Research Spotlight

COVID-19 vaccination was effective in children, adolescents during 2021

April 7, 2023

A large study of U.S. children and teens who received the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine finds that it was effective through much of 2021, but waned over time, especially as the omicron variant became dominant in 2022. Teens who received a booster dose regained some protection.

COVID-19 vaccination of mother during pregnancy protects infant, though protection wanes

February 28, 2023

Being vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy provides protection for the baby through its first several months of life, a Kaiser Permanente analysis finds. Protection was stronger against the delta variant than the more recent omicron variant.

Telemedicine gets boost from pandemic-era study

January 27, 2023

An analysis of Kaiser Permanente Northern California telehealth visits that took place early in the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that handling routine health concerns by phone or video is a safe and effective option alongside in-person visits.

Exposure to small children linked to lower risk of severe COVID-19

July 27, 2022

Adults with young children – and exposure to their colds – were less likely to have severe illness from COVID-19 than similar adults without children, a Kaiser Permanente study finds.

COVID-19 vaccination not tied to postmenopausal bleeding

July 20, 2022

Kaiser Permanente study does not support anecdotal reports that postmenopausal bleeding was common after COVID-19 vaccination.

Shorter wait between COVID-19 and elective surgery possible

July 19, 2022

Kaiser Permanente researchers have good news for patients, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and hospital administrators who have had to put off elective surgery because of a positive COVID-19 test. Among fully vaccinated patients, there may not be an elevated risk with surgery soon after COVID-19.

Messages from doctors increased COVID-19 vaccination among Black, Latino elders

June 17, 2022

Elderly Black and Latino people were more likely to get a COVID-19 vaccination after they received an email or letter from their Kaiser Permanente doctor, new research finds.

COVID-19 patients did better if they had booster vaccination

June 16, 2022

A large Kaiser Permanente analysis of COVID-19 patients confirms the value of vaccination, finding higher rates of hospitalization and advanced medical care for COVID-19 patients who were unvaccinated, were vaccinated but not boosted, or who had an additional health condition such as obesity or heart disease.

Lower in-hospital mortality for vaccinated patients hospitalized with COVID-19

May 9, 2022

COVID-19 patients in Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals during the delta surge of 2021 were less likely to die in the hospital of COVID-19 if they were vaccinated, new research finds.

Pandemic stressors taking a toll on pregnant patients’ mental health

May 4, 2022

Pregnant patients surveyed by Kaiser Permanente researchers early in the COVID-19 pandemic reported more severe mental health symptoms when they were distressed about changes in prenatal care, childcare challenges, and food insecurity. A second study found disparities in how Black and Hispanic pregnant individuals experienced pandemic stressors compared with white patients.

Podcast: Friends, family, outdoors provide pandemic pregnancy support

May 4, 2022

A survey of Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients during the early months of the pandemic finds those who used certain coping mechanisms were less likely to have depression or anxiety symptoms.

Heart disease and stroke deaths up during first year of COVID-19 pandemic

March 23, 2022

Kaiser Permanente study finds reversal of prior national trends and widening racial disparities for Black, Latino, and Asian adults.

Coronavirus may double severe complications in pregnancy

March 21, 2022

A Kaiser Permanente analysis of pregnant patients who tested positive for the coronavirus found more than double the risk of poor outcomes including preterm birth, venous thromboembolism (blood clot), and severe maternal morbidity, which includes conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis.

Podcast: Telemedicine can improve cancer care

March 9, 2022

KP Research Radio explores how oncologists used phone and video appointments to expand care options for cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early data on COVID-19 vaccine in teens shows booster effectiveness

March 1, 2022

An analysis of early data on the effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children and teens found that a third shot, or booster, extended protection against emergency department and urgent care visits in 16- and 17-year-olds.

5 Questions for…Laura Myers

February 14, 2022

Kaiser Permanente research scientist and physician is helping to change the way pulmonary and critical care are provided.

Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infections are not explained by social risk factors

February 2, 2022

New Kaiser Permanente study suggests working and living conditions may be key contributors to disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in communities of color.

Kaiser Permanente researchers study pandemic pregnancies

September 7, 2021

Kaiser Permanente researchers are surveying pregnant women during the pandemic and the first findings from the survey show a low percentage of COVID-19 infections, with higher prevalence among younger women, Hispanic women, and those living in neighborhoods with greater economic deprivation.

No serious health effects linked to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines

September 3, 2021

Federal and Kaiser Permanente researchers combing the health records of 6.2 million patients found no serious health effects that could be linked to the 2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

Teen suicidal thoughts and behaviors during pandemic vary by gender, diagnosis

September 1, 2021

The number of teens being seen at Kaiser Permanente Northern California emergency departments (ED) for suicidal thoughts and behaviors did not increase significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, though specific groups of teens may have sought care at higher rates during late 2020.

The findings were reported Sept. 1 in JAMA Psychiatry.

New tool for early identification of COVID-19 surges

July 26, 2021

Health systems could use data from routine clinical care to identify the onset of upcoming COVID-19 surges as many as 6 weeks before they occur, Kaiser Permanente researchers found in a study published in the journal BMJ Open.

Risk of blood clots more than 3-fold higher in hospitalized adults with COVID-19

July 20, 2021

Kaiser Permanente study found Black patients as well as patients who had obesity, liver disease, or sepsis or other signs of infection were among those more likely to be at high risk for a blood clot.

‘COVID toes’ were likely not caused by COVID-19, in most cases

June 23, 2021

Kaiser Permanente study suggests the increased incidence of chilblains — or, COVID toes — seen during pandemic was related to behavior changes, not the coronavirus.

COVID-19 vaccine trial enrolls children aged 5-11 at 3 sites in Northern California

June 9, 2021

About 75 children are scheduled to receive their first vaccination against COVID-19 as part of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine clinical trial through Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Emergency care for heart attacks and strokes rebounds

June 2, 2021

Kaiser Permanente study finds declines in heart attack hospitalizations and emergency care for possible strokes reported during onset of the COVID-19 pandemic not seen in subsequent surges.

Pandemic increased mail order pharmacy use by people with diabetes, but racial disparities persist

April 13, 2021

Kaiser Permanente study finds less use among Black, Hispanic, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander patients compared to white and Asian patients.

Blood clot risk low in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients

April 5, 2021

COVID-19 patients who are not hospitalized are at low risk of developing blood clots and should not routinely be prescribed blood thinners, a new Kaiser Permanente research letter suggests.

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.

Analysis confirms racial disparities in COVID-19 infection

February 8, 2021

An analysis of Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California early in the COVID-19 pandemic found racial and ethnic disparities in the likelihood of testing positive for the coronavirus, but no significant disparities in mortality among those who were hospitalized.

Kaiser Permanente data key to nation’s COVID-19 vaccine surveillance strategy

January 6, 2021

Kaiser Permanente’s Vaccine Study Center is leading a key part of the national safety surveillance effort for the COVID-19 vaccines, tracking patient data for serious side effects.

COVID-19 antibody research to illuminate pandemic’s course in Northern California

October 27, 2020

Researchers with Kaiser Permanente are launching a study using blood tests for antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus to estimate the prevalence and incidence of COVID-19 disease in Northern California and explore whether antibodies confer protection from recurrent disease.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California deepens its COVID-19 research agenda

October 13, 2020

Researchers and clinicians with Kaiser Permanente Northern California are developing a wide-ranging research agenda to beat COVID-19, working at the accelerated pace demanded by a worldwide pandemic.

Emergency rooms see decrease in stroke patients after onset of COVID-19

August 11, 2020

The new Kaiser Permanente study findings support previous research that suggests fear of contracting the novel coronavirus in a medical setting may have kept people from receiving critically needed medical care.

New virtual, innovative clinical trial for adults at high risk for respiratory illnesses

August 7, 2020

Kaiser Permanente researchers will see if a drug used to reduce risk of heart attack and stroke can also prevent or reduce complications from viral respiratory illnesses in older adults with heart disease.

Large decrease in hospitalized heart attack patients seen during COVID-19 pandemic

May 19, 2020

New research by Kaiser Permanente shows the weekly number of patients admitted to Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals with acute myocardial infarction (heart attacks) fell to nearly half of what would be expected after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

Population-level estimates show wide age range of adults hospitalized with COVID-19

April 24, 2020

A JAMA study, using data on patients hospitalized in March from all 21 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals, is one of the first U.S. studies to look at overall hospitalization admissions of COVID-19 patients.