AHRQ Child & Adolescent Health Periodic Digest

Volume 14, No.14, August 24, 2012

1. National Evaluation of CHIPRA Quality Demonstration Grants

2. Emergency Department Visits Associated with Animal Injuries

3. Diagnostic Tests for Undiagnosed Musculoskeletal Pain

4. Signals that May Predict Infant Neurological Impairment

5. Healthcare-Associated Infections Funding Opportunities

National Evaluation of CHIPRA Quality Demonstration Grants

AHRQ is overseeing the national evaluation of a Quality Demonstration Grant Program to identify effective strategies for enhancing quality and delivery of care for children. The grant program, which funds efforts in 18 states, was funded by the Children’s Health Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA). For descriptions of the 51 projects being implemented, go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/chipra/demoeval/

Emergency Department Visits Associated with Animal Injuries

Animal bites, stings, and other injuries accounted for nearly 1.3 million “treat and release” emergency department visits and almost 61,000 hospital stays in 2009, with ticks, mosquitoes, and dogs accounting for the majority. Children ages 0-17 had the highest rate of treat-and-release ED visits for such injuries.

Go to: http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb134.jsp

Diagnostic Tests for Undiagnosed Musculoskeletal Pain

A new clinician research summary from AHRQ’s Effective Healthcare Program provides an overview of existing evidence on how well serological tests (antinuclear antibody, rheumatoid factor, and cyclic-citrullinated peptide) determine if undiagnosed musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in children and adolescents is due to inflammatory arthritis or more common causes such as trauma, overuse, and normal bone growth. Go to: http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/search-for-guides-reviews-and-reports/?pageaction=displayproduct&productid=990

Signals that May Predict Infant Neurological Impairment

Doctors use electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) when a woman is in labor to detect problems and prevent injury to the baby. However, because EFM tracks fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns and not neurological activity, its usefulness may be limited in preventing a birth-related neurological disability, such as cerebral palsy. A new study that examined FHR patterns finds that three other signals, when combined with routine EFM showing nonreassuring FHR patterns, may help predict whether a baby will be born with severe neurological damage. Go to: http://www.ahrq.gov/research/jul12/0712RA20.htm

Healthcare-Associated Infections Funding Opportunities

These two funding opportunity announcements solicit grant applications focused on detection, prevention, reduction, and effective management of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).