Health disparities Archives

Racial and ethnic disparities seen in medications provided to patients with type 2 diabetes

March 19, 2024

Patients from certain racial and ethnic groups are less likely to receive the newer type 2 diabetes medications that keep blood sugar levels stable and reduce the risk of heart and kidney disease.

Early-career researchers embrace unique opportunity to improve health care

December 11, 2023

The Division of Research is currently hosting one of its largest groups of postdoctoral research fellows.

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.

Working at a mentally challenging job linked to lower chance of later cognitive decline

April 14, 2023

A new study from Kaiser Permanente Division of Research investigators suggests one factor in late-life cognitive decline may be how intellectually challenging a person’s job is.

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.

Neighborhood privilege tied to timing of girls’ puberty

March 8, 2023

New Kaiser Permanente study explores the ties between racial segregation and risk factors for early puberty in Black and Latinx girls.

Current air pollution standards are insufficient to reduce heart risks

February 24, 2023

Long-term exposure to air pollution is tied to an increased risk of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease — with the greatest harms impacting under-resourced communities, new Kaiser Permanente research shows.

State-level educational quality linked to risk of dementia

February 13, 2023

People attending schools in states with higher state-level educational quality are less likely to develop dementia in late life, according to a new Kaiser Permanente analysis published in JAMA Neurology.

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.

Podcast: Improving lung cancer survival

November 16, 2022

In this episode of KP Research Radio, Lori Sakoda, PhD, a research scientist at the Division of Research, and Jeff Velotta, MD, a thoracic surgeon with The Permanente Medical Group, discuss early lung cancer detection, ways to promote equitable lung cancer care, and Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s regionalized lung cancer care program.

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.

Childhood weight tied to timing of puberty

August 23, 2022

New Kaiser Permanente study is the largest and most racially and ethnically diverse to date to show an association between early obesity and puberty onset in boys and girls.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Autistic people join autism project – as research partners

April 19, 2022

A group of Kaiser Permanente investigators is inviting their study subjects — autistic people — to participate as research partners, providing their own unique perspective on being autistic. Their initial focus is on gender, sexuality, and reproductive health in autism, but once trained, the advisers could help shape any future research project.

Medical assistants help close virtual visit digital divide

April 11, 2022

Patients participating in video visits with their primary care doctors in fall 2020 benefited from having a medical assistant help connect the call, particularly if they needed language interpretation or lived in a low-socioeconomic-status neighborhood, according to new Kaiser Permanente research.

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.

Neighborhood green space tied to lower health care costs

March 18, 2022

New Kaiser Permanente research finds health care system costs were lower for people who live in greener areas.

Colorectal cancer screening program erases disparities in outcomes

February 23, 2022

Regional program eliminated disparities in colorectal cancer death rates between Black and white members in Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Blood pressure patterns in early pregnancy tied to later risk of pregnancy-related hypertension complications

February 9, 2022

Kaiser Permanente research suggests blood pressure patterns seen during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy may offer critical clues to identify the patients most likely to develop high blood pressure complications later in their pregnancies.

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.

Method found to remove race from controversial kidney function equations without losing accuracy

December 27, 2021

New England Journal of Medicine selects study led by research scientist Alan Go, MD, as 1 of its 14 Notable Articles of 2021 due to its potential to change medical practice and improve patient care.

AI points to ways to improve doctor-patient communication

December 17, 2021

New study from Kaiser Permanente and UCSF aims to help doctors provide better care for patients with low health literacy.

People with HIV are at increased risk for heart failure

December 13, 2021

The Kaiser Permanente study found the risk difference was more pronounced in women, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and people under 40.

Patients who need language interpretation less likely to initially choose a video visit

November 4, 2021

Patients with limited English proficiency who need a language interpreter for a telemedicine visit were less likely to choose a video visit for their first time than patients who did not need an interpreter, Kaiser Permanente research found.

HIV prevention treatment shows gaps among key populations

August 26, 2021

A large, detailed look by Kaiser Permanente researchers at patients taking HIV-prevention drug therapy finds strong adherence soon after patients get the prescription, but less consistent use thereafter, particularly among groups considered high priority for receiving the medication.

Gender, sexuality in autism a largely unexplored area of research

April 27, 2021

The Autism Research Program at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research is pursuing a new project to identify gaps in knowledge about gender, sexuality, and reproductive health among autistic people. Our KP Research Radio podcast explores the issue.

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.

Stroke rate four times higher in Black young and middle-aged adults, compared to whites

March 29, 2021

Kaiser Permanente research shows the need for increased education about the dangers of high blood pressure.

American Indian, Alaska Native women less likely to start and complete hormone therapy for breast cancer

February 23, 2021

Kaiser Permanente study, believed to be the first to look at hormone therapy initiation and adherence in this population, suggests lower rates of use may be contributing to higher breast cancer death rates.

Heart failure hospitalizations and deaths vary by race and ethnicity

January 25, 2021

Black patients with heart failure have higher rates of hospitalization for heart failure but lower rates of death than white patients with heart failure, a new Kaiser Permanente study shows.

Long-term exposure to air pollution increases risk of dying from heart disease and stroke

January 4, 2021

New study is first to quantify and compare the effects of long-term exposure to small particle pollution on risk for different types of cardiovascular disease.

Unique genetic factors and ancestry, along with lifestyle, influence skin cancer risk

December 14, 2020

People can look to the Northern European side of their genetic heritage for increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer, according to the first large analysis of genetic risk factors for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in diverse populations with European ancestry from Kaiser Permanente researchers.

Girls who do not live with both parents more likely to start puberty early

October 28, 2020

New study by research scientist Ai Kubo, MPH, PhD, adds to the evidence suggesting a link between early life family structure and onset of puberty.

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.

Helping patients make informed decisions about prostate cancer screening

September 17, 2020

Listen to our new KP Research Radio episode and learn more about the risks and benefits of the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer.

5 Questions for… Marvin Langston

July 28, 2020

Early career researcher Marvin Langston, PhD, MPH, studies potential links between infections, inflammation, and cancer as well as racial/ethnic and sexual minority health disparities.

Early colorectal cancer screening benefits African Americans

July 20, 2020

Kaiser Permanente researchers showed starting annual colorectal cancer screening at age 45 in African Americans can find colorectal cancers at a rate similar to that seen when screening starts after age 50 — the age most guidelines currently recommend.

Kaiser Permanente reduces racial disparities in who gets minimally invasive hysterectomies

December 6, 2019

Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California hospitals significantly increased minimally invasive surgery for hysterectomy and found the change also reduced racial disparities in the types of hysterectomies patients get.

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.

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.

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.

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.

5 Questions for… Alyce Adams

June 20, 2018

Alyce Adams, PhD, tackles 5 questions about the barriers to health care among vulnerable patient populations and her motivation towards finding solutions.

Caring for Adults with Autism

April 27, 2018

April is Autism Awareness Month; a new body of Kaiser Permanente research highlights the needs of people with autism transitioning from pediatric to adult health care.

Delivery Science fellowship powers nuanced cancer care research

October 31, 2017

Patients with cancer often face barriers to optimal care, and Devon Check, PhD, a second-year Delivery Science Fellow in the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, seeks to understand these hurdles inside and out.

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,...

Study Targets Hypertension Disparity

July 22, 2013

This year, the KP Northern California Division of Research received an $11 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders...

Landmark Heart Study Pioneers Science of Health Disparities

February 20, 2013

Study pioneers the science of health disparities—and launches quest to solve big problems in health care.

Vitamin D supplementation lags among people who may need it most

January 24, 2013

Many adult members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California who are at high risk for vitamin D insufficiency are not getting...

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...

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...

Breaking the mold: CARDIA changes cardiovascular disease research

January 25, 2011

Until the 1980s, all that was known about the leading cause of death among Americans — cardiovascular disease — had...

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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