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
West LM, Mooney SJ, Chavez L, Beck A, Clarke GN, Pabiniak CJ, Renz AD, Penfold RB Evaluation of the Safer Use of Antipsychotics in Youth Study on Population Level Antipsychotic Initiation: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis 2024 Sep;34(7):310-318. doi: 10.1089/cap.2024.0007. Epub 2024-05-14. PubMed
Martin P, Haroz EE, Lee C, Bolton P, Martin K, Meza R, McCarthy E, Dorsey S A qualitative study of mental health problems among children living in New Delhi slums 2024 Aug;61(4):533-556. doi: 10.1177/13634615231202098. Epub 2024-02-23. PubMed
Costales B, Slama NE, Penfold RB, Nugent JR, Spalding SR, Sterling SA, Iturralde E On- and Off-Label Atypical Antipsychotic Prescription Trends Across a Nine-Year Period Among Adolescents Pre- to Post-COVID-19 2024 Aug;24(6):995-1000. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2024.03.003. Epub 2024-03-06. PubMed
Flores JP, Kahn G, Penfold RB, Stuart EA, Ahmedani BK, Beck A, Boggs JM, Coleman KJ, Daida YG, Lynch FL, Richards JE, Rossom RC, Simon GE, Wilcox HC Adolescents Who Do Not Endorse Risk via the Patient Health Questionnaire Before Self-Harm or Suicide 2024 Jul;81(7):717-726. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0603. Epub 2024-04-24. PubMed
Lozano PM, Bobb JF, Kapos FP, Cruz M, Mooney SJ, Hurvitz PM, Anau J, Theis MK, Cook A, Moudon AV, Arterburn DE, Drewnowski A Residential Density Is Associated With BMI Trajectories in Children and Adolescents: Findings From the Moving to Health Study 2024 Jun;3(3):100225. doi: 10.1016/j.focus.2024.100225. Epub 2024-03-15. PubMed
Researchers in Child & Adolescent Health
 Sascha Dublin, MD, PhDSenior Investigator |
 Annie Hoopes, MD, MPHAssistant Investigator |
 Lisa A. Jackson, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
 Paula Lozano, MD, MPHSenior Investigator; Director, ACT Center |
 Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPHExecutive Director and Senior Investigator, KPWHRI; Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington |
 Rosemary Meza, PhD, MSSenior Collaborative Scientist |
 Robert Penfold, PhDSenior 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
Study links medical imaging to cancer risk in children
New research finds that 10% of pediatric blood and bone marrow cancers may have stemmed from radiation exposure.
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
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