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. ...
Diabetic eye damage reflects future cardiovascular risks
March 29, 2021People with type 2 diabetes may develop diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition that can lead to vision loss. Now, a study of over 77,000 Kaiser Permanente Southern California members shows that greater severity of diabetic retinopathy is strongly associated with a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, congestive heart failure, and death from any cause. “Preventive ...Read more...Pneumonia vaccine may affect course of COVID-19
March 10, 2021One type of pneumonia vaccine, the PCV13 vaccine, may affect the course of COVID-19 for some older adult patients, new research shows. The Kaiser Permanente study was published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. “Kaiser Permanente members who received the PCV13 vaccine appeared to be diagnosed with COVID-19 less often, and when they were, they seemed ...Read more...Dr. Fatemi named 2020 Researcher of the Year
March 9, 2021Shireen Fatemi, MD, FACE, FACP, an endocrinologist at Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center, has been named the 2020 Southern California Permanente Medical Group Researcher of the Year. The award has been given each year since 2007 to recognize a physician or surgeon for his or her outstanding contributions to the research community. Dr. Fatemi ...Read more...Scientists and physicians continue to research COVID-19 risks and outcomes
March 3, 2021As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, researchers and physicians at Kaiser Permanente Southern California are analyzing the data collected and lessons learned over the first year of the pandemic to find better ways to test, treat, and care for patients. On January 26, a few of the researchers and scientists shared their latest projects at a ...Read more...Five questions for … Dr. Kristen Choi
March 3, 2021Kristen Choi, PHD, MS, RN, is a child/adolescent psychiatric nurse and health services researcher who is also an adjunct investigator with the Department of Research & Evaluation. She is an assistant professor at the UCLA School of Nursing and associate director of nursing for the UCLA National Clinician Scholars Program. Dr. Choi studies health services ...Read more...Researchers examine association of preterm birth and chemicals in flame-retardant fabrics
March 3, 2021A Kaiser Permanente Southern California study of 3,500 women showed that pregnant women with high levels of PDBE-47, a chemical used in flame-retardant fabrics, were at increased risk of giving birth early in the pregnancy. The study, “Women with high plasma levels of PBDE-47 are at increased risk of preterm birth” was published recently in the ...Read more...Promoting heart health through research
February 2, 2021Kaiser Permanente researcher seeks to reduce heart disease by finding better ways to prevent, detect, and treat high blood pressure, known as a “silent killer.” Epidemiologists are scientists who study patterns of diseases and health conditions in large populations. Early in her career as an epidemiologist, Kristi Reynolds, PhD, MPH, decided to focus on heart health. ...Read more...Self-order option boosts colorectal cancer screening rates
January 21, 2021A study among Kaiser Permanente members in Southern California shows that allowing patients to self-order a colorectal cancer screening test online improves rates of testing completion. The rates of both completion and follow-up activities were higher among patients who ordered the tests themselves than those who received the test kit automatically in the mail when ...Read more...Chest pain risk assessment may reduce treatment disparities
December 23, 2020The use of a standardized tool for assessing the risk of serious outcomes in patients with chest pain was associated with women at high risk receiving comparable care to men, according to new research published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Care received by women at low and intermediate risk was consistent with current clinical ...Read more...Progression of children’s myopia may be influenced by race and ethnicity
December 2, 2020Asian American children are at a much higher risk of a progression of myopia—commonly known as nearsightedness—a new Kaiser Permanente Southern California study shows. “Some people think of myopia only as an issue that can be easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses. However, myopic patients have a higher risk of vision loss throughout life as ...Read more...