Kaiser Permanente
Division of Research Spotlight
The Kaiser Permanente Division of Research conducts, publishes, and disseminates epidemiologic and health services research to improve the health and medical care of Kaiser Permanente members and society at large. We seek to understand the determinants of illness and well-being, and to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care. Currently, DOR’s 550-plus staff is working on more than 350 epidemiological and health services research projects.
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.
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.
A broad look at an ethnically diverse sample of nearly 1 million Kaiser Permanente patients compared the individual contributions of major risk factors for heart attacks and stroke and found physical inactivity a greater risk than expected.
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.
Deaths due to heart failure are increasing in the United States, particularly among the over-age-65 population, according to Kaiser Permanente research published today in JAMA Cardiology.
"To this day, my research interests and clinical practice remain intimately linked, and I firmly believe patient care drives the scientific process, and vice versa."
“This research brings a large amount of data to bear on a basic question, and it gives such a clear answer,” said lead author Alexander C. Flint, MD, PhD, Kaiser Permanente stroke specialist and adjunct researcher with the Division of Research. “Every way you slice the data, the systolic and diastolic pressures are both important.”
“This study demonstrates the importance at every BMI level of having more precise measures of muscle and fat to help identify those patients who are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease,” said co-author Bette J. Caan, DrPH.
In part 2 of our profile series, meet the last three of the seven early-career researchers who began their post-doctoral appointments this past year and represent not only diverse communities but diverse research interests as well.
Seven early-career researchers began their post-doctoral appointments this past year and represent not only diverse communities but diverse research interests as well. This is Part 1 of our new class profile.
