Racial-ethnic differences in prevalence of social determinants of health and social risks among middle-aged and older adults in a Northern California health plan
Social determinants of health (SDoHs) and social risks (SRs) have been associated with adverse health and healthcare utilization and racial/ethnic disparities. However, there is limited information about the prevalence of SRs in non-"safety net" adult populations and how SRs differ…
Association of Social and Behavioral Risk Factors With Earlier Onset of Adult Hypertension and Diabetes
The National Academy of Medicine has recommended incorporating information on social and behavioral factors associated with health, such as educational level and exercise, into electronic health records, but questions remain about the clinical value of doing so. To examine whether…
Digital Information Technology Use and Patient Preferences for Internet-Based Health Education Modalities: Cross-Sectional Survey Study of Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Chronic Health Conditions
Health information, patient education, and self-management (health information and advice, HIA) tools are increasingly being made available to adults with chronic health conditions through internet-based health and mobile health (mHealth) digital information technologies. However, there is limited information about patient…
Prevalence and Factors Influencing Use of Internet and Electronic Health Resources by Middle-Aged and Older Adults in a US Health Plan Population: Cross-Sectional Survey Study
Health care organizations are increasingly using electronic health (eHealth) platforms to provide and exchange health information and advice (HIA). There is limited information about how factors beyond internet access affect use of eHealth resources by middle-aged and older adults. We…
Sexual Orientation Disparities in Physical Activity: Results From Insured Adults in California
The majority of adults in the United States fail to meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) physical activity (PA) guideline recommendations for health promotion. Despite evidence of disparities by sexual orientation in adverse health outcomes related to…
Similarities and Differences in Health Indicators and Health Care Use Among Asian Ethnic Groups
This study will examine whether significant differences across Asian ethnic groups in prevalence of chronic diseases, behavioral/psychosocial risk factors, preventive service use, and patient portal use are masked when statistics are reported for “Asians.” It will utilize electronic health records…
Understanding functional and social risk characteristics of frail older adults: a cross-sectional survey study
Frailty is a condition of increasing importance, given the aging adult population. With an anticipated shortage of geriatricians, primary care physicians will increasingly need to manage care for frail adults with complex functional risks and social-economic circumstances. We used cross-sectional…
Older adults’ readiness to engage with eHealth patient education and self-care resources: a cross-sectional survey
This study examined access to digital technologies, skills and experience, and preferences for using web-based and other digital technologies to obtain health information and advice among older adults in a large health plan. A primary aim was to assess the…
Does Combining Asians Into One Group Mask Important Ethnic Group Differences in Health and Health Care Use?
This study will examine whether significant differences across Asian ethnic groups in prevalence of chronic diseases, behavioral and psychosocial risk factors, preventive service use, and patient-portal use are masked when statistics are reported for Asians. We will use a very…
Racial-Ethnic Differences in Fall Prevalence among Older Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study
Falls are the leading cause of hip fracture in older women, with important public health implications. Fall risk increases with age and other clinical factors, and varies by race/ethnicity. International studies suggest that fall risk is lower in Asians, although…
The Kaiser Permanente Northern California Adult Member Health Survey
The Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Member Health Survey (MHS) is used to describe sociodemographic and health-related characteristics of the adult membership of this large, integrated health care delivery system to monitor trends over time, identify health disparities, and conduct…
Differences in Access to and Preferences for Using Patient Portals and Other eHealth Technologies Based on Race, Ethnicity, and Age: A Database and Survey Study of Seniors in a Large Health Plan
Patients are being encouraged to go online to obtain health information and interact with their health care systems. However, a 2014 survey found that less than 60% of American adults aged 65 and older use the Internet, with much lower…
Factors associated with use and non-use of the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kit for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Response to a 2012 outreach screening program: a survey study
The one-sample fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is gaining popularity for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening of average-risk people. However, uptake and annual use remain suboptimal. In 2013, we mailed questionnaires to three groups of nonHispanic White, Black, and Latino Kaiser Permanente…
Variation in vitamin D supplementation among adults in a multi-race/ethnic health plan population, 2008
BACKGROUND: Vitamin D may have a role in many chronic conditions in addition to bone health. Nutritional surveys among Americans have reported high levels of vitamin D insufficiency, especially among Blacks and Latinos. Our study examined variation in vitamin D…
Ethnic disparities in accessing treatment for depression and substance use disorders in an integrated health plan
OBJECTIVE: This study examined ethnic differences in accessing treatment for depression and substance use disorders (SUDs) among men and women in a large integrated health plan, and explored factors potentially contributing to health care disparities. METHODS: Participants were 22,543 members…
Differences in reproductive risk factors for breast cancer in middle-aged women in Marin County, California and a sociodemographically similar area of Northern California
BACKGROUND: The Northern California county of Marin (MC) has historically had high breast cancer incidence rates. Because of MC's high socioeconomic status (SES) and racial homogeneity (non-Hispanic White), it has been difficult to assess whether these elevated rates result from…
Race/ethnicity and validity of self-reported pneumococcal vaccination
BACKGROUND: National and state surveys show large disparities in pneumococcal vaccination status among Whites, Blacks and Latinos aged >/= 65. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is any difference in the validity of self-report for pneumococcal…
Gay/Lesbian sexual orientation increases risk for cigarette smoking and heavy drinking among members of a large Northern California health plan
BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE: Tobacco and alcohol use and related morbidity and mortality are critical public health problems. Results of several, but not all, studies suggest that lesbians and gay men are at elevated risk for smoking tobacco and alcohol misuse.…
Use of dietary supplements by female seniors in a large Northern California health plan
BACKGROUND: Women aged >or= 65 years are high utilizers of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and many of these women are also taking dietary supplements. Dietary supplement use by older women is a concern because of possible side effects and drug-supplement…
Use of complementary and alternative medicine by the adult membership of a large northern California health maintenance organization, 1999
Data from general health surveys completed by random samples of adult members of a large Northern California health maintenance organization in 1996 and 1999 were used to investigate (a) the prevalence of use of 15 complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)…
Nonvitamin, nonmineral supplement use over a 12-month period by adult members of a large health maintenance organization
OBJECTIVE: National survey data show an increase in the prevalence of nonvitamin, nonmineral (NVNM) supplement use among adults over the past 10 years. Concern over this trend is based in part on reports of potential drug-supplement interactions. The type and…
Patient knowledge and awareness of hypertension is suboptimal: results from a large health maintenance organization
Patient knowledge and awareness of hypertension are important factors in achieving blood pressure control. To examine hypertensive patients' knowledge of their condition, the authors randomly surveyed 2500 hypertension patients from a large health maintenance organization; questionnaires were supplemented with clinic…
Patterns of cigarette smoking and alcohol use among lesbians and bisexual women enrolled in a large health maintenance organization
OBJECTIVES: This study compared the prevalence of cigarette smoking and alcohol use among lesbians and bisexual women with that among heterosexual women. METHODS: Logistic regression models were created with data from an extensive member health survey at a large health…
Use of and interest in alternative therapies among adult primary care clinicians and adult members in a large health maintenance organization
During spring 1996, random samples of adult primary care physicians, obstetrics-gynecology physicians and nurse practitioners, and adult members of a large northern California group practice model health maintenance organization (HMO) were surveyed by mail to assess the use of alternative…
