Opioid tapering and risk of overdose
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued opioid prescribing guidelines in 2016, the national opioid dispensing rates steadily declined. However, while reducing opioid prescriptions is critically important, abruptly stopping opioids for pain has been shown to possibly raise the risk ...
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Five questions for Dr. Talar Habeshian
Talar Habeshian, PhD, MPH, was appointed as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Division of Epidemiologic Research at the Department of Research & Evaluation in August. She will focus on cancer ...
COVID-19 vaccination not linked to tinnitus
New Kaiser Permanente research shows that the COVID-19 vaccine does not increase the risk of developing tinnitus, which is a ringing in the ears. “Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, some people complained ...
Fewer breast cancer patients received imaging follow-up after COVID-19 hit
A new Kaiser Permanente study showed that fewer breast cancer survivors received recommended annual breast cancer imaging in the time after the COVID-19 pandemic period compared to before the pandemic. ...
COVID-19 vaccination not linked to tinnitus
August 12, 2025New Kaiser Permanente research shows that the COVID-19 vaccine does not increase the risk of developing tinnitus, which is a ringing in the ears. “Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, some people complained about hearing some sound after being vaccinated, but it wasn’t actually an external sound, it was tinnitus, which is the perception of sound ...Read more...Finding factors that could help patients achieve remission from Type 2 diabetes
August 12, 2025A diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes typically means a future of blood sugar monitoring and glucose-lowering medications. But interest is growing in identifying which people with diabetes might be able to stop taking their medications and control their disease with diet and exercise alone. A new Kaiser Permanente study, published in Diabetes Care, sheds light ...Read more...Comorbidities could increase risk of other cancers for breast cancer survivors
July 24, 2025Kaiser Permanente research found that breast cancer survivors have a higher risk of developing other cancers if they have other preexisting health conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. “Preexisting health conditions are common in people diagnosed with cancer and what we’ve learned with this study is that comorbidities — experiencing multiple illnesses or disorders ...Read more...Five questions for Dr. Maheen Humayun
July 24, 2025Maheen Humayun, PhD, MPH, is an infectious disease epidemiologist and postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Research & Evaluation. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Humayun worked as an HIV Cluster Detection and Response Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In that role, she analyzed national HIV surveillance data to detect rapid ...Read more...Opioid use associated with increased risk of mortality for breast cancer survivors
July 24, 2025About 16% of breast cancer survivors continued to use opioid pain medications after their cancer treatment was complete, a new Kaiser Permanente study showed. The study also found that risk of death was 84% higher among these survivors who continued to use opioids. The study was published in June 2025 in JNCI Cancer Spectrum. “The most important ...Read more...Tailored outreach may be needed for some young cancer survivors
July 1, 2025Growing numbers of patients are diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15 and 39. These younger cancer patients can have complex health needs after their cancer treatment and should receive health care that includes screening for new cancers, addresses potential issues related to their treatment, and emphasizes general preventive care. Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Southern ...Read more...Researchers study young cancer survivors and their opioid use.
June 16, 2025Young cancer survivors were more likely to be on long-term opioid therapy when compared to their counterparts without cancer. But among those on long-term opioid therapy, young cancer survivors were less likely to develop opioid use disorder than their peers without cancer, according to Kaiser Permanente research. The study was published in Cancer in May 2025. “We ...Read more...Algorithm improves MS treatment while reducing disparities
June 16, 2025A novel treatment algorithm developed and implemented within Kaiser Permanente Southern California increased the use of effective medications for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and reduced treatment disparities for Hispanic and Black patients. “Studies show Hispanic and Black people with MS typically have higher levels of disability than white people, but no studies have addressed whether ...Read more...Five questions for … Dr. Navdeep Sangha
May 20, 2025Navdeep S. Sangha, MD, is a vascular neurologist and co-assistant chief of Neurology at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. He is the director of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Regional Stroke Program and the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Telestroke Program. He joined Los Angeles Medical Center’s Neurology Department in 2012. As the principal investigator for ...Read more...Clinical trials nurse brings skill and compassion to patients in San Diego
May 12, 2025*Final in a series highlighting research nurses during Nurses Week 2025* Michael Fechter, LVN, was an emergency medical technician, working to become a paramedic and firefighter. On one emergency call, a critical care transport nurse suggested something that changed the direction of his career. “She told me that I needed to be where I could make a ...Read more...