American Institutes for Research Article on Health Care Is Among Top Five “Most Read” Health Affairs Journal Articles for 2010
Washington, D.C. – An article written by health care experts from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is one of the top five most read papers that appeared in the influential Health Affairs journal during 2010, the publication has announced. The article, “Evidence That Consumers Are Skeptical About Evidence-Based Health Care,” found that misconceptions and a lack of knowledge about health care have created a fundamental disconnect between the central tenets of evidence-based health care and the values and attitudes of many who receive health services.
The AIR article ranked fifth in the publication’s list of the “Top Ten Papers Published in 2010.” AIR authors of the article included Kristin L. Carman, Maureen Maurer, Jill Mathews Yegian, and Pamela Dardess. The article is available on the Health Affairs website.
The use of evidence in health care decision-making is central to achieving high quality, effective, and affordable care. The paper identified misconceptions, values and beliefs, and behaviors that present pointed challenges to efforts to engage consumers in evidence-based decision-making. It used a mixed-methods approach that included focus groups and one-on-one interviews as well as an online survey with more than 1,500 individuals.
AIR conducted the research while developing the “Communication Toolkit,” a resource for educating consumers about finding good quality health care, making wise health care decisions, and being informed health care consumers. AIR conducted the study with funding from the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF), in collaboration with the National Business Group on Health (The Business Group).
Health Affairs is a leading journal of health policy thought and research, and explores health policy issues of current concern in both domestic and international spheres. The complete top ten list is available on the Health Affairs website: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0296.
About AIR
Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education and workforce productivity. For more information, visit www.air.org.
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