Child & Adolescent Health
“Kids have so much potential. How can we optimize their health?”
Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPH
Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation
Executive Director of Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute Senior Investigator
Research overview
Babies, children, and teens have specific health needs. Research and evaluation at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) covers family health from pregnancy through childhood and early adulthood.
KPWHRI research and evaluation topics in child and adolescent health include:
- drug safety during pregnancy
- pediatric care quality in health systems
- quality of care for respiratory illnesses
- care and transitions for hospitalized children
- implementation of screening for adverse childhood experiences
- quality of youth mental health care
- programs to support trauma and resilience-informed care for youth
- impact of social determinants of health
- disease prevention through vaccines
“We’re working with families, helping them make healthy eating, exercise, and preventive care part of their busy daily lives,” says Paula Lozano, MD, MPH, Washington Permanente Medical Group associate medical director for research and translation, KPWHRI senior investigator, and Washington Permanente Medical Group pediatrician.
Recent publications on Child & Adolescent Health
Kotlarek KJ, Levene S, Piccorelli AV, Allen GC, Barhaghi K, Neuberger I. Growth and symmetry of the levator veli palatini muscle within the first two years of life. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2024;61(11):1803-1813. doi: 10.1177/10556656231183776. Epub 2023 Jun 25. PubMed
Penfold RB, Idu AE, Coley RY, Cushing-Haugen KL, King D, Glass A, Phillips RC, Renz AD, Pabiniak CJ, Graham VF, Thompson EE, Ralston JD, Simon GE, Gonzalez ES, Myers KM, Beck A, Quintana LM, Runkle AJ, Rogers M, Foster DM, Clarke GN, Massimino S, Crawford PM, Cavese JA, Cordaro AR, Chavez LI, Kelleher KJ, Schwartz N, Jiner KR, Liu SB, Condrac S, Hilt RJ. Safer and targeted use of antipsychotics in youth: an embedded, pragmatic randomized trial. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2025 Mar;66(3):301-310. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.14059. Epub 2024 Oct 29. PubMed
Power SJ, Piccorelli AV, Jones DL, Neuberger I, Allen GC, Barhaghi K, Kotlarek KJ. Craniofacial and velopharyngeal dimensions in infants 0-12 months: between- and within-group differences based on age and sex. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2024;67(10):3579-3594. doi: 10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00084. Epub 2024 Sep 11. PubMed
Grosvenor LP, Croen LA, Lynch FL, Marafino BJ, Maye M, Penfold RB, Simon GE, Ames JL. Autism diagnosis among US children and adults, 2011-2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(10):e2442218. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.42218. PubMed
Allison BA, Vear K, Hoopes AJ, Maslowsky J. The perceived impact of a post-Dobbs landscape on U.S. adolescents and young adults. Contraception. 2024 Jun 13:110513. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2024.110513 [Epub ahead of print] PubMed
Researchers in Child & Adolescent Health
 Paula Lozano, MD, MPHSenior Investigator; Director, ACT Center |
 Lisa A. Jackson, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
 Sascha Dublin, MD, PhDSenior Investigator |
 Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPHExecutive Director and Senior Investigator, KPWHRI; Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington |
 Robert Penfold, PhDSenior Investigator |
 Rosemary Meza, PhD, MSCollaborative Scientist |
 Annie Hoopes, MD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
adjunct and Affiliate researchers
John Dunn, MD, MPH
Pediatrician
Washington Permanente Medical Group
Medical Director of Preventive Care
Kaiser Permanente Washington
Gina Sucato, MD, MPH
Director of Adolescent Health Services
Washington Permanente Medical Group
Doug Opel, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Washington
Laura P. Richardson, MD, MPH
Adolescent Medicine
Seattle Children's Hospital
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Washington
Research
Some adolescents are more likely to use patient portal than others
A new study aims to understand trends in digital care communication among teens.
Research
How did the pandemic impact hospital visits with animals?
Top pediatric oncology hospitals reported lasting changes to programs involving visits with animals.
New findings
Patient-centered perspectives on teen mental health
Annie Hoopes, MD, MPH, shares insights from an ACT Center study on integrating adolescent mental health in primary care.
Pediatric research
Improving child health and care with quality measures
KPWHRI Executive Director Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPH, talks about her research to advance pediatric care
IMPACT Center
Improving mental health care for youth
A new center will support using evidence-based practices in under-resourced settings such as schools.
KPWHRI in the media
Safely prescribing antipsychotic medications to youth
Safer use of antipsychotics in youth
Mind the Kids podcast, April 28, 2025
Behind the scenes
Meeting participants' needs: Our research interventionists
Deborah King and Jessie Waiamau-Ariota describe their pivotal role in research on youth mental health — and more.
Land Acknowledgment
Our Seattle offices sit on the occupied land of the Duwamish and by the shared waters of the Coast Salish people, who have been here thousands of years and remain. Learn about practicing land acknowledgment.