MEASURING SCIENTIFIC IMPACT OF AHRQ RESEARCH GRANTS: FY2005-2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine research productivity; return investment in AHRQ funded research grants and to perform an analysis of the publication outputs and journal impact factors associated with AHRQ grants in the form of dissemination. Methods: AHRQ Grants On-Line Database (GOLD) was searched for grants funded from 2003-2010 to allow a two year lag time to publication for a new grant. The National Health Institute Query View and Report Database (NIH QVR) was subsequently searched based on principal investigator and grant identification number to determine any publications and journal impact factors. Findings were stratified based on AHRQ's Portfolios of Research Priorities. Grant identification number, principal investigator, grant title, institution, state, project start date, project end date, portfolio, publication year, impact score, publication journal, author succession, investigator type and award amount were recorded. Results: Overall journal impact score of AHRQ Portfolios of Research (2.034) was consistent with those for Health Services Research (2.293), the official journal of AcademyHealth which AHRQ funds. Health Information Technology received a large amount of funding (n=163, 48.98% of total budget) and had the second to highest average impact score (2.116). Prevention/Care Management received the highest average impact score (2.553) and the second to highest average publications (1.471) for grants. Patient Safety had the highest average publications (1.497) for grants. Comparative Effectiveness had very few funded grants (n=20, 1.30% of the total budget) yet consistent average impact score (1.797) but fewer publications (0.80). The average journal impact score is relatively consistent with AHRQ's Portfolios of Research Priorities (2.073). Conclusions: In summary, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of AHRQ Funded Grants in terms of delivery of scientific knowledge to the Health Services Research community. Overall journal impact score of AHRQ Portfolios of Research (2.034) was consistent with Health Services Research (2.293), which is the official journal of AcademyHealth. Questions to be addressed in the future are whether funding has changed for Comparative Effectiveness since the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).