NHQR/NHDR measures for women of reproductive age.
BACKGROUND
This article addresses measures of importance to women of reproductive age in the first National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) and National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR).


METHODS
The authors review each of the 4 components of quality of care: effectiveness, safety, timeliness, and patient centeredness. The effectiveness component topics with relevance to women of childbearing age include breast cancer, cervical cancer, HIV, AIDS, mental health, and maternity care. The safety component includes 3 relevant measures of obstetric trauma. The quality aspects of timeliness of care and patient centeredness will be discussed in terms of women, although the NHQR and NHDR did not include them as a separate topic because the data were so limited regarding women.


RESULTS
There is a foundation of knowledge about many aspects of quality health care for women of reproductive age. However, gaps are evident in some measures, usually due to insufficient data.


CONCLUSIONS
Further development of the measure set would benefit from additional process and outcome variables that can link screening, diagnosis, and treatment with health outcomes. Such linkages will expand our knowledge and capability to improve health outcomes for women of reproductive age.
Sharp
Beth A Collins
BA
Center for Outcomes and Evidence, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, US Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. BCSHARP@AHRQ.GOV
Meikle
Susan F
SF
James
Marian D
MD
Steiner
Claudia
C
Remus
Denise
D
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000847:Annual Reports as Topic; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008327:Mammography; D008403:Mass Screening; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D044469:Racial Groups; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States; D016270:United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016387:Women's Health