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Diabetes

Blood test often incorrectly estimates blood sugar control in Black adults

Blood test often incorrectly estimates blood sugar control in Black adults

August 7, 2023

Kaiser Permanente researchers find the commonly used A1C lab test could potentially affect diabetes diagnoses and lead to incorrect assessments of health disparities in diabetes control.
Doctors less likely to ask women about their drinking

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

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.
Racial and ethnic differences seen in marker of early diabetic kidney disease

Racial and ethnic differences seen in marker of early diabetic kidney disease

February 6, 2023

Among adults with diabetes who had kidney function perceived to be normal, a marker for early diabetic kidney disease was more commonly seen in Asian adults than in white, Black, or Latino adults, a new Kaiser Permanente study found.
American Heart Association honors Kaiser Permanente researcher with award for best publication

American Heart Association honors Kaiser Permanente researcher with award for best publication

November 10, 2022

Research scientist Erica Gunderson received the Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red® Award for Best Scientific Publication on Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Women.
5 Questions for…Luis A. Rodriguez

5 Questions for…Luis A. Rodriguez

October 17, 2022

Newly minted Kaiser Permanente research scientist uses his clinical experience in pediatric diabetes prevention and obesity management to shape his research questions.
Link between commonly used chemicals, gestational diabetes

Link between commonly used chemicals, gestational diabetes

October 13, 2022

Pregnant people may have increased risk of gestational diabetes if they have higher exposure to phenols, common chemicals used in food packaging and many consumer products, according to Kaiser Permanente research.
Home-delivered, medically tailored meals may benefit recently hospitalized patients with heart failure

Home-delivered, medically tailored meals may benefit recently hospitalized patients with heart failure

August 25, 2022

A new Kaiser Permanente study finds promise in ‘food as medicine’ delivery for some — but not all — patients with chronic conditions.
Not all adults newly diagnosed with diabetes equally likely to start treatment

Not all adults newly diagnosed with diabetes equally likely to start treatment

August 4, 2022

Kaiser Permanente study found adults of certain racial and ethnic groups are less likely to start medication within the first year of diagnosis.
New clues in early prediction of gestational diabetes

New clues in early prediction of gestational diabetes

May 9, 2022

Kaiser Permanente researchers have identified several biological markers in the blood of pregnant people that are tied to an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes later in pregnancy.
No difference found in infant outcomes between glyburide and insulin for gestational diabetes

No difference found in infant outcomes between glyburide and insulin for gestational diabetes

March 31, 2022

A study of 11,321 patients treated for gestational diabetes with insulin or the medication glyburide did not find a difference in cesarean section rates or outcomes for the patients’ infants, suggesting many people with gestational diabetes could forego insulin injections in favor of taking a pill.
Shining a light on early-onset type 2 diabetes

Shining a light on early-onset type 2 diabetes

November 3, 2021

To mark National Diabetes Month, KP Research Radio spoke with research scientist Anjali Gopalan, MD, MS, about the unique needs of young people with diabetes or prediabetes.
Continuous glucose monitors help patients manage type 2 diabetes

Continuous glucose monitors help patients manage type 2 diabetes

June 2, 2021

New Kaiser Permanente study finds continuous glucose monitors are associated with improved blood sugar control and fewer visits to the emergency room for hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes patients treated with insulin.
Longtime women’s health study SWAN tackles the challenges of aging

Longtime women’s health study SWAN tackles the challenges of aging

May 11, 2021

A long-term study that has produced important insights into menopause and women’s health at midlife is starting its 27th year with new federal funding from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at 7 sites including the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland.
Pandemic increased mail order pharmacy use by people with diabetes, but racial disparities persist

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.
$5.6 million awarded to Kaiser Permanente researcher to study treatments for type 2 diabetes

$5.6 million awarded to Kaiser Permanente researcher to study treatments for type 2 diabetes

March 18, 2021

A research team led by Romain S. Neugebauer, PhD, received the award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to compare costs, and benefits and harms of second-line medications.
Gestational diabetes can be tip-off to future increased risk for heart disease

Gestational diabetes can be tip-off to future increased risk for heart disease

February 1, 2021

Kaiser Permanente research shows 2-fold higher risk for heart artery calcification after pregnancy through mid-life, even in women with normal blood sugar levels.
5 Questions for…Anjali Gopalan

5 Questions for…Anjali Gopalan

January 11, 2021

Research scientist uses her experiences as a physician to design studies that focus on and can improve care for people with early-onset type 2 diabetes.
Exercising more in early pregnancy may reduce gestational diabetes risk

Exercising more in early pregnancy may reduce gestational diabetes risk

December 21, 2020

Pregnant women who exercised more during the first trimester of pregnancy had a lower risk of developing gestational diabetes, a new analysis of Kaiser Permanente data finds.
Targeted outreach can increase use of mail order pharmacies by people with diabetes

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.
Housing instability linked with poor diabetes control

Housing instability linked with poor diabetes control

September 25, 2020

Kaiser Permanente study presented at international conference suggests moving once a year or more makes it harder for people with type 2 diabetes to adhere to their medications.
New study aims to help older adults with type 2 diabetes cut back on medications

New study aims to help older adults with type 2 diabetes cut back on medications

September 21, 2020

Richard Grant, MD, MPH, a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, has received a $3.2 million, 5-year National Institutes of Health Institute on Aging grant to develop an online education program that uses advance care planning concepts to improve diabetes care for adults age 75 and older.
5 Questions for…Esti Iturralde

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.
Work-based diabetes prevention programs in San Francisco show promising results

Work-based diabetes prevention programs in San Francisco show promising results

May 28, 2020

…Quesenberry, PhD, Julia C. McDonald, MS, and Janet G. Alexander, MS, of the Division of Research; Susan D. Brown, PhD, an adjunct investigator with the Division of Research; Jennifer L….
Telephone coaching helped pregnant women with overweight or obesity manage gestational weight gain

Telephone coaching helped pregnant women with overweight or obesity manage gestational weight gain

May 20, 2020

Pregnant women with overweight or obesity better controlled their weight gain and improved health behaviors when they received a series of telephone sessions with a registered dietician, a new study from Kaiser Permanente finds.
Blood test to identify risk for diabetes after pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes now one step closer

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.
Patients with diabetes who used online tools managed their disease better

Patients with diabetes who used online tools managed their disease better

February 19, 2020

Patients with diabetes who used the Kaiser Permanente patient portal and mobile phone app improved their diabetes management outcomes, according to an analysis published Feb. 19 in JAMA Network Open.
The New Faces of Research

The New Faces of Research

January 16, 2020

Diabetes, medication safety, and understanding chronic conditions are just some of the research areas a new class of postdoctoral fellows at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research will support. The 3 early-career researchers began their appointments this past year.
Chronic disease prevalence varies by Asian subgroup, Kaiser Permanente research finds

Chronic disease prevalence varies by Asian subgroup, Kaiser Permanente research finds

November 25, 2019

Asian-Americans from different parts of Asia have very different cardiovascular risk factors and chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, Kaiser Permanente research concludes.
Can a mobile app help women stay healthy during pregnancy?

Can a mobile app help women stay healthy during pregnancy?

October 24, 2019

Monique Hedderson is heading a five-year project to test whether a mobile phone app could help overweight and obese women avoid excess weight gain, and the accompanying health risks, while pregnant.
Personalizing care for older patients with diabetes

Personalizing care for older patients with diabetes

October 10, 2019

Kaiser Permanente investigator Andrew Karter and colleagues will receive $3.2 million over 5 years from the National Institute on Aging to study what older patients with diabetes want from their treatment.
Use of insulin among older adults with type 2 diabetes not aligned with national guidelines

Use of insulin among older adults with type 2 diabetes not aligned with national guidelines

September 23, 2019

Listen on KP RESEARCH RADIO:
“What we learned is that contrary to recommendations from leading societies, sicker patients were more likely to be on insulin, and over time were less likely to be discontinued from their insulin.”
– Dr. Richard Grant, senior author of study in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Minority racial and ethnic groups get diabetes at lower weights

Minority racial and ethnic groups get diabetes at lower weights

September 19, 2019

Kaiser Permanente research finds members of U.S. ethnic and racial minority groups have diabetes at lower body mass index than white patients.

5 Questions for… Yeyi Zhu

5 Questions for… Yeyi Zhu

September 19, 2019

Yeyi Zhu, PhD, wants to use big data analytics to improve women’s and children’s clinical care and health.
American Diabetes Association honors Kaiser Permanente researcher with its Norbert Freinkel Award

American Diabetes Association honors Kaiser Permanente researcher with its Norbert Freinkel Award

May 28, 2019

The American Diabetes Association’s 2019 Norbert Freinkel Award has been presented to Kaiser Permanente researcher Assiamira Ferrara, MD, PhD, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the understanding and treatment of diabetes in pregnancy.
5 Questions for… Julie Schmittdiel

5 Questions for… Julie Schmittdiel

November 5, 2018

The math major-turned diabetes researcher now also leads several training programs, helping to form a new generation of researchers.
Delivering the Next Generation of Diabetes Scientists

Delivering the Next Generation of Diabetes Scientists

October 31, 2018

The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research has received a T32 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to train young scientists in translating research into practice for people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.

Heart Health Improves After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

Heart Health Improves After Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery

October 16, 2018

People who were severely obese and had diabetes had 40 percent fewer heart attacks and strokes — and 67 percent fewer deaths — within 5 years after bariatric weight-loss surgery.
Traumatic Brain Injuries Associated with Increased Dementia Risk in People with Type 1 Diabetes

Traumatic Brain Injuries Associated with Increased Dementia Risk in People with Type 1 Diabetes

September 26, 2018

As people with type 1 diabetes age, new research from Kaiser Permanente shows how traumatic brain injury could be a risk factor for their developing dementia.
Partners of Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Patients More Likely to Adopt Healthy Behaviors

Partners of Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Patients More Likely to Adopt Healthy Behaviors

July 9, 2018

Partners of people with newly diagnosed diabetes are more likely to improve their health behaviors than partners of people without the disease, according to a large new Kaiser Permanente study published today in Annals of Family Medicine.
Expensive Insulin Analogs Perform No Better Than NPH Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes

Expensive Insulin Analogs Perform No Better Than NPH Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes

June 23, 2018

For patients with type 2 diabetes in usual practice, the use of the more expensive insulin analogs did not appear to result in better safety or better blood sugar control compared with NPH insulin.
Pokémon Go Craze Saw More Benefits than Injuries for Kaiser Permanente Patients

Pokémon Go Craze Saw More Benefits than Injuries for Kaiser Permanente Patients

May 2, 2018

A study of patients’ electronic medical records shows that, at the height of its popularity, the smartphone game resulted in injuries similar to those linked with other moderate-intensity outdoor activities.
Low Blood Sugar Emergencies Usually Go Unreported in Medical Records

Low Blood Sugar Emergencies Usually Go Unreported in Medical Records

April 16, 2018

A study of diabetes patients at Kaiser Permanente suggests that severe episodes of hypoglycemia occur far more often than is captured in electronic medical records, pointing to a nationwide need for improved tracking of these events.
In Reducing Deaths from Heart Disease and Stroke, Kaiser Permanente Outpaces Nation

In Reducing Deaths from Heart Disease and Stroke, Kaiser Permanente Outpaces Nation

April 3, 2018

Death rates from heart disease and stroke in adults under age 65 are lower and dropping faster for Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California than in the rest of the United States, according to new research published today in the American Journal of Medicine.
Integrated Program Improves Heart and Stroke Risk Factors in Those With Diabetes

Integrated Program Improves Heart and Stroke Risk Factors in Those With Diabetes

March 22, 2018

Over a 10-year period, control of three key cardiovascular risk factors improved faster for Kaiser Permanente diabetes patients in Northern California than in the rest of the United States, according to research published in the American Journal of Medicine.
30-Year National Study Shows Women Who Breastfeed for 6 Months or More Reduce their Diabetes Risk by 50%

30-Year National Study Shows Women Who Breastfeed for 6 Months or More Reduce their Diabetes Risk by 50%

January 16, 2018

In a long-term national study, breastfeeding for six months or longer cuts the risk of developing type 2 diabetes nearly in half for women throughout their childbearing years, according to new Kaiser Permanente research published Jan. 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Electronic health records are linked to improved diabetes care for Kaiser Permanente patients

Electronic health records are linked to improved diabetes care for Kaiser Permanente patients

October 15, 2013

Video: KP scientists on electronic health records Kaiser Permanente’s electronic health records are world-renowned for their pivotal role in providing...
Study Results Aid Understanding of Gestational Diabetes

Study Results Aid Understanding of Gestational Diabetes

October 10, 2013

A Division of Research study may lead toward less gestational diabetes. Interview by Lynn Mundell, editor, Inside KP Northern California...
Pacific Islanders, South Asians and Filipinos Have Higher Rates of Diabetes Than All Other Ethnic Groups

Pacific Islanders, South Asians and Filipinos Have Higher Rates of Diabetes Than All Other Ethnic Groups

November 13, 2012

Rates of diagnosed diabetes are much higher among some Asian subgroups than is apparent when aggregating all Asians as a...
Electronic Health Records Aid in Diabetes Care

Electronic Health Records Aid in Diabetes Care

November 13, 2012

DOR researchers found that the use of electronic health records at 17 Northern California medical centers was associated with significant...
Depression Increases Risk of Dementia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Depression Increases Risk of Dementia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

December 21, 2011

Depression in patients with diabetes is associated with a substantively increased risk of development of dementia compared to those with...
Cycling for health: Division staffer on diabetes study founds East Bay group for African-American cyclists

Cycling for health: Division staffer on diabetes study founds East Bay group for African-American cyclists

August 12, 2011

Jenna Burton, a research associate for the Division of Research on a gestational diabetes study, founded a bicycling group for...
Recently published: Three studies advance gestational diabetes research

Recently published: Three studies advance gestational diabetes research

June 27, 2011

Researchers at the Division of Research have conducted recently published observational research that underscores the importance of reducing the risk...
Newly funded: Research to help new moms with gestational diabetes gets start with $8.5M grant

Newly funded: Research to help new moms with gestational diabetes gets start with $8.5M grant

January 23, 2011

A wanted pregnancy is among life’s most joyful events. But for about 7 percent of expectant mothers in the United...
Gestational diabetes: Integrated care improves study consistency

Gestational diabetes: Integrated care improves study consistency

January 22, 2011

Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care model helps researchers in this study. Pre-pregnancy, during-pregnancy and after-pregnancy care are all received by participants...
Gestational diabetes: Comparing treatment options

Gestational diabetes: Comparing treatment options

January 22, 2011

Comparative effectiveness research is a big term for a simple idea. How do health care providers like Kaiser Permanente decide...
Gestational diabetes: Can affect a baby’s genes

Gestational diabetes: Can affect a baby’s genes

January 22, 2011

For the vast majority of women with gestational diabetes, good pre- and postnatal health care, including watching diet and weight,...
Language barriers linked to worse diabetes control

Language barriers linked to worse diabetes control

January 21, 2011

When patients cannot talk with doctors about diabetes in their own language, even when interpreter services are available, poorer diabetes...

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