Uncategorized Archives

Algorithm can label messages to physicians to streamline review process

April 4, 2024

An artificial intelligence (AI) powered system that categorizes patient messages assisted regional staff in resolving about a third of the messages so they never reached the inboxes of busy doctors.

Comparison of fibroid treatment finds surgical removal has fewest follow-up procedures

March 28, 2024

Uterine fibroids are a common, non-cancerous condition that can be treated using several different methods that preserve the uterus. A long-term review of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) patients finds varying rates of follow-up procedures.

Medical records, AI offer clues for spotting suicide risk

March 27, 2024

A computer model trained on medical records and applied to the past medical history of nearly a million Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients was able to identify many patients at risk for later suicide attempts.

Childhood adversity and low resilience may increase odds of depression, anxiety in pregnancy

February 29, 2024

In a new Kaiser Permanente study of pregnant patients, those with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were more likely to develop a new diagnosis of depression or anxiety during pregnancy, as were those with low resilience.

Study explores weight gain with HIV treatment

February 6, 2024

A unique study comparing people with HIV starting antiretroviral medication treatment (ART) with demographically similar people without HIV found greater weight gain over 2 years in those with HIV.

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.

Study of dementia and healthy brain aging in Black Americans extended for 5 years

January 18, 2024

The Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR) will be funded for another 5 years by the National Institute on Aging, with a $24 million grant.

Certain people with HIV may need more help to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease

January 16, 2024

The well-established higher risk of cardiovascular disease in people with HIV compared with people without HIV is more pronounced in key subgroups – people with HIV and controlled hypertension, those with inadequately treated cholesterol, and those with a history of frequent unhealthy alcohol use.

Large study of shingles vaccine finds strong effectiveness over 4 years

January 8, 2024

The vaccine currently used to protect people against shingles maintains strong effectiveness over 4 years post-vaccination, according to a Kaiser Permanente-led research study.

Kaiser Permanente coordinates real-world demonstrations of AI, machine learning in health care

December 18, 2023

The Kaiser Permanente Augmented Intelligence in Medicine and Healthcare Initiative (AIM-HI) Coordinating Center awarded 5 health care organizations with funding to pursue research projects deploying artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to enhance diagnostic decision-making in health care.

Hospital may be a good place to help patients stop smoking

December 15, 2023

An electronic reminder to recommend smoking cessation therapy to hospitalized patients substantially increased the number of people getting therapy and was related to a 5% increase in patients who said they stopped smoking tobacco.

Flublok vaccine improved protection from flu for older adults

December 13, 2023

A higher-dose flu vaccine using recombinant technology was associated with 15% fewer flu cases in older patients than the commonly used, standard-dose flu vaccine.

Cannabis use in pregnancy may raise infant health risks

November 27, 2023

A large Kaiser Permanente study of more than 360,000 mothers and infants found increased likelihood of low birthweight and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit for babies whose mothers used cannabis during pregnancy.

Asthma, obesity during pregnancy linked to autism in children

October 20, 2023

Mothers with asthma or obesity during pregnancy had higher rates of children diagnosed with autism, according to a new Kaiser Permanente analysis.

Telehealth primary care outcomes remained steady well into 2021

October 16, 2023

New research finds patients treated during the COVID-19 pandemic had similar medical outcomes whether they saw their doctor in-person or virtually.

Most telehealth users say they are interested in using it again

September 21, 2023

A survey of 1,000 Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients who used a phone or video visit to see their primary care doctor in 2020 found that most were satisfied with their visit, and two-thirds are interested in using telemedicine again.

5 Questions for . . . Jennifer Ames

August 24, 2023

Autism investigator Jennifer Ames thought she’d go to medical school, but a research assistant job shifted her trajectory into research.

Pregnant patients seek open-minded support from doctors on cannabis

August 10, 2023

People who have used legal cannabis during pregnancy say they would welcome non-judgmental advice from their doctors about its possible negative side effects, according to new focus group research led by Kaiser Permanente Northern California researchers.

Autism-related traits more likely in children of mothers with prenatal depression

August 1, 2023

A Kaiser Permanente analysis of parents and their children in communities across the country finds a greater likelihood of autism-related traits in children of mothers who experienced depression while they were pregnant.

Podcast: Using metabolomics to understand gestational diabetes

July 26, 2023

This KP Research Radio podcast explores the use of metabolomics to predict who will get gestational diabetes, and why.

Acute kidney injury will not worsen subsequent chronic kidney disease

July 24, 2023

New research from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort study, co-led by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, found mild-to-moderate acute kidney injury does not predict worsening of kidney function.

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.

Widely used triage method overestimates severity of a quarter of emergency department patients

March 17, 2023

A Kaiser Permanente study looking at the application of the Emergency Severity Index — a method commonly used to triage emergency department patients — found some imprecision, suggesting there may be an opportunity for the ESI to be updated.

Common HIV medication associated with improved COVID-19 outcomes

March 1, 2023

A medication used to treat HIV and to prevent at-risk people from contracting the virus may improve COVID-19 outcomes for both groups, according to research from Kaiser Permanente published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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.

Intimate partner violence jumped early in pandemic

February 22, 2023

Pregnant Kaiser Permanente patients were more likely to report intimate partner violence or living in unstable or unsafe situations during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research published in JAMA Network Open.

Cancer diagnosis hastens aging in women

January 19, 2023

Kaiser Permanente study finds postmenopausal women with cancer report a greater decline in physical function than women who have not had cancer.

Public health group honors Kaiser Permanente researcher with Young Professional Award

November 3, 2022

Kelly Young-Wolff, PhD, MPH, a clinical psychologist and Kaiser Permanente Division of Research investigator who studies substance use among vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, was awarded the 2022 Young Professional Award by the American Public Health Association (APHA) Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Section.

National quality measurements may not accurately reflect a hospital’s surgical risks

September 13, 2022

A new Kaiser Permanente study finds the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project report falls short on estimates of a patient’s risk of developing heart problems after surgery.

5 Questions for…Hélène Choquet

September 8, 2022

Researcher Hélène Choquet, PhD, was in college studying biology when she heard about the first complete sequencing of the human genome; her interest in genetics has led her to a career exploring the genome for the origins of disease.

Exercise and diet key in new, updated guideline for cancer survivors

March 16, 2022

Kaiser Permanente research scientists Lawrence H. Kushi, ScD, and Bette Caan, DrPH, contribute to new American Cancer Society survivorship guideline.

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.

Benefit of dialysis unclear for older people with chronic kidney disease and heart failure

January 31, 2022

Kaiser Permanente study highlights the need for more research on the best patient-centered care for people managing both conditions.

Spinal anesthesia improves recovery outcomes in outpatient joint replacement

January 6, 2022

Patients undergoing outpatient total hip and knee replacement surgery had improved recovery outcomes when receiving spinal anesthesia compared with general anesthesia, a Kaiser Permanente study found.

Diverse new class of postdoctoral fellows adds to research strength

October 19, 2021

The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research postdoctoral research program drew one of its largest-ever classes of fellows this year, building the strength of DOR’s research portfolio. Seven fellows cover fields from diet to dementia, cancer to clinical informatics, to women’s and children’s health, and more.

Researchers conduct largest-ever study of abdominal aortic aneurysms

September 20, 2021

Physician researcher Robert Chang, MD, used a Kaiser Permanente Northern California patient registry to determine a patient’s risk of having a large abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture.

For stomach cancer patients, a regionalized cancer care program can improve survival

August 2, 2021

New study describes how patients and physicians benefitted when Kaiser Permanente Northern California established a virtual, multidisciplinary gastric cancer team.

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.

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.

5 Questions for…Elizabeth Cespedes Feliciano

May 25, 2021

Kaiser Permanente research scientist uses her expertise in epidemiology and nutrition to improve outcomes for cancer patients and enhance their survivorship.

Most stroke patients with severe symptoms could seemingly be treated at a primary stroke center

May 3, 2021

Even if emergency personnel were able to use the best stroke assessment tool available, most patients taken directly by ambulance to a comprehensive stroke center could have been treated at a primary stroke center instead, a new Kaiser Permanente study suggests.

Sarcoma patients benefit when expert team develops treatment plan

April 14, 2021

Kaiser Permanente study by adjunct investigator and oncologist/hematologist Minggui Pan, MD, PhD, quantifies impact of a virtual tumor board for rare type of cancer.

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.

$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.

Improving care for people with heart failure

February 18, 2021

KP Research Radio spoke with cardiovascular research scientists Alan Go, MD, and Andrew Ambrosy, MD, about research aimed at improving care for people with heart failure.

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.

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.

New class of early career researchers set to improve health care delivery

November 23, 2020

Four research fellows recently joined the Division of Research postdoc program, embarking on a unique pathway for career development.

Home recovery after surgery is now a mainstay for mastectomy patients

October 26, 2020

In this new episode of KP Research Radio, we talk with Brooke Vuong, MD, a breast cancer surgeon at the Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center, about her research on the Surgical Home Recovery Program and the impact the program has had on her patients.

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.

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.

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…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.

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.

Fewer endometrial cancer diagnoses made during COVID-19 pandemic

July 23, 2020

The number of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer in Kaiser Permanente Northern California during the first 12 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic was more than one-third lower than what would be expected, a new Kaiser Permanente study found.

On-demand HIV prevention pills worked well for San Francisco patients

June 4, 2020

…Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates. “We now have different dosing strategies that can meet the needs of different patients.” –Jonathan Volk, MD, The Permanente Medical Group The 2-1-1 regimen was…

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….

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.

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.

People with medical conditions more likely to abstain from drinking heavily

May 13, 2020

An analysis of 2.7 million Kaiser Permanente patients finds a higher risk of unhealthful drinking among people who drink and have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic liver disease, diabetes, and hypertension.

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.

Heart attack patients who follow more guidelines live longer

March 5, 2020

Patients who followed more medical advice after a heart attack were more likely to survive years later, and their prospects improved with every additional recommendation they followed, according to new research from Kaiser Permanente published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

David Baer, MD: A passion for cancer research

March 2, 2020

David Baer, MD, cofounded the KP Oncology Clinical Trials program in the 1980s. He has enrolled significant numbers of patients in these trials, and helped expand the regional effort into a national KP program. As a leading member of the Northern California Central Research Committee for most of his career, he provides valuable experience in the practicality of research within Kaiser Permanente.

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.

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.

Kaiser Permanente reduces hospitalizations even as sicker patients are admitted

December 4, 2019

Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California hospitals reduced hospitalizations and readmissions even as patients’ conditions increased in severity, a new analysis shows.

Division of Research remembers Bernard Tyson

November 12, 2019

Tyson attended the 2016 celebration honoring Kaiser Permanente participants in CARDIA, a landmark national study of cardiovascular health and disparities.

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.

Historic Kaiser Permanente Artifact Donated to Smithsonian Institution

January 24, 2018

The Smithsonian recently received punch cards used in Kaiser Permanente’s multiphasic exam; the Division of Research (then the Medical Records Research) received its first U.S. Public Health Service grant to automate the results in 1962.

Meet the Division of Research’s inaugural class of physician researchers

June 27, 2017

ROBERT CHANG, MD Vascular Surgery, South San Francisco “I’m thrilled to be a part of TPMG’s focus on clinical research...

Edmund (Ted) Van Brunt, former Kaiser Permanente research director and pioneer of electronic health records, dies at age 91

June 5, 2017

Edmund (Ted) Van Brunt, MD, former director of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and a pioneer in the use of electronic health records in medical science, died at his home in Berkeley on May 19, 2017. He was 91 years old.

Transforming the Health Care Response to Domestic Violence

June 29, 2016

Kaiser Permanente’s Family Violence Prevention Program is getting attention as a national leader in improving the health care response to intimate partner violence.

Video: CARDIA Study Uncovers Critical Findings on Heart Disease and Disparities

December 8, 2015

The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland is one of four CARDIA study sites. Thirty years ago, some 1,400...

Big Data Improves Care for Kaiser Permanente’s Smallest Members

June 9, 2014

Doctors in Kaiser Permanente’s neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) can use an innovative online calculator to determine whether preterm and...

Leading on Screening for Colorectal Cancer

April 18, 2014

The fecal immunochemical test, or FIT, that is mailed to member homes. About 137,000 new cases of cancer in the...

Alcohol Consumption as a Vital Sign

July 2, 2013

By Ann Wallace, Senior Communications Specialist In 2010, with a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,...

Caring for Adults with Autism

May 1, 2013

A working group based in the KP NCAL Division of Research seeks innovative ways to address the health care needs...

DOR advances innovation in colorectal cancer screening

March 28, 2013

The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research has been an indisputable innovator in the science of screening for colorectal cancer; studies...

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...

A Meaningful Mission to Ghana

November 29, 2012

Dr. Maryam M. Asgari spent her summer vacation improving community health in a Ghana village. A paper plate hanging in...

The Division of Research Celebrates 50 Years of Health Research

November 27, 2012

This Fall, the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research celebrated 50 years of excellence in health research. This display, highlighting the Division’s history and...

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...

SPG and SAS Take On Big Data