Announcements

New guides describe comparative effectiveness of therapies for autism, diabetes, and pain management of hip fracture

The Effective Health Care Program of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released new consumer and clinician summary guides on autism, diabetes, and the pain management of hip fracture. The autism guides will help families of children living with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and their clinicians work together to make important decisions about how to treat and manage the condition. These free guides examine treatment therapies for children ages 2-12 with ASDs that focus on improving key deficits in social communication, addressing challenging behaviors, treating commonly associated difficulties (e.g., anxiety, attention difficulties, sensory difficulties), promoting functional independence, and improving quality of life. The new guides do not address potential causes of autism.
The consumer guide provides an overview of the types of programs and therapies available to children with ASDs, available evidence on each program or therapy, and questions to ask when planning therapies and programs for ASD. The clinician guide summarizes key findings, presents the clinician bottom line, and highlights areas for further autism-related research. A continuing education module supplements existing clinician resources on ASDs.
The guides are available online at http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. Print copies are available by sending an E-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.
An update to the 2007 research review, Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Medications for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, is also available from the Effective Health Care Program. The 2011 update includes newer medications and two-drug combinations.
The management of hyperglycemia is an important focus of treatment to achieve improved macrovascular and microvascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Controlling blood-glucose levels often requires several strategies, including weight loss if needed, dietary control, increased physical activity, and antidiabetic medications. Treatment regimens include single drugs and combinations of drugs from different classes. Choosing among the available medications requires consideration of benefits, adverse effects, and mechanism of action. You can access the report, companion summaries for patients and clinicians and faculty slides at AHRQ's Effective Health Care Web site at http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov.
AHRQ's Effective Health Care Program has also released new consumer and clinician summary guides on the recent comparative effectiveness review on pain management interventions for hip fracture. The clinician guide focuses on the comparative effectiveness, benefits, and adverse events associated with interventions for acute-pain management compared to usual care, in elderly patients with hip fractures from low-impact injury. The consumer guide provides plain-language information on treatment for older adults who have pain from a broken hip, and helps patients and caregivers work with clinicians for treatment and pain management. In addition, continuing medical education (CME) activities and slide talks are available.
Access the guides, CME activities, and slide talks at http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. Print copies are available by sending an E-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.

Research Activities, September 2011: Announcements: New guides describe comparative effectiveness of therapies for autism, diabetes, and pain management of hip fracture: - Enviado mediante la barra Google