The research group started in January 2009 and originates from the ongoing research project “Social capital and health” that commenced in 2001.

The project investigates associations between social participation, social networks, interpersonal trust and institutional trust, and self-reported general and mental health, health-related behaviours (tobacco smoking, diet, leisure-time physical activity, alcohol consumption and cannabis), access to healthcare, sense of security in the neighbourhood, violence/threat of violence and all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

Our studies are mostly population-based cross-sectional and longitudinal (prospective cohort) studies analysed using multiple regression analyses including multilevel analyses.

In recent years, our research group has also investigated social capital and health, including general self-rated health (SRH) and mental health, aspects of health-related behaviours, suicide ideation/suicide plans and all-cause and cause-specific mortality concerning sexual identity (heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual and other) based on the public health surveys in Scania.

In addition, we have investigated the Swedish strategy to handle the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to social science concepts such as modernism-postmodernism (Ronald Inglehart and World Values Survey, WVS) and social capital.

Our work also encompasses the interdisciplinary field of Arts and Health, where we explore how engagement with arts and cultural activities can influence health and wellbeing at both population and individual levels. Utilising diverse research methods and interdisciplinary approaches, our studies examine the impact of arts engagement on various health outcomes, including self-reported health, wellbeing, mortality, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases as well as social and psychological outcomes.

One of our key research areas focuses on the psychosocial effects of Arts on Prescription (AoP), a Social Prescribing intervention designed for Primary Healthcare patients dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, social isolation, or loneliness. Through this work, we aim to establish AoP as a scalable intervention, supporting regional and municipal initiatives to address mental health challenges and reduce social isolation. Our aim is to investigate longitudinal outcomes on AoP providing insights into the long-term health and wellbeing benefits of this approach.

Within the Arts and Health framework, we take a holistic view of health, recognising it as a concept that extends beyond the absence of illness to encompass social determinants of wellbeing. We are particularly interested in how individuals and communities can thrive despite their social and economic contexts, and how arts and cultural engagement can contribute to overall health and wellbeing.

The Research group is part of the Centre for Economic Demography (CED), Lund University, and a member the Epihealth research network, Lund University.