��ƵReport Estimates Insurance Sources for Adults With Long COVID

In early 2024, 3.4 percent of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized adult population reported currently having Long COVID, and 2.4 percent reported that Long COVID limited their activities. A new research findings report, , highlights the prevalence of symptoms, as well as activity-limiting symptoms, after a COVID-19 infection along with which sources of insurance covered adults with Long COVID. The report utilizes data from AHRQ’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to complement earlier research on Long COVID and insurance coverage among nonelderly adults. Explore the data by patient characteristics, prepandemic chronic conditions, and other factors.

Coming Soon: New ��ƵToolkit Strengthens Infection Prevention in Long-Term Care Facilities

��Ƶwill release the new Toolkit for Improving Skin Care and Multidrug Resistant Organism (MDRO) Prevention in Long-Term Care, which outlines four evidence-based strategies to reduce infection risks and maintain skin integrity among long-term care residents. The toolkit strategies include keeping skin clean and safe, reducing MDRO transmission, using antibiotics wisely, and cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces. AHRQ’s new toolkit will be available on the October 19.

Explore New Resources From the Network of Patient Safety Databases

AI Analysis Reveals Behavioral Health Issues in Patient Safety Reported Events

Behavioral health issues were identified in 16.5 percent of 16,666 hospital patient safety event reports analyzed, according to a new Data Spotlight from AHRQ’s Network of Patient Safety Databases. The analysis used advanced artificial intelligence (AI) methods to scan free-text event reports submitted by Patient Safety Organizations. The most common issue was patients leaving care against medical advice, followed by mental health disorders and substance use. In emergency departments, 34.8 percent of reported events involved at least one behavioral health issue. Human factors and gaps in policies or procedures were the most frequently reported contributing factors. The Data Spotlight highlights how AI-based free text analysis can uncover hidden patterns in patient safety data and inform hospital safety practices.

New Chartbook Breaks Down National Pressure Injury Data

Pressure injuries affect an estimated 2.5 million patients in the United States each year and are linked to longer hospital stays, serious infection, and increased mortality. A new resource from AHRQ, the 2025 Network of Patient Safety Databases Chartbook: Analysis of Reported Pressure Injury Events, presents data from 2010 through 2024 on patterns, risk factors, and harm rates for pressure injuries in hospitals nationwide. Deep-tissue pressure injuries accounted for about two-thirds of reported cases, and human factors such as fatigue, stress, and inattention were the most frequently cited contributing factor. Patients who received preventive interventions had lower harm rates, while some groups—including those under age 18—experienced particularly high rates of harm. Review the full chartbook to explore detailed analyses and insights that can help reduce harm from pressure injuries in hospitals nationwide.

Limited but Promising Evidence for Youth Suicide Interventions

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Finding effective treatments to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors in youth requires more research, according to an evidence review from AHRQ’s . Researchers examined 65 studies that included nearly 14,500 children and adolescents up to age 18 who were at a heightened risk for suicide because they had experienced suicidal ideation, prior attempts, and/or a hospital discharge for mental health treatment. Researchers found moderate-quality evidence that dialectical behavior therapy—a type of structured talk therapy that teaches skills such as regulating emotions and having healthy relationships—may reduce both suicidal ideation and nonsuicidal self-injury when part of a 6- to- 12-month treatment program. However, researchers also found that most approaches, including pharmacological treatment, other psychosocial therapies, family-based therapies, crisis interventions, and school or community programs have promising but ultimately insufficient evidence currently to prove benefit. Access the study: .

Blood Tests for Multiple Cancer Screening: A Work in Progress

Multicancer screening tests are an emerging, minimally invasive approach to detect multiple cancers using biomarkers from a single blood sample. While these tests have not been FDA approved, some are commercially available as laboratory-developed tests, bypassing the approval process. Despite their growing popularity, an AHRQ-commissioned review of existing evidence—published on the and in the —has found that these tests have not been studied sufficiently to prove that they help people without visible symptoms feel better or avoid more advanced cancer. Studies reporting on the accuracy of 19 different tests had serious flaws that could make tests look more accurate than they are. Studies that followed asymptomatic people over time suggested that screening accuracy ranged widely from 7 percent to 71 percent, which suggests a risk of many false positives that could lead to unnecessary treatment and radiation exposure. While no existing controlled study has reported screening effectiveness, some ongoing trials may be completed within 2 to 4 years.

Register for Upcoming Webinars

:
- October 3, 11:30 a.m.–12 p.m. ET.
- October 28, 3:30–4 p.m. ET.
October 8, 2:30–4 p.m. ET: .

��ƵStats: High Blood Pressure Treatment Rates by Age Group

In 2021–22, 21.7 percent of nonelderly adults with diagnosed or treated high blood pressure had no medical treatment. This was more than three times the rate observed among elderly adults, of whom only 6.9 percent went untreated. (Source: ��ƵMedical Expenditure Panel Survey Statistical Brief #563, .)

New Research and Evidence

Systematic Review (draft open for comment through October 22): .

��Ƶin the Professional Literature

Effectiveness of the SHARE approach for improving clinician shared decision making skills: a trial in 12 practices located in Colorado, USA. Scherer LD, Matlock D, Knoepke C, et al. J Gen Intern Med 2025 Sept 10. Access the on PubMed®.

Exploring primary care providers' perspectives on medication review and management through telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neelamegam M, Espinoza AM, Fulda KG, et al. J Patient Saf 2025 Aug 22. Access the on PubMed®.

Bridging diagnostic safety and mental health: a systematic review highlighting inequities in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Srivarathan A, Bradford A, Shearkhani S, et al. BMJ Qual Saf 2025 Aug 25. Access the on PubMed®.

A virtual breakthrough series collaborative for missed test results: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized clinical trial. Zubkoff L, Zimolzak AJ, Meyer AND, et al. JAMA Netw Open 2024 Oct 1;7(10):e2440269. Access the on PubMed®.

Prioritizing emergency department antibiotic stewardship interventions for skin and soft tissue infections using judgment analysis. Griffin M, Claeys KC, Schwei RJ, et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2025 Mar;46(3):272-80. Epub 2025 Jan 20. Access the on PubMed®.

Interoperability of health-related social needs data at US hospitals. Sandhu S, Liu M, Gottlieb LM, et al. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2025 May;32(5):914-9. Access the on PubMed®.

Savings associated with bundled payments for outpatient spine surgery among Medicare beneficiaries. Kilaru AS, Ng GY, Wang E, et al. JAMA Health Forum 2025 Jul 3;6(7):e251907. Access the on PubMed®.

Acceptability of telehealth post-pandemic among clinicians across the United States caring for people with cystic fibrosis. Davis J, Perkins R, Bailey J, et al. Pediatr Pulmonol 2025 Feb;60(2):e70000. Access the on PubMed®.

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