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. Matthew Mefford is a cardiovascular disease epidemiologist and research scientist in the Department of Research & Evaluation. His research interests focus on cardiovascular health including the study of risk factors, treatments, and cardiovascular outcomes, with an emphasis on the heart failure. He also maintains a broad focus on the prevention and treatment of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes for reducing cardiovascular disease risk.
Dr. Mefford has collaborated on cardiovascular ...
Being active can lower your risk of getting seriously ill with COVID, regardless of your race or the chronic conditions you may have, according to research published last year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The Kaiser Permanente Southern California findings were important, impactful, and influential. As a result, the journal editors chose the research article, “Associations of Physical Inactivity and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Subgroups,” as the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023 Article of the Year.
A Kaiser Permanente found that bariatric surgery reduced health care costs for adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity. The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in February 2025. “The study shows that both Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) help reduce health care costs for people with type 2 ...
Research by physicians at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center is helping patients with heart failure to transition more smoothly and safely to dialysis if they develop chronic kidney disease. “We wanted to look at whether patients with heart failure have any differences in how they transition to dialysis compared to those patients without ...
Most individuals in the United States who are pregnant are not getting the vaccines that could protect them — and their babies — from COVID-19, flu, and whooping cough, a new study shows. This is especially true among those who are on Medicaid. The nationwide study on vaccination during pregnancy was published in the American ...
The benefits of intensive blood pressure shown in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) also helps patients with chronic kidney disease, according to new research led by Kaiser Permanente and Stanford University. The study was published in January 2025 in JAMA Network Open. The SPRINT clinical trial included adults with hypertension and elevated cardiovascular ...
Young people who frequently used electronic media, such as computers, television, and social media, had less physical activity, more stress, and modest cognitive challenges. The study was published in January 2025 in Preventive Medicine. “Our research found an association between electronic media use and a negative impact on youth,” said the study’s lead author, Deborah ...
In our newest edition of IMPACT, we share some of our recent research including one study about the effectiveness of the side-effect monitor our researchers developed during the early days of COVID that has gone onto being used to get feedback on other vaccines. Another study examined issues with chronic kidney disease, and the story reveals how that research has gone onto change practice. Other stories focus on research into air pollution and the risk of preterm birth, younger adults and colon cancer screening outreach, opioid use among breast cancer survivors and the risk of falls, COVID vaccines, and heart failure. We’ve also got 2 Q&As, one with the 2024 physician researcher of the year and one with the director of our Division of Epidemiologic Research.
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.