With a background in social sciences, my research interests in public health have mainly focused on the interface between lifestyle changes and health. Since my PhD thesis, which addressed how a community tried to come together in order to prevent alcohol use, I have particularly been interested in how different sectors of society can make concerted efforts applying principles of health promotion. This has led me to study several different fields and target groups, but normally within a community-based setting.

Additionally, I have a great interest in how social determinants of health impacts the intersection between lifestyles and health behaviors. My research has predominantly, in this area, been focusing on alcohol use – both among adolescents and adults. However, my studies have also targeted sexual health, obesity and cancer.

In recent years, my main research area has been international seafarers’ health. I am currently the PI of a project that analyzes the largest dataset ever collected on seafarers’ health. Within this field, many of my above previous experiences are intersecting. The aim of the research is two-fold. First, we are, based on the epidemiological research we are currently conducting, designing a set of interventions to promote better health among international seafarers. Secondly, we aim to have an impact on the policies governing working conditions onboard, where there is very little emphasis on the psychosocial aspects of the profession.

I am also involved in a few other research projects. In one we are evaluating a program on sex education among people living with intellectual disabilities in Sweden, and in another we are addressing how school WASH facilities in Kazakhstan has an impact on incidence of communicable disease. Finally, I am also involved in research on the decline of youth drinking in high-income countries.

I have been teaching in the Lund University MPH-program since 2007. Between 2015-2021 I was also the program director for this program. Over the years I have taught several courses, mainly within this program but also in other programs throughout Lund University. My main teaching focus has been the social determinants of health, particularly in a global setting. In addition, I have also taught health promotion, usually with a very action-oriented approach. Where I have demanded the students to design and implement their own projects. I have initiated and implemented several different pedagogical approaches into the Lund University MPH program over the years, such as case-based learning, and criteria-based assessments.