Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute

12/12/2025

Nearly 1 in 10 adolescents and young adults diagnosed with nonmetastatic later develop recurrence, according to a new study. The research — which is the first of its kind to examine metastatic disease in this population — used data from the VOICE (Valuing Opinions and Insight from Cancer Experience) Study, which was co-led by KPWHRI Senior Investigator Jessica Chubak, PhD. JAMA Oncology

The findings highlight the need for tailored survivorship care.

12/03/2025

A new study led by Tessa Matson, PhD, MPH, reinforces the clinical value of the AUDIT-C screening tool, finding that patient-reported alcohol use is associated with .

“AUDIT-C has already proven to be a valuable screening tool in primary care, prompting clinicians to initiate conversations with patients about unhealthy alcohol use,” Matson said. “Linking AUDIT-C scores to mortality risk adds an important dimension to these conversations, which may help patients re-evaluate their drinking habits.”

New findings enhance clinical value of AUDIT-C screening for addressing unhealthy alcohol use in primary care.

11/21/2025

Yates Coley, PhD, and the advanced analytics team at KPWHRI's ACT Center recently published a paper describing a novel predictive model that identifies patients at high risk of hospitalization or death due to COVID-19 infection, helping care teams and patients make informed treatment decisions.

ACT Center paper describes a novel predictive model that identifies patients at high risk of hospitalization or death at Kaiser Permanente Washington.

10/24/2025

Read about the latest news and research from KPWHRI in our Fall 2025 newsletter. And don't forget to subscribe! https://kpwashingtonresearch.org/index.php/news-and-events/newsletter

10/01/2025

Mailing human papillomavirus ( ) self-test kits to patients is an effective and affordable way to boost screening rates, finds a new study conducted at Kaiser Permanente Washington and published in JAMA Network Open.

Study provides economic rationale for health systems to adopt mailed kits for cervical cancer screening.

09/19/2025

Lung cancer screening saves lives, but it needs to be repeated annually to detect cancers at an early stage. A new KPWHRI study led by Karen Wernli, PhD, found that well-timed outreach in print and video can boost awareness of repeat screening. Read about the findings and be sure to check out the "patient voices" video created for this research.

Well-timed outreach in print and video can boost awareness of repeat screening for lung cancer, study finds.

09/19/2025

Impactful research from KPWHRI researcher Erin Bowles, MPH, and affiliate investigator Diana Miglioretti, PhD, finding that 10% of pediatric blood and bone marrow cancers may have stemmed from radiation exposure.

New research finds that 10% of pediatric blood and bone marrow cancers may have stemmed from radiation exposure.

09/16/2025

Excited to share that a new study co-led by KPWHRI on for chronic low back pain in older adults was featured on Good Morning America!

Acupuncture may ease chronic lower back pain in older adults more effectively than standard care, a new JAMA Network Open study finds.

09/12/2025

New research co-led by KPWHRI's Andrea Cook, PhD, finds that improves pain and physical functioning for older adults with chronic low back pain, providing a low-risk alternative for pain management. JAMA Network Open

NIH-funded study finds that acupuncture improves pain, physical functioning for older adults with persistent low back pain.

08/12/2025

Taking frequent standing breaks from sitting may improve older women's health even if their total sitting time stays the same, according to a recent study from Dori Rosenberg, PhD, MPH, and colleagues.

Study suggests that taking short standing breaks can improve health even if total sitting time stays the same.

07/31/2025

New BCSC study reveals that mammographic calcifications increase advanced cancer risk beyond having dense breasts and being overweight/obese.

07/28/2025

Remotely delivered cognitive behavioral therapy ( ) is effective in reducing chronic pain, according to new research from KPWHRI Senior Biostatistics Investigator Andrea Cook. JAMA

Remotely delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing patients’ chronic pain compared with usual care, according to new research.