Research
updated October 2025
updated October 2025
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Health Economics, Maternal and Child Health, Causal Inference in Health Evaluation, Health Policy, Epidemiology, Labor Economics
PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
Maternal & Child Health
1. Uscher-Pines, L. Kapinos, K., Waymouth, M., Howell, K., Alvarado, G., Ray, K., Demirci, J., Mehrotra A., Rogers, R., James, K., and DeYoreo, M. (2025) “Telelaction Services and Breastfeeding by Race and Ethnicity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” JAMA Network Open. 8(2)
2. DeYoreo, M., Kapinos, K., Waymouth, M., James, K. F., Demirci, J., & Uscher-Pines, L. (2025). The Impact of Telelactation on Breastfeeding Satisfaction at 6 Months Postpartum: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial. Academic Pediatrics, 102837.
3. Kapinos, K.A., Waymouth, M., Ray, K.N., Demirci, J.R., Mehrotra, A., James, K., Alvarado, G., Howell, K., DeYoreo, M., Uscher-Pines, L. (2024) “Telelactation Use Patterns among a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Sample of U.S. Parents: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology MFM. 6(11).
4. Uscher-Pines, L., Kapinos, K.A., Mehrotra, A., Dimirci, J., Ray, K.N., Alvarado, G., and DeYoreo, M. (2023). “Use of and Attitudes about Telelactation Services among New Parents.” Telemedicine and e-Health, 29(4): 607-611.
5. Kapinos, K.A., DeYoreo, M., Lawrence, R., Waymouth, M., and Uscher-Pines, L. (2022). “COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Attitudes among Pregnant and Postpartum Parents.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology MFM. 4(6).
6. DeYoreo, M., Kapinos, K.A., Lawrence, R., Waymouth, M., and Uscher-Pines, L. (2022). “Changes in Breastfeeding Experiences and Professional Support: Survey of Birthing Parents from 2019-2021”, Journal of Women’s Health, 32(2): 150-160.
7. Hughes, A.E., Medford, R.J., Perl, T.M., Basit, M.A., and Kapinos, K.A. (2022). District-level universal masking policies and COVID-19 incidence during first 8 weeks of school in Texas. American Journal of Public Health, 112(6): 871-875.
8. Uscher-Pines, L., Demirci, J., Waymouth, M., Lawrence, R., Parks, A., Mehrotra, A., Ray, K., DeYoreo, M., and Kapinos, K. (2022). Impact of telelactation services on breastfeeding outcomes among Black and Latinx parents: protocol for the Tele-MILC randomized controlled trial. Trials 23, 5.
9. Uscher-Pines, L., Ghosh-Dastidar, B, Bogen, D.L., Ray, K.N., Demirci, J.R., Mehrotra, A., and Kapinos, K.A. (2020). “Feasibility and Effectiveness of Telelactation among Rural Breastfeeding Women” Academic Pediatrics, 20(5), 652-659.
10. Weiss, M., Yakusheva, O., and Kapinos, K. (2019). “Effects of Women’s Weight Changes on Adverse Outcomes in a Second Pregnancy.” Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 48(6): 615-626.
11. Kapinos, K.A., Kotzias, V., Bogen, D.L., Ray, K.R., Demirci, J.R., Rigas, M.A., Uscher-Pines, L. (2019). “The use of and experiences with telelactation among rural breastfeeding mothers: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(9).
12. Kapinos, K.A., Bullinger, L., and Gurley-Calvez, T. (2018). “The Affordable Care Act, Breastfeeding, and Breast Pump Health Insurance Coverage.” JAMA Pediatrics. Published online September 10, 2018. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.2003
13. Strong, A., Gracner, T., Chen, P., and Kapinos, K. (2018). “On the Value of the Umbilical Cord Blood Supply” Value in Health, 21(9): 1077-1082.
14. Kapinos, K.A., Yakusheva, O., and Weiss, M. (2017). “Cesarean Deliveries and Maternal Weight Retention,” BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 17(1).
15. Gurley-Calvez, T., Bullinger, L., and Kapinos, K.A. (2018). “Effect of the Affordable Care Act on Breastfeeding Outcomes,” American Journal of Public Health, 108(2).
16. Yakusheva, O., Kapinos, K.A., and Weiss, M. (2017). “Maternal Weight after Childbirth versus Aging-related Weight Changes,” Women’s Health Issues. 27(2): 174-180.
17. Kapinos, K.A., Bullinger, L., and Gurley-Calvez, T. (2017). “Lactation Support Services and Breastfeeding Initiation: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act,” Health Services Research, 52(6):2175-2196.
18. Kapinos, K.A. and Yakusheva, O. (2016). “Long-Term Effect of Exposure to a Friend’s Adolescent Childbirth on Fertility, Education and Earnings,” Journal of Adolescent Health, 59(3): 311-317.
19. Kapinos, K.A., Yakusheva, O., and Eisenberg, D. (2014). “Obesogenic Influences on Young Adults: Evidence from Randomized Dormitory Assignments.” Economics & Human Biology. 12(1): 98-109.
20. Yakusheva, O., Kapinos, K.A., and Eisenberg, D. (2014). “Estimating Heterogeneous and Hierarchical Peer Effects on Body Weight Using Roommate Assignments as a Natural Experiment.” Journal of Human Resources, 49(1): 234-261.
21. Kapinos, K. A. and Yakusheva, O. (2011). “Environmental Influences on Adolescent Weight Gain: Evidence from a Natural Experiment,” Journal of Adolescent Health, 48(1): 52-58.
22. Yakusheva, O., Kapinos, K.A., and Weiss, M. (2011). “Peer Effects and the Freshman 15: Evidence from a Natural Experiment,” Economics & Human Biology, 9(2): 119-132.
Health Care Costs & Access
23. Uscher-Pines, L. , Sousa, J., McCullough, C.M., Dong, S., and Kapinos, K.A. (2025). “Telehealth Visits in Health Centers Serving Low-Income Patients in California: Final Results from the Connected Care Accelerator Initiative (2022-2024). RAND Health Quarterly, 12(2).
24. Tavakkoli, A., Kapinos, K. A., Elmunzer, B. J., Kwon, R. S., Troendle, D. M., Zhang, S., & Singal, A. G. (2025). “The Burden and Cost of Post-ERCP Pancreatitis Among Commercially Insured People Undergoing ERCP.” Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
25. Propp, A., Vardavas, R., Price, C., & Kapinos, K. (2025). “The Longitudinal Health, Income, and Employment Model (LHIEM): A Discrete-Time Microsimulation Model for Policy Analysis.” Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 28(2).
26. Kapinos, K.A., Louis, E.L. (2024) “The Direct Medical Costs of Essential Tremor.” Neuroepidemiology. 1-7.
27. Kapinos, KA, Louis, EL. (2024) “Prescription Drug Utilization among Patients with Essential Tremor: A Cross-Sectional Study of More Than 36,000 Patients.” Movement Disorders Clinical Practice. 11(10): 1203-1211.
28. Nwachukwu C, Makhnoon S, Person M, Muthukrishnan M, Kazmi S, Anderson LD, Kaur G, Kapinos KA, Williams EL, Fatunde O, Sadeghi N, Robles F, Basey A, Hulsey T, Pruitt SL, Gerber DE. (2024) “Transferring care to enhance access to early-phase cancer clinical trials: Protocol to evaluate a novel program.” Contemp Clin Trials Commun. Jun;39:101292.
29. Kapinos, K.A., Peters, R.M., Hohmann, S.F., Podichetty, A., Greenberg, R. (2024). “Inpatient Costs of Treating COVID-19 Patients.” JAMA Network Open. 7(1), e2350145-e2350145.
30. Uscher-Pines, L., Kapinos, K.., Rodriquez, C., Pérez-Dávila, S., Raja, P., Rodriguez, J., Rabinowitz, M., Youdelman, M., and Sousa, J.L. (2023). “Access Challenges for Patients with Limited English Proficiency: A Secret-Shopper Study of In-Person and Telehealth Behavioral Health Services in California Safety-Net Clinics.” Health Affairs Scholar, 1(3).
31. Kapinos, K.A. DeYoreo, M., Gracner, T., Stein, B.D., and Cantor, J. (2023). “Trends in Geographic Proximity to Substance Use Disorder Treatment.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 65(4): 618-626.
32. Kapinos, K.A., and Louis, E.D. (2023). “Odds of Medical Comorbidities in Essential Tremor: Retrospective Analysis of a Large Claims Database in the United States.” Neuroepidemiology, 57(3): 148-155.
33. Uscher-Pines, L., McCullough, C.M., Sousa, J.L., Lee, S.D., Ober, A.J., Camacho, D., and Kapinos, K.A. (2023).” Changes in In-Person, Audio-Only, and Video Visits in California’s Federally Qualified Health Centers, 2019-2022” JAMA, 14: 1219-1221.
34. Kapinos, K.A., Hu, E., Trivedi, J., Ramakrishnan, P., and Kansagra, A. (2023). “Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of CAR-T Cell Therapies vs. Antibody Drug Conjugates for Patients with Advanced Multiple Myeloma,” Cancer Control, 30.
35. Cantor, J., DeYoreo, M., Gracner, T., Stein, B.D., and Kapinos, K.A (2022). “Patterns in Geographic Distribution of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities in the US and Accepted Forms of Payment From 2010 to 2021.” JAMA Network Open. 5(11).
36. Kapinos, K.A., and Luis, E.D. (2022) “Annual Health Care Costs Among Medicare Beneficiaries with Essential Tremor”, Parkinsonism and Related Disorders., 104:26-29.
37. Gerber, D., Tiro, J., McNeill, L.H., Williams, E.H., Zhu, H., Craddock Lee, S., Leavey, P.J., Sadeghi, N., Kapinos, K.A., Dornsife, D.L, Nguyen, V. Wileyto, E. P., and Guerra, C.E. (2022) “Enhancing access to and diversity in cancer clinical trials through a financial reimbursement program: Protocol to evaluate a novel program.” Contemporary Clinical Trials, 121.
38. Kapinos, K.A., Salley, J., and Day, A. (2022) “Brief Cost Analysis of Surgical PPE During the Covid-19 Pandemic” Value in Health, 25(8): 1317-1320.
39. Kapinos, K.A., Halm, E.A., Murphy, C.C., Santini, N.O., Loewen, A.C., Skinner, C.S., and Singal, A.G. (2022). Cost effectiveness of mailed outreach programs for colorectal cancer screening: Analysis of a pragmatic, randomized trial. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 20(10): 2383-2392.
40. Gajra, A., Zalenski, A., Sannareddy, A., Jeune-Smith, Y., Kapinos, K., & Kansagra, A. (2022). Barriers to Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) Therapies in Clinical Practice. Pharmaceutical Medicine, 36(3) 1-9.
41. Kapinos, K. A., & Montemayor, C. K. (2021). Access to Medical Treatment for Injured Workers in California: Year 3 Annual Report. Rand health quarterly, 9(2), 1.
42. Arvisais-Anhalt, S., McDonald, S., Park, J.Y., Kapinos, K., Lehmann, C.U., and Basit, M. (2021). “Survey of Hospital Chargemaster Transparency.” Applied Clinical Informatics, 12: 391-398.
43.Makam AN, Nguyen OK, Miller ME, Shah SJ, Kapinos KA, Halm EA. (2020). “Comparative Effectiveness of Long-Term Acute Care Hospital versus Skilled Nursing Facility Transfer.” BMC Health Services Research, 1032. PMID: 33176767.
44. Clark, J.D., Kapinos, K.A., Lewis, J., Koganti, R., Peterson, J., and Fish, J. (2020). “Differences in Savings and Quality by Type of ACO Model.” American Journal of Accountable Care, 8(4).
45. Mulcahy, A. W., Doyle, M. B., Malsberger, R., & Kapinos, K. A. (2019). Access to Medical Treatment for Injured Workers in California: Year 1 Annual Report. Rand health quarterly, 8(3), 1.
46. Nguyen, O.K., Vazquez, M., Charles, L., Berger, J., Quinones, H., Fuquay, R. Sanders, J., Kapinos, K.A., Halm, E., and Makam, A. (2019). “Effect of Scheduled vs. Emergency-Only Dialysis on Health Outcomes & Costs in Undocumented Immigrants with End-Stage Renal Disease. JAMA Internal Medicine, 179(2): 175-183.
47. Kapinos, K.A., Fischer, S., Mulcahy, A., Hayden, O, and Barron, R. (2018). “Medical Costs for Osteoporosis-Related Fractures Among High-Risk Medicare Beneficiaries” Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 66(12): 22908-2304.
48. Fischer, S. Kapinos, K.A., Mulcahy, A., Pinto, L., Hayden, O., and Barron, R. (2017). “Estimating the Long-Term Functional Burden of Osteoporosis-Related Fractures,” Osteoporosis International, 28(10): 2843-2851.
49. Hamman, M.K. and Kapinos, K.A. (2016). “Colorectal Cancer Screening and State Health Insurance Mandates,” Health Economics, 25(2), 178-191.
50. Eibner C, Krull H, Brown KM, Cefalu M, Mulcahy AW, Pollard M, Shetty K, Adamson DM, Amaral EF, Armour P, Beleche T, Bogdan O, Hastings J, Kapinos K, Kress A, Mendelsohn J, Ross R, Rutter CM, Weinick RM, Woods D, Hosek SD, Farmer CM. (2016). Current and Projected Characteristics and Unique Health Care Needs of the Patient Population Served by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rand Health Q. 9;5(4):13. eCollection 2016 May 9. PubMed PMID: 28083423; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5158228.
51. Hamman, M. and Kapinos, K.A. (2015). “Affordable Care Act Provision Lowered Out-Of-Pocket Cost And Increased Colonoscopy Rates Among Men In Medicare” Health Affairs, 34(12): 2069-2076.
52. Kapinos, K.A., Caloyeras, J., Liu, H., and Mattke, S. (2015). “Does targeting higher health risk employees or increasing intervention intensity yield savings in a workplace wellness program?” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 57(12): 1257-1261.
53. Mattke, S., Kapinos, K., Caloyeras, J. P., Taylor, E. A., Batorsky, B., Liu, H., Van Busum, K. R., & Newberry, S. (2015). Workplace Wellness Programs: Services Offered, Participation, and Incentives. Rand health quarterly, 5(2), 7.
54. Hamman, M.K. and Kapinos, K.A. (2015). “Does Mandated Coverage of Preventive Care Reduce Disparities? Evidence from Colorectal Cancer Screening,” American Journal of Public Health, 105(S3): S508-S516.
55. Kapinos, K.A., Fitzgerald, P., Greer, N., Rutks, I., and Wilt, T. (2012). “The Effect of Working Conditions on Patient Care: A Systematic Review” Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research & Development Service, Evidence-based Synthesis Program. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK114450/
56. Kapinos, K. A. (2009). “Changes in Spousal Health Insurance Coverage and Female Labor Supply Decisions.” Forum for Health Economics and Policy, 12(2), Article 1.
Other Economic Studies
57. Gracner, T., Kapinos, K., and Gertler, P. (2022) “Associations of a National Tax on Non-Essential High Calorie Foods with Changes in Consumer Prices.” Food Policy. 106, 102193.
58. Kapinos, P., Gurley-Calvez, T., and Kapinos, K. (2016). (Un)expected housing price changes: Identifying the drivers of small business finance. Journal of Economics and Business, 84, 79-94.
59. Kapinos, K.A. (2012). “Changes in Firm Pension Policies: Trends Away from Traditional Defined Benefit Plans” Journal of Labor Research, 33(1): 91-103.
60. Kapinos, K. A. (2009). “On the Determinants of Defined Benefit Pension Plan Conversions.” Journal of Labor Research, 30(2):149-167.
PEER-REVIEWED REPORTS
61. Uscher-Pines, L., Sousa, J.L., McCullough, C.M., Dong, S., and Kapinos, K.A. (2024). “Telehealth Visits in Health Centers Serving Low-Income Patients in California: Final Results from the Connected Care Accelerator Initiative (2022-2024).” Prepared for the California Health Care Foundation. RAND Report.
62. Martin, L., Charbonneau, A., and Kapinos, K. “Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers: Evaluability Assessment and Evaluation Plan.” Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. PRJ-A2401-03. Not Cleared for Public Release. Prepared for HSOAC.
63. Tong, P. and Kapinos, K.A. (2023). “Reforming Military Health Care Costs: Issues for Future Research” Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. DRR-A1418-1. RAND Report.
64. Martin, L. T. Kapinos, K. A. Burns, R. M. Peet, E. D. and Shelton, S. R. (2021). “Methodologies to Identify Need for Maternal Health Resources.” Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. PR-A1169-1. Not Cleared for Public Release. Prepared for ASPE/HRSA.
65. Kapinos, K.A., Price, C.C., Anderson, D.M., Propp, A.M., Vardavas, R., and Whaley, C.M. (2021). “Analysis of the 10Plan: A Self-Pay System Designed to Minimize the Burden of Health Care Costs.” RAND Report.
66. Zocchi, M., Uscher-Pines, L., Ober, A. J., & Kapinos, K. A. (2020). “Costs of Maintaining a High-Volume Telemedicine Program in Community Health Centers.” RAND Report.
67. Uscher-Pines, L., Sousa, J., Palimaru, A. I., Zocchi, M., Kapinos, K. A., & Ober, A. J. (2020). “Experiences of Community Health Centers in Expanding Telemedicine.” RAND Report.
68. Mulcahy, A.W., Wynn, B. O., Kapinos, K.A., Rao, P., Malsberger, R., Phillips, B. and Case, S. (2020).” Evaluation of California Senate Bill 863 Medical Care Reforms”. RAND Report.
69. Eibner, C., Whaley, C., Kapinos, K., Broten, N., Irwin, J.L., Lanna, S., Vaiana, M., and Duffy, E. (2020). “Getting to Affordability: Spending Trends and Waste in California’s Health Care System.” California Health Care Foundation. Report.
70. Gurley-Calvez, T., Williams, J., and Kapinos, K. (2020). “Job Characteristics and Transitions among Older Self-employed Individuals with Work-limiting Health Conditions.” Prepared for the US Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. Contract Number: 73351018P0092. Report.
71. Kapinos, K.A. (2019). “Estimates for Fresh Start Tool and Documentation.” Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Not Cleared for Public Release. Prepared for ASPE.
72. Gidengil, C.A., Qureshi, N., and Kapinos, K. (2018). Addressing childhood obesity among Medicaid enrollees: summary of technical expert panel meeting. The RAND Corporation. PR-3659-ASPEC. Not Cleared for Public Release. Prepared for ASPE.
73. Kapinos, K.A., Doyle, M., Barrett, M., Montemayor, C.K., Mulcahy, A., and Quigley, D. (2018). “Access to Medical Treatment for Injured Workers in California: Year 2 Annual Report.” Santa Monica, CA. RAND Corporation, RAND Report.
74. Mulcahy, A.W., Doyle, M., Malsberger, R., and Kapinos, K.A. (2018). “Access to Medical Treatment for Injured Workers Study” Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. RAND Report.
75. Kapinos, K.A., Briscombe, B., Gracner, T., Strong, A., Whaley, C., Hoch, E., Hlavka, J., Case, S., and Chen, P. (2017) "Challenges to the Sustainability of the U.S. Public Cord Blood System." Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. RAND Report.
76. Mulcahy, A.W., Kapinos, K.A., Briscombe, B., Uscher-Pines, L., Chaturvedi, R., Case, S.R., Hlavka, J., and Miller, B.M. “Toward a Sustainable Blood Supply in the United States." An Analysis of the Current System and Alternative for the Future.” Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. RAND Report.
77. Brown K, Shetty K, Beleche T, Cefalu M, Kapinos K., Rutter C, Kress A, and Ross R (2015). Enrollment and Reliance. In Current and Projected Characteristics and Unique Health Care Needs of the Patient Population Served by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. RAND Report
78. Beleche, T., Euller, R., and Kapinos, K. (2015). “An Analysis of the Medicare landscape: accountable care organizations (ACOs) and Medicare Advantage.” The RAND Corporation. PR-2122-ASPE. Not Cleared for Public Release. Prepared for ASPE.
79. Beleche, T., Kapinos, K., and White, C. (2015). “Approaches to risk adjustment in Medicare payment models.” The RAND Corporation. PR-2024-2-ASPE. Not Cleared for Public Release. Prepared for ASPE.
80. White, C., Kapinos, K., and Euller, R. (2015). “Preliminary Results: Accountable care organizations benchmarking – regional definitions.” The RAND Corporation. PR-2024/1-ASPE Not Cleared for Public Release. Prepared for ASPE.
81. Gurley-Calvez, T., Kapinos, K., and Bruce, D. (2015). “Retirement, Recessions, and Small Business Owners” in Natalie Sappleton and Fernando Lourenco (eds.), Self-employment, Entrepreneurship and Retirement, 11-41.
82. Mattke, S., Kapinos, K., Caloyeras, J.P., Taylor, E.A., Batorsky, B., Liu, H., Van Busum, K.R., and Newberry, S. (2014). Workplace Wellness Programs: Services Offered Participation, and Incentives. RAND Report.
83. Gurley-Calvez, T., Kapinos, K. and Kapinos, P. (2014). Housing Wealth and the Demand for Small-Business Capital among New Firms. Prepared for the US Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, Contract Number: SBAHQ-13-M-0054.
84. Gurley-Calvez, T., Kapinos, K. and Bruce, D. (2012). Retirement, Recessions and Older Small Business Owners. Prepared for the US Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. Contract Number: SBAHQ-11-M-0207.
85.Kapinos, K.A., Brown, C.C., Nolte, M.A., Stolyarova, H., and Weir, D.R. (2010). Cross-Wave Prospective Social Security Wealth Measures of Pre-Retirees Public Release: Data Description and Usage. Report.