Relationship between skeletal maturity indicators and dental calcification stages in a sample pediatric population.

Context: Human growth shows considerable variation. In addition to constitutional differences in the timing of maturation, there are diseases, systemic disorders and environmental factors that may affect a child's physiologic maturity. Interrelationships among skeletal, somatic and sexual maturity have been shown to be consistently strong.

Development and Implementation of a Telemental Health Program for Caregivers in a Children's Hospital Setting.

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Self-compassion Intervention for Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Feasibility Study.

Objectives: Parents of children with developmental disabilities (DDs) experience greater psychological distress (e.g., stress and depression) compared to parents of children without DDs.

Associations among co-occurring medical conditions and cognition, language, and behavior in Down syndrome.

Background: Specific medical conditions are more prevalent in Down syndrome (DS) compared to the general population. Medical heterogeneity has also been hypothesized to contribute to variability in outcomes in DS.

Aims: This project aimed to examine the association between medical conditions (i.

Racial-Ethnic Differences in Psychiatric Diagnoses and Treatment Across 11 Health Care Systems in the Mental Health Research Network.

Objective: The objective of this study was to characterize racial-ethnic variation in diagnoses and treatment of mental disorders in large not-for-profit health care systems.

Methods: Participating systems were 11 private, not-for-profit health care organizations constituting the Mental Health Research Network, with a combined 7,523,956 patients age 18 or older who received care during 2011. Rates of diagnoses, prescription of psychotropic medications, and total formal psychotherapy sessions received were obtained from insurance claims and electronic medical record databases across all health care settings.

Psychiatric comorbidity and 30-day readmissions after hospitalization for heart failure, AMI, and pneumonia.

Objective: In 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implemented a policy that penalizes hospitals for "excessive" all-cause hospital readmissions within 30 days after discharge from an index hospitalization for heart failure (HF), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and pneumonia. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of psychiatric comorbidities on 30-day all-cause readmissions following hospitalizations for HF, AMI, and pneumonia.

Methods: Data from 2009-2011 were derived from the HMO Research Network Virtual Data Warehouse of 11 health systems affiliated with the Mental Health Research Network.

Chronic opioid use emerging after bariatric surgery.

Purpose: Little is known about opioid use after bariatric surgery among patients who did not use opioids chronically before surgery. Our purpose was to determine opioid use the year after bariatric surgery among patients who did not use opioids chronically pre-surgery and to identify pre-surgery characteristics associated with chronic opioid use after surgery.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study across nine US health systems included 10 643 patients aged 21 years or older who underwent bariatric surgery and who were not chronic opioid users pre-surgery.

The effect of bariatric surgery on psychiatric course among patients with bipolar disorder.

Objective: Bariatric surgery is the most effective therapy for severe obesity. People with bipolar disorder have increased risk of obesity, yet are sometimes considered ineligible for bariatric surgery due to their bipolar disorder diagnosis. This study aimed to determine if bariatric surgery alters psychiatric course among stable patients with bipolar disorder.

Obesity and mental illness: implications for cognitive functioning.

A priority research and clinical agenda is to identify determinants of cognitive impairment in individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders (NPD). The bidirectional association between NPD and cognitive performance has been reported to be mediated and/or moderated by obesity in a subset of individuals. Obesity can be conceptualized as a neurotoxic phenotype among individuals with NPD as evidenced by alterations in the structure and function of neural circuits and disseminated networks, diminished cognitive performance, and adverse effects on illness trajectory.

A comparison of lifestyle and behavioral cardiovascular disease risk factors between Asian Indian and White non-Hispanic men.

Objective: We compared lifestyle CVD risk factors between Asian Indian and White non-Hispanic men within categories of BMI.

Design/setting/participants: Participants included 51,901 White non-Hispanic men and 602 Asian Indian men enrolled in the California Men's Health Study cohort. Men were aged 45-69 years and members of Kaiser Permanente Southern or Northern California at baseline (2001-2002).

Perceptions of middle school educators in Hawai'i about school-based gardening and child health.

Background: Childhood obesity prevention is a national priority. School-based gardening has been proposed as an innovative obesity prevention intervention. Little is known about the perceptions of educators about school-based gardening for child health.

Surgical treatment of morbid obesity among patients with bipolar disorder: a research agenda.

Introduction: Persons with bipolar disorder (BD) have an increased risk of obesity and associated diseases. Success of current behavioral treatment for obesity in patients with BD is inadequate.

Methods: Existing literature on bariatric surgery outcomes in populations with BD were reviewed, and needed areas of research were identified.

Heterogeneity of diabetes outcomes among asians and pacific islanders in the US: the diabetes study of northern california (DISTANCE).

Objective: Ethnic minorities with diabetes typically have lower rates of cardiovascular outcomes and higher rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) compared with whites. Diabetes outcomes among Asian and Pacific Islander subgroups have not been disaggregated.

Research Design And Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study (1996-2006) of patients enrolled in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry.

Mental health services utilization among women experiencing intimate partner violence.

Objective: To examine the patient and provider characteristics associated with utilization of mental health services (MHS) among women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV).

Study Design: Cross-sectional study among 6870 women aged 18 to 65 years with first IPV identification between May 2004 and December 2009 in Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

Methods: Utilization of MHS within 60 days after first IPV identification was determined.

Language barriers, physician-patient language concordance, and glycemic control among insured Latinos with diabetes: the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE).

Background: A significant proportion of US Latinos with diabetes have limited English proficiency (LEP). Whether language barriers in health care contribute to poor glycemic control is unknown.

Objective: To assess the association between limited English proficiency (LEP) and glycemic control and whether this association is modified by having a language-concordant physician.

The impact of limited English proficiency and physician language concordance on reports of clinical interactions among patients with diabetes: the DISTANCE study.

Objective: To assess the association of limited English proficiency (LEP) and physician language concordance with patient reports of clinical interactions.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 8638 Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients with diabetes. Patient responses were used to define English proficiency and physician language concordance.

Ethnic differences in anemia among patients with diabetes mellitus: the Diabetes Study of Northern California (DISTANCE).

To examine ethnic differences in hemoglobin testing practices and to test the hypothesis that ethnicity is an independent predictor of anemia among patients with diabetes mellitus. We conducted a panel study to assess the rate of hemoglobin testing during 1999-2001 and the period prevalence and incidence of anemia among 79,985 adults with diabetes mellitus receiving care within Kaiser Permanente of Northern California. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <13.

The association between the number of prescription medications and incident falls in a multi-ethnic population of adult type-2 diabetes patients: the diabetes and aging study.

Background: Use of four or more prescription medications is considered a risk factor for falls in older people. It is unclear whether this polypharmacy-fall relationship differs for adults with diabetes.

Objective: We evaluated the association between number of prescription medications and incident falls in a multi-ethnic population of type-2 diabetes patients in order to establish an evidence-based medication threshold for fall risk in diabetes.

Generational status and duration of residence predict diabetes prevalence among Latinos: the California Men's Health Study.

Background: Diabetes disproportionately affects Latinos. However, examining Latinos as one group obscures important intra-group differences. This study examined how generational status, duration of US residence, and language preference are associated with diabetes prevalence and to what extent these explain the higher prevalence among Latinos.

New prescription medication gaps: a comprehensive measure of adherence to new prescriptions.

Objective: Describe a novel approach to comprehensively summarize medication adherence.

Data Sources/study Setting: Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry (n approximately 220,000)

Study Design: In a new prescription cohort design (27,329 subjects prescribed new medications), we used pharmacy utilization data to estimate adherence during 24 months follow-up. Proportion of time without sufficient medications (medication gaps) was estimated using a novel measure (New Prescription Medication Gaps [NPMG]) and compared with a traditional measure of adherence.

The relationship between alcohol consumption and glycemic control among patients with diabetes: the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry.

Background: Alcohol consumption is a common behavior. Little is known about the relationship between alcohol consumption and glycemic control among people with diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the association between alcohol consumption and glycemic control.