Research Findings
Research Activities, May 2004:
More frequent visits to the doctor are associated with increased safety monitoring for toxicity among chronic NSAID users
Continued staff education and improved processes in physicians' offices can enhance preventive care for children
National survey reveals how primary care doctors identify and manage young children with developmental delays
Referrals for physical therapy for musculoskeletal conditions vary and may indicate problems with access to care
Practices that allot more time for acute care visits and promote immunization have higher adult vaccination rates
Researchers find New York SCHIP improves health care access, continuity, and quality
Research Activities, March 2004:
Relying on clinical guidelines to treat young infants with fevers may not improve outcomes
EXCEED projects focus on prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease
Studies show low physician adherence to clinical guidelines for managing pneumonia and heart disease
Research Activities, February 2004:
Better communication of disease-specific and general health information can improve diabetes self-care
Task Force working group encourages patient-provider partnership in making decisions about preventive care
Computerized physician order entry needs further refinement to substantially reduce medication errors in primary care
Research Activities, January 2004:
South Carolina's initiatve to reduce hypertension rates trains hypertension specialists and provides advice to doctors
Racial differences exist in parents' opinions about the quality of primary care provided to their children
Research Activities, December 2003:
Among children with asthma, those enrolled in Medicaid managed care fare better than those in a primary care case manager plan
Many medical school faculty members have positive attitudes towards use of alternative medical practices
One form of managed care was associated with declines in physician participation in Georgia and Alabama Medicaid programs
Research Activities, November 2003:
Use of antidepressants for elderly primary care patients has increased markedly
Research Activities, October 2003:
Corticosteroid treatment, environmental controls, and other actions can reduce risk of relapse after an acute asthma episode
Despite improvements in access to medications and psychotherapy, many depressed primary care patients are not treated
Group visits to primary care doctors by disadvantaged diabetes patients result in better diabetes care than individual visits
Patient and practice socioeconomic status are independently associated with care among privately insured patients
Use of time in outpatient residency training does not reflect the actual community practice of family physicians
Providing culturally sensitive care may lead to more effective health care delivery for racial/ethnic minorities
Research Activities, September 2003:
Blood pressure control can be attained in a substantial number of primary care patients who have diabetes and hypertension
Factors that impede access to care and patient satisfaction are explored in three recent studies
Generalist physicians experienced in HIV/AIDS care can provide care comparable to that of HIV/AIDS specialists
Research Activities, August 2003:
Researchers examine the impact of prolonged middle ear disease on children's speech and language development
Physicians are more likely to intensify therapy for diabetes when they get unfavorable blood-sugar test results during visits
Research Activities, July 2003:
Use of rapid MRI instead of x-ray to detect rare cancer-related back pain in primary care patients may not be cost effective
Greater use of guideline-recommended asthma medication in recent years may have helped to stabilize the number of asthma visits
Parental misconceptions about respiratory illnesses, not day care pressure, lead parents to pressure physicians for antibiotics
School-based health centers reduce asthma-related hospitalization and absenteeism among urban children
Research Activities, June 2003:
Problems with doctor/patient communication may help to explain disparities in use of health care
Allergic rhinitis care costs have soared in the past decade due to newer antihistamines and other medications
Research Activities, May 2003:
Parents may not always want antibiotics for their child's illness, sometimes they may just want reassurance
Quality of the primary care doctor-patient relationship has eroded, even for a doctor's long-time patients
Research Activities, April 2003:
Two-thirds of children with persistent asthma symptoms seen in primary care have uncontrolled asthma
Chest x-ray is appropriate to confirm suspected pneumonia in most patients
Research Activities, March 2003:
Gastric bypass can dramatically improve the health of severely obese individuals at a reasonable cost
Researchers examine efforts to improve primary care for depression
Clinical autonomy seems to be the key to career satisfaction among both primary care and specialist physicians
Research Activities, February 2003:
Early nephrologist referral of ICU patients with acute renal failure is associated with a reduced risk of death
Almost one-third of depressed primary care patients reported either hazardous drinking, use of illicit drugs, or misuse of prescription drugs
Family physicians vary in the types of referrals they make for patients with several common conditions
Higher primary care density is associated with fewer preventable hospital admissions
Pediatricians may feel pressured to prescribe antibiotics when parents imply a diagnosis that warrants them
Research Activities, January 2003:
Frequent users of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs may need medications to prevent associated ulcers
Many doctors lack basic knowledge about venous thromboembolism and how to treat it
Patients who are dissatisfied with their usual source of care may seek costly nonurgent care in the emergency department
Research Activities, December 2002:
Patients cared for by both a cardiologist and a primary care doctor after heart attack have a lower risk of death
Back pain patients seen by chiropractors receive more information and advice than those seen by physicians
Many elderly people believe they are unlikely to get the flu and don't realize they need the pneumonia vaccine
Rates of colon cancer screening remain low among patients seen in primary care practices
Physicians' involvement in patient safety and quality of care may be pivotal to maintaining medicine's credibility
Only one-fourth of family doctors believe they are prepared to respond to a bioterrorist attack
Research Activities, November 2002:
AHRQ awards new grants to primary care practice-based research networks
Research Activities, October 2002:
Late referral to specialty care contributes to poor outcomes among patients with kidney failure
Research Activities, August 2002:
Value of prostate cancer screening may lie in the reassurance it can provide
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issues recommendation on colorectal cancer screening and other new information
Research Activities, July 2002:
Cancer patients' satisfaction with primary care pain management hinges on the doctor-patient relationship
Research Activities, June 2002:
Users of nonaspirin, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medicines may benefit from use of aspirin for cardioprotection
Primary care doctors suspect that one in five childhood inuries they see is due to physical abuse
Pediatricians often make referrals to specialists during telephone conversations with parents
Pneumonia vaccination rates remain low, and racial disparities exit
Obese patients have a greater illness burden than other patients and usually are less satisfied with their health care
Research Activities, May 2002:
Non-aspirin, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs do not protect individuals from the risk of heart attack
Doctors could do more to help adult patients with diabetes reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease
Communication/cultural barriers may affect receipt of cardiovascular procedures among Hispanics
Family physicians value personal knowledge of specialists over all other factors when making referrals
Research Activities, April 2002:
Training, feedback on performance, and clinical reminders may encourage doctors to intensify therapy for patients who need it
Having a regular source of primary care helps adults with diabetes manage their diet and improve glucose control
Certain verbal and nonverbal behaviors by physicians are associated with favorable patient outcomes
Patients welcome discussions with their doctors about smoking and other behaviors that affect their health
Research Activities, March 2002:
Minority patients have increased access to elective surgeries in areas where there are more primary care physicians
Research Activities, February 2002:
Low-dose steroids are neither safe nor effective for long-term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Asthma patients with uncontrolled symptoms receive more antibiotics than those whose asthma is better controlled
Research Activities, January 2002:
Nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's Disease are common but frequently overlooked by physicians
Primary care staff and clinician-family relationships are critical elements in efforts to improve quality of care
Few patients being treated for depression in primary care are counseled about substance abuse problems
QI programs that foster collaboration between mental health specialists and primary care doctors enhance depression care
Research Activities, December 2001:
Generalists provide the majority of care to Medicaid-insured children with chronic conditions
Women are far more likely than men to have their depression diagnosed by their primary care doctors
Primary care doctors should be alert to potential chronic kidney disease in diabetic, hypertensive, and minority patients
Middle-aged adults tend to maintain their alcohol consumption patterns over time
Even patients with a doctor in the family face challenges in receiving optimal medical care
Journal issue focuses on competing demands, patient encounters, and delivery of preventive care in family practice
Managed care cost-containment policies strengthen continuity of primary care for depressed patients
Researchers weigh benefits and costs of QI programs to enhance treatment of depression in primary care
Research Activities, November 2001:
Physicians vary in their adherence to guidelines for managing high cholesterol among patients with atherosclerosis
Changes in physician behavior are necessary to improve quality of pediatric care
Research Activities, October 2001:
Primary care doctors had a high rate of job turnover in the late 1980s and early 1990s
Research Activities, August 2001:
Training in basic skin cancer triage can improve primary care providers' practice of skin cancer control measures
Parental assessment is a practical and reliable way to measure pediatric primary care
Physician understanding of patient expectations is critical to patient satisfaction
Research Activities, June 2001:
Patients with both diabetes and other chronic conditions can still achieve good glycemic control
Primary care doctors are more likely to refer patients with uncommon problems to specialists
Primary care doctors in California have a positive view of voluntary disease management programs
Increased HMO market penetration and local access to primary care doctors can reduce hospital admissions among children
Research Activities, May 2001:
Designating ob-gyns as primary care physicians could affect how medical services are provided to elderly women
Medicare waivers alone are insufficient to improve use of primary care by poor and elderly blacks
Primary care residents' practice style predicts their referral of patients to specialty care
Research Activities, April 2001:
Feedback from an electronic medical record can help primary care doctors improve their initial management of depression
Training primary care physicians in manual therapy gives them another way to treat back pain patients, but benefits are modest
Research Activities, March 2001:
Quality improvement programs improve primary care clinician knowledge about depression treatment over 18 months
Research Activities, February 2001:
Patients who choose doctors of the opposite sex generally are more satisfied with their care
Outpatient management of new TIA or minor stroke could be improved
Health insurance and access to primary care affect hospitalization of children outside their area of residence
Preventive oral care in primary pediatric care can help reduce disparities in children's oral health
Research Activities, January 2001:
Patient self-assessments of health provide information not captured by clinical assessments or medical histories
Primary care physicians can successfully use tympanometry to diagnose children's middle ear infections
Primary care physicians generally have a positive view of hospitalists when their use is not mandatory
Research Activities, December 2000:
Most primary care patients with depression prefer counseling over medication
Research Activities, November 2000:
State primary care scholarship programs play a major role in the nation's health care safety net
Physicians can be more responsive to patients' concerns without lengthening visits
Organizational factors beyond the control of primary care physicians may affect patient satisfaction ratings
Research Activities, October 2000:
Availability of free vaccines affects clinicians' decisions about referring uninsured children to public clinics
No link found between referrals to specialty care and patients' health status or risk of avoidable hospitalization
Risk of foot amputation may be double for diabetes patients who don't obtain prescribed footwear and medicines
Patients living with juvenile diabetes experience both the joy of life and a constant threat of serious complications
Research Activities, September 2000:
Chronic disease patients who complain to their doctors about their medications are twice as likely to stop taking them
Research Activities, August 2000:
Primary care providers report most but not all cases of suspected child abuse
Coordination between primary care physicians and specialists improves the quality of the referral process
Materials now available for quality improvement of depression care in primary care practices
Research Activities, July 2000:
Training in continuous quality improvement may not improve preventive services in primary care clinics
Research Activities, June 2000:
Researchers find that complex gastrointestinal procedures are not just for specialists anymore
Recognizing and treating depression in primary care can prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and save money
Research Activities, May 2000:
Researchers
examine ways to improve care of patients with diabetes
Assessing
a patient's willingness to adopt dietary and lifestyle changes is
the first step toward sustained weight loss
Research Activities, April 2000:
Newer
antidepressants are as effective as older tricyclic agents in
primary care patients
Researchers
assess programs to improve the quality of primary care for
depression in managed care
Research Activities, March 2000:
Race
and ethnicity play an important role in patient satisfaction with
primary care physicians
Having an
ongoing relationship with a doctor greatly reduces ER visits by
elderly patients
Doctors'
psychological traits have little if any bearing on their referral
decisions
Primary
care providers often fail to cover the most significant injury
prevention issues during well-child visits
Research Activities, February 2000:
Turnover
of primary care physicians during the last two decades was common
and costly
Research Activities, January 2000:
Patients
prefer to receive care from doctors who see people from several
health plans
Helping
patients recover from depression should be a high priority in
primary care practices
Primary
care physicians should counsel parents of young children about
drowning prevention
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