Background: The fairness of quality assessment methods is under debate. Quality indicators incorporating the longitudinal nature of care have been advocated but their usefulness in comparison to more commonly used cross-sectional measures is not clear.
Aims: To compare cross-sectional and sequential quality indicators for risk factor management in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: The study population consisted of 1912 patients who received diabetes care from one of 40 general practitioners in The Netherlands. Clinical outcomes, prescriptions, and demographic data were collected from electronic medical records. Quality was assessed for glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control using indicators focusing on clinical outcomes, and treatment in relation to outcomes. Indicator results were compared with a reference method based on national guidelines for general practice.
Results: According to the reference method, 76% of the patients received management as recommended for glycemic control, 58% for blood pressure control, and 67% for lipid control. Cross-sectional indicators looking at patients adequately controlled gave estimates that were 10-25% lower than the reference method. Estimates from indicators focusing on uncontrolled patients receiving treatment were 10-40% higher than the reference method for blood pressure and glycemic control. Sequential indicators focusing on improvement in clinical outcomes or assessing treatment modifications in response to poor control gave results closer to the reference method.
Conclusions: Sequential indicators are valuable for estimating quality of risk factor management in patients with diabetes. Such indicators may provide a more accurate and fair judgment than currently used cross-sectional indicators.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0b013e31815b9da0 | DOI Listing |
Cancer Treat Res Commun
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Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Aim: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in this population. Numerous factors have been identified as either risk factors or protective factors for breast cancer. However, the role of Vitamin D (Vit.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Low Genit Tract Dis
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Department of Pathology, Saint Paul's Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Objective: Trichomoniasis is a globally prevalent sexually transmitted infection caused by the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the gold standard for diagnosing trichomoniasis, but it is expensive. Antigen tests are immunochromatographic immunoassays that detect T.
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View Article and Find Full Text PDFJMIR Pediatr Parent
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Department of Health and Physical Education, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardiomyopathies, Cardiovascular Department, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI), University of Trieste.
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