Recent Studies

The following studies have completed data collection and are in the data analysis/manuscript preparation phase (or have published findings):

This project, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, looked at the effectiveness of a telephone-based counseling tool for patients. The tool was designed to assist patients overcome one or more of the following risky health behaviors: tobacco use, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, and risky alcohol consumption. Data from this project are currently under analysis.

Principal Investigator: Louise Acheson, MD, MS, Case Western Reserve University Department of Family Medicine. Grant period: 10/1/03 - 9/30/07. This four-year subcontract with Case Western Reserve University examined the use of an electronic family history tool. Data for this project are currently under analysis

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Principal Investigator: John Hickner, MD, MS, AAFP National Research Network. Funded by AHRQ. Grant period: 10/1/01-9/30/05. This approximately $600,000 grant will assist the National Research Network in establishing a center in patient safety research. The mission of the Patient Safety Center is to improve the safety and quality of medical care in family medicine and other primary care office settings through research, evaluation, education, and dissemination. Most grant funds are earmarked for development activities.

This fascinating project examines health communication tools in the Ask-Me-Three Program through Pfizer in order to impact the physician-patient relationship and compliance during the office encounter.

This project, funded by a $274,000 grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) through the University of California-San Francisco is designed to determine the effectiveness of the use of spirometry in primary care.

Principal Investigator: Paul Nutting, MD, MSPH. The Depression Care project is funded from October 1, 2004 to March 31, 2006. Sanofi Aventis, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Foundation, Pfizer Inc., Forest Laboratories, Inc., and AstraZeneca International serve as the funders for the initiative. It is an AHRQ PBRN Infrastructure and Pilot Study Grant.

This study is funded by AHRQ as part of the PBRN developmental grant (2002-2005). The aims are to: 1) describe and estimate rates of testing process errors detected in family physician offices by physicians and office staff; 2) investigate causes and consequences of these errors; and 3) generate hypotheses about interventions to avert laboratory and imaging process errors which we will test in subsequent studies. All error reports will be anonymous. Principal Investigator: John Hickner, MD, MS. Lead Investigator: Susan Dovey, PhD.

Principal Investigator: Stephen J. Spann, MD, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine. This study is a joint project between the Baylor College of Medicine and the AAFP National Research Network with funding from Eli Lilly and Company. Over 90 National Network physicians participated in this descriptive study of the predictors of glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes. Physicians from the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians Research Network (MAFPRN), the South Texas Ambulatory Research Network (STARNet), and the Texas Academy of Family Physicians Research Network also participated and enrolled patients. Data collection for this study has ended. Survey data has been obtained from approximately 120 physicians and 700 patients.

An unrestricted $50,000 grant was received from Merck and Company for core support of the National Research Network. Various smaller grants have been received by industry to support the activities of the Network's Convocation of Practices. These grants have come from the following companies: Aventis Pharma, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer Inc. US Pharmaceuticals.