Department of Public Health

About the department

Empowerment and self-management of illness are focus areas at the Department of Public Health. We contribute to the understanding of health, illness and participation problems, including how persons with long-lasting health problems can manage and live with these.

We emphasise knowledge about interventions in education, research, dissemination and innovation. Department competence covers the development of knowledge on effectiveness and efficacy for better health and increased participation, cost-benefit analysis on societal- and group levels, and how services are experienced by the individual.

The department performs interdisciplinary health research, but also welfare- and health service research, using qualitative and quantitative research methods. User involvement in research and co-production of knowledge are central aspects of the department’s approach, enabling implementation of science into society.

Research areas at the department:

• Health promotion and prevention of health challenges in a lifelong perspective
• Exploratory and theory generating research to understand health challenges and participation in school and work, both as individual and societal phenomena
• The content, benefits, efficacy, and effectiveness of interventions aiming to improve health and participation in society
• Participation and inclusion as strategies for better health and everyday coping