As a research center embedded within Kaiser Permanente’s large and dynamic health care system, our investigators have a unique opportunity to apply scientific expertise to real-world clinical problems, translate findings into practice, and share what we learn with the broader community.
Dr. Bechien Wu is a gastroenterologist with a subspecialty focus in pancreatology at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. His research focuses on pancreatic disorders including pancreatitis and malignant and premalignant conditions of the pancreas. His work has also addressed risk-stratification in gastric cancer and improving care for patients with hereditary cancer syndromes. He was selected for the second group of participants in the Southern California Permanente Medical Group ...
Over the years, clinical trials have led to amazing advances in treatment—even cures—for devastating illnesses. William Towner, MD, FACP, FIDSA, regional physician director for clinical trials, describes how trials at Kaiser Permanente contribute to the development of more effective and safer treatments for diseases such as HIV, hepatitis C, cancer, and more. (2:15)
It’s well established – but not widely known – that smoking cigarettes increases the risk of bladder cancer. Now, new research shows that current and former smokers are also at higher risk of having their bladder cancer recur after treatment. The study, published November 30 in JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from the Be-Well Study, ...
A study of nearly 2 million pediatric Kaiser Permanente members reinforces known links between children’s chances of experiencing a firearm injury and certain risk factors — especially being an adolescent male. The study, which appeared recently in Academic Pediatrics, addresses a number of additional risk factors, providing a broad view of the risk of firearm ...
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, so it’s not surprising that exposure to poor air quality worsens patient outcomes. But how does air pollution affect people who are vaccinated? To answer that question, a team of researchers analyzed data from more than 50,000 Kaiser Permanente Southern California COVID-19 patients. By comparing publicly available air quality monitoring ...
Early detection and screening of breast cancer has allowed most women to thrive long after their diagnosis. However, women of color persistently experience disparities in outcomes. Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation have been working to find ways to reduce these disparities and improve the survival rates for all ...
A maternal and child health epidemiologist, Nana Mensah, PhD, MPH, is in the first year of her post-doctoral program at the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation. Through her research working with the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Pregnancy Registry, she seeks to understand how clinical guidelines and practices shape birth outcomes in ...
In this issue of IMPACT, we share new research on firearm injuries among young people, breast cancer survival rates, and air pollution and COVID-19 outcomes. You also can see job openings, and help us make the newsletter better in the future.
Investigators with the Division of Biostatistics Research collaborate closely with scientists from the department’s other scientific divisions, as well as physician researchers at medical centers across Kaiser Permanente Southern California. They provide expertise and guidance on study design, power and sample size calculations, data management, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical methodology.
Investigators from the division have expertise in study design and data analysis for observational studies and clinical trials to address study questions. Their expertise spans standard and modern methods that deal with complex and big data for population and causal inferences as well as disease prediction.
Each division has at least one dedicated collaborative biostatistician research scientist assigned to provide statistical guidance on its research studies. In addition, one of the collaborative biostatistician researcher scientists leads the Regional Research Statistical Support team, which supports medical center-based researchers.