Today many medical research areas have a strong focus on individual or even molecular levels, while aiming to identify new risk factors for diseases and discover new and better pharmaceutical drugs. It is equally important, however, to study the role of society as determinant of individual health. Public Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology have a multilevel perspective, and our research team considers interactions between the individual and the society in which the individual lives in order to identify factors that influence health, disease risk and health care utilization. In so doing, we apply and develop innovative research methodologies while bringing together a multidisciplinary team including expertise in the fields of medicine, biology, epidemiology, statistics, sociology and anthropology.

Much of our work aims at understanding the reasons and mechanisms leading to the existence of geographical, socio-economic and gender differences in health and care utilization. We perform research in Pharmacoepidemiology and Health Care epidemiology aimed to investigate the use and effects of medication and the performance and quality of health care in the real world setting.

Our research is based on the principle of equity and access to health care on equal terms according to needs and dignity of all human beings (Swedish Health and Medical Services Act,(1982:763)). Our research deals with issues that have direct relevance for public health and health care, and it presents evidence that can provide a scientific basis for equitable and efficient distribution of resources and preventive public health interventions.