Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
April 2005
Objectives: To establish the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of a new, disease-specific assessment tool, the LPR-HRQL, which assesses patient-reported outcomes (PRO) with regard to health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR).
Design: A prospective, open-label, repeated-measures study.
Setting: Six centers in 4 states in the eastern United States.
Objectives: To characterize self-reported colorectal cancer (CRC) screening behavior, and to identify characteristics of CRC screening practices, stratified by risk.
Methods: Using random-digit-dial methodology, we conducted telephone surveys in US adults 50 years of age and older. Respondents provided data on utilization of CRC screening tests; demographic characteristics; and awareness, concerns, attitudes and beliefs about the tests, CRC, and health care.
Purpose: We performed a retrospective, longitudinal, population based study to ascertain whether radical prostatectomy outcomes improved after the diffusion of surgical innovations during the last decade.
Materials And Methods: Using a 5% national random sample of Medicare beneficiaries we identified 12,079 men who underwent radical prostatectomy from 1991 to 1998. We analyzed relevant Medicare data to establish length of stay and the rate of in hospital complications (cardiac, respiratory, vascular, wound and genitourinary conditions) as well as the rate of anastomotic stricture, incontinence and impotence through 36 months after surgery.
Purpose: To examine the effect of hospital and surgeon volume on postoperative outcomes and to determine whether hospital or surgeon volume is the stronger predictor.
Patients And Methods: Using 1997 to 1998 claims data from a national 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries, we identified 2,292 men who underwent radical prostatectomy at 1,210 hospitals by 1,788 surgeons. Hospitals were classified as high (> or = 60 per year) or low (< 60 per year) volume according to radical prostatectomy experience over the 2-year period.