to June 30, 2021. The main outcomes were total appointment wait times in days for the categories of primary care, mental health, and all other specialties. VHA medical centers are organized into regions called Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISNs); wait times were aggregated to the VISN level. The study found that Among non-VHA appointments, mean VISN-level appointment wait times were 38.9 days for primary care, 43.9 days for mental health, and 41.9 days for all other specialties. Among VHA appointments, mean VISN-level appointment wait times were 29.0 days for primary care, 33.6 days for mental health, and 35.4 days for all other specialties. There was substantial geographic variation in appointment wait times. The researchers concluded that VHA wait times in a majority of VISNs were lower than those for community-based clinicians.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Feyman Y, Asfaw DA, Griffith KN .
Geographic variation in appointment wait times for US military veterans.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Aug;5(8):e2228783. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.28783..
Keywords: Access to Care
Ward MJ, Shuster JL, Mohr NM
Implementation of telehealth for psychiatric care in VA emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
The purpose of this AHRQ-funded, mixed-methods study was to evaluate an emergency telehealth intervention in emergency department (ED) and urgent care clinic (UCC) settings within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in March 2020. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was utilized to compare the 3 months preimplementation of the telehealth intervention (December 1, 2019 through February 29, 2020) with the 3 months postimplementation of the telehealth intervention (April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020), and then assess sustainability through January 31, 2021. Qualitative data from surveys and semistructured interviews were conducted and analyze. The telemental health intervention was used in 83% (319) of unscheduled mental health consultations in the postimplementation phase, with no adverse trends in length of stay, 7-day revisits, or 30-day mortality. In the sustainability phase, use of the intervention was high with 82% (n = 1,010) of all unscheduled mental health consultations performed by telemental health. The study concluded that the use of unscheduled telemental health intervention was highly acceptable and sustainable in ED and UCC settings and did not impact the safety and efficacy of mental health consultations.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Ward MJ, Shuster JL, Mohr NM .
Implementation of telehealth for psychiatric care in VA emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
Telemed J E Health 2022 Jul;28(7):985-93. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2021.0263..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Behavioral Health, Emergency Department
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, Cancer: Cervical Cancer, Cancer, Screening, Trauma
Gilmartin HM, Warsavage T, Hines A
Effectiveness of the rural transitions nurse program for veterans: a multicenter implementation study.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of the rural Transitions Nurse Program (TNP), a program to help veterans transferred from rural areas to urban VA Medical Centers for care. A case-control study was conducted from April 2017 to September 2019 with 3001 veterans enrolled in TNP and 6002 matched controls. Interventions were led by a transition nurse who assessed discharge readiness, provided postdischarge communication with primary care providers (PCPs), and called the Veteran within 72 h of discharge home to assess needs, and encouraged follow-up appointment attendance. Controls had no change to their care. Primary outcomes evaluated were PCP visits within 14 days of discharge and all-cause 30-day readmissions, with secondary outcomes 30-day emergency department (ED) visits and 30-day mortality. Patients were matched by their length of stay, prior hospitalizations and PCP visits, urban/rural status, and 32 Elixhauser comorbidities. The veterans enrolled in TNP were more likely to see their PCP within 14 days of discharge than their matched controls. TNP enrollment was not associated with reduced 30-day ED visits or readmissions but was associated with reduced 30-day mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS024569.
Citation: Gilmartin HM, Warsavage T, Hines A .
Effectiveness of the rural transitions nurse program for veterans: a multicenter implementation study.
J Hosp Med 2022 Mar;17(3):149-57. doi: 10.1002/jhm.12802..
Keywords: Rural Health, Transitions of Care, Nursing, Healthcare Delivery
Feyman Y, Auty SG, Tenso K
County-level impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on excess mortality among U.S. veterans: a population-based study.
This study investigated the county-level impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on excess mortality among U.S. veterans. The authors queried Veterans Health Administration (VHA) administrative data on demographics and comorbidities for 11.4 million enrollees during 2016-2020. Eight mortality prediction models at the county-level were used including Poisson, Poisson quasi-likelihood, negative binomial, and generalized estimating equations. All models demonstrated excellent agreement between observed and predicted mortality. An excess mortality rate of 13% in 2020 was found, which corresponds to 50,299 excess deaths. Despite mortality risk factors of veterans, their excess mortality rate was slightly lower than the general population.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395.
Citation: Feyman Y, Auty SG, Tenso K .
County-level impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on excess mortality among U.S. veterans: a population-based study.
Lancet Reg Health Am 2022 Jan;5:100093. doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100093.
AHRQ-funded; HS026395..
AHRQ-funded; HS026395..
Keywords: COVID-19, Mortality
Carrel M, Clore GS, Kim S
Health care utilization among Texas Veterans Health Administration enrollees before and after Hurricane Harvey, 2016-2018.
The purpose of this study was to determine how the differential exposure to Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 was associated with changes in utilization of Veterans Health Administration health care. Findings suggested that flood disasters such as Hurricane Harvey may be associated with declines in health care utilization that differ according to flood status, race, and income strata. The patients most exposed to the disaster had the greatest delay or nonreceipt of care.
AHRQ-funded; HS027472.
Citation: Carrel M, Clore GS, Kim S .
Health care utilization among Texas Veterans Health Administration enrollees before and after Hurricane Harvey, 2016-2018.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Dec;4(12):e2138535. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.38535..
Keywords: Healthcare Utilization, Emergency Department
Ching JH, Owens DK, Trafton JA
Impact of treatment duration on mortality among Veterans with opioid use disorder in the United States Veterans Health Administration.
This study used simulation of a Veterans Health Administration cohort to identify the opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment durations necessary for the elevated mortality risks during treatment transitions balanced by reductions in mortality while receiving medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with methadone or buprenorphine. A simulated cohort of 10,000 individuals with OUD was created by using parameters obtained through calibration and published meta-analyses of studies from North America, Europe, and Australia. Methadone treatment for 4 months or longer or buprenorphine for 2 months or longer resulted in 54 and 65 fewer deaths relative to not receiving MAT for the same duration. The authors estimated shorter treatment durations necessary to achieve net mortality benefits of 2 months or longer for methadone and 1 month or longer for buprenorphine. Necessary treatment increased more with smaller mortality reductions on treatment with larger relative risks during treatment transitions.
AHRQ-funded; HS027935; HS026128.
Citation: Ching JH, Owens DK, Trafton JA .
Impact of treatment duration on mortality among Veterans with opioid use disorder in the United States Veterans Health Administration.
Addiction 2021 Dec;116(12):3494-503. doi: 10.1111/add.15574.
AHRQ-funded; HS027935; HS026128..
AHRQ-funded; HS027935; HS026128..
Keywords: Opioids, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Mortality
Schuttner L, Haraldsson B, Maynard C
Factors associated with low-value cancer screenings in the Veterans Health Administration.
Most clinical practice guidelines recommend stopping cancer screenings when risks exceed benefits, yet low-value screenings persist. The Veterans Health Administration focuses on improving the value and quality of care, using a patient-centered medical home model that may affect cancer screening behavior. The objective of this study was to understand rates and factors associated with outpatient low-value cancer screenings.
AHRQ-funded; HS026369.
Citation: Schuttner L, Haraldsson B, Maynard C .
Factors associated with low-value cancer screenings in the Veterans Health Administration.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Oct;4(10):e2130581. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.30581..
Keywords: Screening, Cancer
Saffo S, Kaplan DE, Mahmud N
Impact of SGLT2 inhibitors in comparison with DPP4 inhibitors on ascites and death in veterans with cirrhosis on metformin.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) may have favourable neurohumoral and metabolic effects in patients with chronic liver disease. However, studies examining SGLT2i in this population have been limited to patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and have focused on surrogate biomarkers. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether SGLT2i could reduce the incidence of ascites and death over a period of 36 months in patients with cirrhosis and diabetes mellitus.
AHRQ-funded; HS022882; HS025164.
Citation: Saffo S, Kaplan DE, Mahmud N .
Impact of SGLT2 inhibitors in comparison with DPP4 inhibitors on ascites and death in veterans with cirrhosis on metformin.
Diabetes Obes Metab 2021 Oct;23(10):2402-08. doi: 10.1111/dom.14488..
Keywords: Diabetes
Baughman AW, Triantafylidis LK, O'Neil N
Improving medication reconciliation with comprehensive evaluation at a Veterans Affairs skilled nursing facility.
This study described a quality improvement (QI) approach to improve medication reconciliation in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) setting as part of the Multi-Center Medication Reconciliation Quality Improvement Study 2 (MARQUIS2). Findings showed that SNFs represent a critical setting for medication reconciliation efforts due to challenges completing the reconciliation process and the concomitant high risk of adverse drug events in this population. Initial baseline assessments effectively identified existing problems and can be used to guide targeted interventions.
AHRQ-funded; HS023757.
Citation: Baughman AW, Triantafylidis LK, O'Neil N .
Improving medication reconciliation with comprehensive evaluation at a Veterans Affairs skilled nursing facility.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2021 Oct;47(10):646-53. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjq.2021.06.001..
Keywords: Medication, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Wayne MT, Seelye S, Molling D
Temporal trends and hospital variation in time-to-antibiotics among veterans hospitalized with sepsis.
It is unclear whether antimicrobial timing for sepsis has changed outside of performance incentive initiatives. The purpose of this study was to examine temporal trends and variation in time-to-antibiotics for sepsis in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. The investigators concluded that this cohort study found that time-to-antibiotics for sepsis has declined over time. However, there remained significant variability in time-to-antibiotics not explained by patient characteristics, suggesting potential unwarranted practice variation in sepsis treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS026725.
Citation: Wayne MT, Seelye S, Molling D .
Temporal trends and hospital variation in time-to-antibiotics among veterans hospitalized with sepsis.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Sep 4(9):e2123950. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.23950..
Keywords: Sepsis
Sico JJ, Kundu S, So-Armah K
Depression as a risk factor for incident ischemic stroke among HIV-positive veterans in the veterans aging cohort study.
Background HIV infection and depression are each associated with increased ischemic stroke risk. Whether depression is a risk factor for stroke within the HIV population is unknown. In this study the investigators examined depression as a risk factor for incident ischemic stroke among HIV-positive veterans in the veterans aging cohort study. The investigators concluded that depression is associated with an increased risk of stroke among HIV-positive people after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, traditional cerebrovascular risk factors, and HIV-specific factors.
AHRQ-funded; HS023464.
Citation: Sico JJ, Kundu S, So-Armah K .
Depression as a risk factor for incident ischemic stroke among HIV-positive veterans in the veterans aging cohort study.
J Am Heart Assoc 2021 Jul 6;10(13):e017637. doi: 10.1161/jaha.119.017637..
Keywords: Depression, Behavioral Health, Risk, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions