To help support research on treatment methods for various conditions, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has given nearly $42 million to fund 19 studies focused on various patient-centered topics.

The institute, an organization created by Congress in 2010 and based in Washington, D.C., has provided about $1.6 billion in funding for more than 500 patient-centered studies since 2012, according to a statement from the organization.

The studies range from examining medication effectiveness to the effects acupressure has on children with cancer. Thirteen of them will examine which care options work best to treat certain conditions.

The most expensive study, costing $6 million, will compare the effectiveness of two types of palliative care in a hospital and at home and determine which best reduces patients’ pain, anxiety and depression.

Another six studies will examine ways to improve methods used in conducting patient-centered outcomes research. This includes projects on assessing the quality of communications between providers and patients, maintaining patient privacy in health exchange programs and being in tune with patient care preferences.

"We are pleased to add this latest round of projects to our expanding portfolio of patient-centered research," said PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby, MD. "We look forward to following the studies' progress in producing evidence that could lead to changes in practice and, eventually, better outcomes for patients and their families."