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. DOR’s 600-plus staff is currently working on more than 580 epidemiological and health services research projects. Read our story on how it all began and in our interactive anniversary timeline.
Parental Exposure to BPA During Pregnancy Associated with Decreased Birth Weight in Offspring
OAKLAND Calif. — Parental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy is associated with decreased birth weight of offspring, compared with offspring from families without parental BPA exposure in the workplace, according to Kaiser Permanente researchers. The observational study is published…
Lifestyle Interventions in Women with Gestational Diabetes May Prevent Diabetes by Reducing Pregnancy Weight Retention and Helping Overweight Women Lose Weight
OAKLAND, Calif., -- In women with gestational diabetes, a lifestyle intervention, including modified diet and physical activity that starts during pregnancy and continues postpartum is feasible and may prevent diabetes by reducing pregnancy weight retention and help overweight women lose…
Autism registry is first Division project funded by new national mental health research network
A registry to advance research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) will be the first Division of Research project supported by the Mental Health Research Network (MHRN), a multi-partner effort funded by a $10.5 million federal grant aimed at speeding up…
Blue Sky: Kaiser Permanente holds first symposium exploring future of autism research
Researchers from around the country gathered in San Francisco in early March to share information on the current state of autism research, highlight knowledge gaps and identify priority autism research topics that Kaiser Permanente may be uniquely positioned to investigate.…
Elderly Diabetes Patients with Very Low Glucose Levels Have Slightly Increased Risk of Death
A new study of older diabetes patients has found that well-controlled blood sugar levels were associated with a lower risk of major complications such as heart attacks, amputation and kidney disease, but the very lowest blood sugar levels were associated…
Newly funded: $10.5M grant kickstarts national network to speed mental health research
A three-year $10.5 million federal grant awarded in December to help speed up mental health research will rely heavily on data from members of six Kaiser Permanente regions, including Kaiser Permanente Northern California. The Mental Health Research Network, to be…
Immunization Not Associated with Increases in ER Visits or Hospitalizations for Children with Inborn Errors of Metabolism
OAKLAND Calif. — Children with inborn errors of metabolism received vaccines on the same immunization schedule as did healthy infants, according to Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center scientists who examined the Kaiser Permanente Northern California population. In addition, immunization was…
Large Weight Gain Raises Risk for Recurrence Among Breast Cancer Survivors
Oakland, Calif. — Breast cancer survivors who experience large weight gain have an increased risk of death after diagnosis, according to research scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif. Breast cancer survivors who experienced large weight…
Novel Technology Yields Flu Vaccine That Is Safe for Healthy Adults
OAKLAND, Calif. – Influenza vaccination using proteins derived from recommended virus strains and produced with recombinant DNA methods yields flu vaccines that are safe for healthy adults, according to Kaiser Permanente researchers. The study is published in the current issue…
Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics May Be Important and Currently Missed Opportunities to Better Manage Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
OAKLAND, Calif. – In a study of more than 30,000 women under the age of 50 in two large United States integrated healthcare delivery systems, researchers found that women presenting with elevated blood pressures in obstetrics-gynecology clinics were observed to…
