Pregnant women who use cannabis more likely to live near a cannabis retailer
Pregnant women who lived near recreational use cannabis retailers were more likely to use cannabis early in their pregnancies, new Kaiser Permanente research found.
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.
Mental health treatment rate rose early in pandemic
A detailed analysis of mental health treatment trends during the COVID-19 pandemic found a 7% increase in visits during the initial shelter-in-place period in 2020, compared with the same 3-month period in 2019.
Analysis confirms racial disparities in COVID-19 infection
An analysis of Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California early in the COVID-19 pandemic found racial and ethnic disparities in the likelihood of testing positive for the coronavirus, but no significant disparities in mortality among those who were hospitalized.
Kaiser Permanente data key to nation’s COVID-19 vaccine surveillance strategy
Kaiser Permanente’s Vaccine Study Center is leading a key part of the national safety surveillance effort for the COVID-19 vaccines, tracking patient data for serious side effects.
Pediatrician screening of young people with substance use, mood problems can have long-term results
Adolescents who had access to a brief intervention and referral to treatment for substance use or mood problems at a pediatric clinic were less likely to have a related diagnosis 3 years later, new Kaiser Permanente research finds.
Unique genetic factors and ancestry, along with lifestyle, influence skin cancer risk
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.
Real-time in-hospital alerts associated with lower patient mortality
A sophisticated system that analyzes electronic data about hospital patients, identifies those at risk of deteriorating, and issues an alert to a centralized team of specially trained nurses resulted in a lower mortality rate, Kaiser Permanente researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Active tuberculosis linked to higher long-term risk of death
People who recovered from active tuberculosis had a higher long-term risk of death from any cause than similar patients who never had active tuberculosis shows a new Kaiser Permanente study.
Teens, parents, physicians support screening young people for gender identity, study suggests
Teenagers who question their gender identity may not feel comfortable bringing up the issue with their doctors. New research suggests that adding gender identity questions to a pre-visit screening could make those conversations easier.
Study identifies geographic clusters of pregnant women who missed flu shots
A Kaiser Permanente analysis of women who did not get flu shots during their pregnancies found the women clustered in geographic “hot spots.” These women tended to have fewer prenatal medical visits and live in low-income neighborhoods.
