Behavioral health Archives

Pharmacists help people with serious mental illness overcome barriers to good health

January 29, 2024

Telehealth visits with a specially trained pharmacist resulted in better medication adherence and diabetes screening for people with serious mental illness who are enrolled in an innovative Kaiser Permanente Northern California program.

Helping patients manage chronic pain may improve both mental, physical health

January 22, 2024

Teaching people with chronic pain how to manage their medical care and use non-medication alternatives for pain may improve overall health and reduce depression, according to new research from Kaiser Permanente.

Teens in less-privileged neighborhoods more likely to report depression, suicidality

August 21, 2023

A Kaiser Permanente study of nearly 35,000 Northern California teens found higher rates of depression and suicidality among those living in less economically and racially privileged neighborhoods.

Doctors less likely to ask women about their drinking

March 29, 2023

Among patients who reported problem levels of drinking alcohol, women were less likely than men to have a conversation with their doctors about it, according to a study in the journal Addiction from Kaiser Permanent researchers.

Healthy lifestyle behaviors took a hit during shelter-in-place in people with prediabetes

March 6, 2023

Kaiser Permanente study found that during the pandemic’s shelter-in-place mandate it was harder for people with prediabetes to exercise and feel motivated to start or maintain healthy behaviors.

Patients more likely to start treatment for alcohol problems during early pandemic

December 28, 2022

A Kaiser Permanente study finds more patients starting treatment for an alcohol problem in the pandemic, during a transition to telehealth, suggesting some may be more comfortable with a video or phone visit.

Helping patients with addiction tackle their health needs

November 10, 2022

Teaching patients who are in addiction treatment to work with their primary care medical team on both mental and physical health concerns resulted in long-term benefits over 5 years, including more primary care use and fewer emergency department visits, Kaiser Permanente researchers have found.

Intervening with at-risk adolescents shows long-term benefits

September 27, 2022

A long-term Kaiser Permanente study following 1,851 adolescents who reported substance use or mood problems at a pediatric clinic found those who had access to a brief intervention and referral to treatment were less likely to have a related diagnosis 7 years later, in their 20s.

Lifestyle coaching helps Black adults control high blood pressure

May 18, 2022

A new Kaiser Permanente study found that a culturally tailored program could lead to long-term benefits in adults with hypertension.

New, innovative support for people with serious mental illness

April 20, 2022

An innovative telehealth program at Kaiser Permanente Northern California has added psychiatric clinical pharmacists to the care teams treating people with serious, persistent mental illness.

New approach to alcohol withdrawal treatment reduced patients’ time in the hospital

February 22, 2022

Kaiser Permanente quality improvement effort to update hospital management of alcohol withdrawal was associated with shorter time in the hospital and less use of the intensive care unit (ICU), according to research published Feb. 22 in JAMA Network Open.

Online quiz can help parents assess if their teen has a substance use problem

February 1, 2022

An analysis by Kaiser Permanente researchers suggests there may be clues in a child’s medical history about their risk for a substance use problem. The investigators used that research and input from parents to develop a free online risk prediction tool that anyone can use.

Cannabis use by pregnant women increased during pandemic

September 27, 2021

A Kaiser Permanente analysis of more than 100,000 pregnancies in Northern California finds a 25% increase in the rate of cannabis use early in pregnancy after the pandemic began in spring 2020.

Teens who stop taking ADHD medication at adulthood more prone to health, social problems

June 1, 2021

Teens diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often don’t take their medication regularly, and new Kaiser Permanente research finds the problem gets worse when they hit adulthood. The study also related non-adherence to ADHD medication with some negative health and social outcomes.

Mental health treatment rate rose early in pandemic

March 3, 2021

A detailed analysis of mental health treatment trends during the COVID-19 pandemic found a 7% increase in visits during the initial shelter-in-place period in 2020, compared with the same 3-month period in 2019.

Pediatrician screening of young people with substance use, mood problems can have long-term results

December 28, 2020

Adolescents who had access to a brief intervention and referral to treatment for substance use or mood problems at a pediatric clinic were less likely to have a related diagnosis 3 years later, new Kaiser Permanente research finds.

Gaining insight into medically complex patients

December 11, 2020

New Kaiser Permanente study aims to help providers improve the health of patients most likely to sustain high medical costs, frequently use the emergency department, or need to be hospitalized.

Targeted outreach can increase use of mail order pharmacies by people with diabetes

October 1, 2020

New Kaiser Permanente study found a targeted outreach campaign to people with type 2 diabetes encouraged them to use mail order pharmacy services and improved their medication adherence.

Telehealth appointments improve follow-up care in patients with heart failure

September 24, 2020

Kaiser Permanente study is the first to compare early telehealth approach to early in-person follow-up to prevent hospital readmissions.

5 Questions for…Esti Iturralde

September 1, 2020

Clinical psychologist and mental health services researcher Esti Iturralde, PhD, aims to improve the overall health of people with mental illness.

Blood test to identify risk for diabetes after pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes now one step closer

May 20, 2020

New findings from Kaiser Permanente Division of Research SWIFT Study in PLOS Medicine advance a potential blood test to predict which women with gestational diabetes will go on to develop type 2 diabetes.

COVID-19 pandemic brings telehealth center stage for oncologists and their patients

May 4, 2020

A new Kaiser Permanente research paper explains how Kaiser Permanente Northern California quickly ramped up its existing telehealth oncology program at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Depressed pregnant women more likely to eat poorer diets, Kaiser Permanente analysis finds

February 12, 2020

Pregnant women with depression were more likely to eat poor diets with a higher intake of empty calories and lower intake of greens, beans, and fruit, according to an analysis of 1,160 adult pregnant women who were treated at Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Adult ADHD diagnoses rise sharply over a decade

November 1, 2019

The rate at which adults were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder doubled over ten years, increasing much faster than the diagnosis rate for children.

Behavioral health researchers seek new ways to problem-solve for patients

October 7, 2019

Kaiser Permanente clinicians and researchers with its Northern California Division of Research work closely together to identify ways creative thinking and research can improve behavioral care for patients.

Emotional Abuse, PTSD Linked with Menopause Misery

November 19, 2018

A Kaiser Permanente study of more than 2,000 midlife and older women found that one in five had been emotionally abused by their current or former partners, and that these women had 50 percent higher odds of night sweats and 60 percent higher odds of painful sex.

Researcher Spotlight: Susan Brown’s Deep Roots in Disease Prevention Research

August 13, 2018

Brown, a research scientist, reflects on her family’s unique connection to Kaiser Permanente and carrying forward her mother’s belief in the importance of disease prevention research.

“Catch-up” HPV Vaccination Works for Females up to Age 20 Years at First Dose, Not Older Ages

August 7, 2018

Kaiser Permanente study confirms recommendations for catch-up HPV vaccination with 3 doses in females aged 15 to 20, but not when started at or after age 21.

Kaiser Permanente Study: Telephone Wellness Coaching Aids Significant Weight Loss

January 25, 2017

Kaiser Permanente members who voluntarily participated in individual wellness coaching by telephone for weight management lost an average of 10...

High blood pressure? Bring It Down!

May 8, 2015

Bring It Down is learning how to close the disparity between black and white people in high blood pressure control,...

Alcohol as a Vital Sign: We Ask Everyone

April 21, 2015

By Ann Wallace, Senior Communications Specialist, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research If you’ve paid a visit to your primary care...

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