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

Adelgais KM, Grossman DC, Langer SG, Mann FA. Use of helical computed tomography for imaging the pediatric cervical spine. Acad Emerg Med. 2004;11(3):228-36. PubMed

Ahrens KR, DuBois DL, Lozano P, Richardson LP. Naturally-acquired mentoring relationships and young adult outcomes among adolescents with learning disabilities. Learn Disabil Res Pract. 2010 Nov; 25(4):207-16.

Ahrens KR, Dubois DL, Richardson LP, Fan MY, Lozano P. Youth in foster care with adult mentors during adolescence have improved adult outcomes. Pediatrics. 2008;121(2):e246-52. Epub 2008 Jan 8. PubMed

Ahrens KR, Garrison M, DuBois DL, Richardson LP, Spencer R, Lozano P. Qualitative exporation of relationships with important non-parental adults in the lives of youth in foster care. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2011 Jun 1;33(6):1012-23. PubMed

Ahrens KR, Katon W, McCarty C, Richardson LP, Courtney ME. Association between childhood sexual abuse and transactional sex in youth aging out of foster care.  Child Abuse Negl. 2012;36(1):75-80. Epub 2012 Jan 20. PubMed

Researchers in Child & Adolescent Health

Paula Lozano, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator; Director, ACT Center
206-287-2113
Paula.Lozano@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Lisa A. Jackson, MD, MPH

Senior Investigator
Lisa.A.Jackson@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Sascha Dublin, MD, PhD

Senior Investigator
206-287-2870
Sascha.Dublin@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPH

Executive Director and Senior Investigator, KPWHRI; Vice President for Research and Health Care Innovation, Kaiser Permanente Washington
206-287-2988
Rita.M.Mangione-Smith@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Robert Penfold, PhD

Senior Investigator
206-287-2232
Robert.B.Penfold@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Rosemary Meza, PhD, MS

Collaborative Scientist
Rosemary.X1.Meza@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)

Annie Hoopes, MD, MPH

Acting Assistant Investigator
Andrea.J1.Hoopes@kp.org

Curriculum vitae (CV)



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