News

  • Young disabled woman in wheelchair walking with baby carriage in park.

    Women with Disabilities Face Barriers on the Path to Motherhood

    Although women with disabilities have the same fundamental right to become parents as other women, they may face both practical barriers and prejudice when they want to become mothers. A new study from Stockholm University and National Taiwan University explores the experiences of six women with physical disabilities in Taiwan. The study shows how motherhood can also become a way of challenging assumptions about what women with disabilities are capable of.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • An infant´s hand on a adult´s open hand.

    New Dataset Opens Up for Multidisciplinary Research on Parental Leave

    Since Sweden introduced gender-neutral parental leave in 1974, the system has undergone numerous reforms, making it both generous and complex. A new research dataset from the Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS) and the Department of Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University brings together information on the system’s current rules and historical development. The Swedish Parental Leave (SweParLe) Dataset provides researchers with a tool to investigate, for example, how family policy may affect health and health inequalities.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Blurred picture of a crowd in public rush hour.

    Two New PhD Positions in Current Public Health Sciences Research

    Would you like to conduct research on women’s health and ageing, or on the actions and influence of commercial actors in public health, particularly in relation to addictive substances and behaviours, such as alcohol, nicotine and gambling? The Department of Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University is now recruiting two PhD students for research projects in two current and growing fields of research.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Hands of two children walking hand in hand along a gravel road.

    Parents Whose Children are Placed in Out of home-care Face Persistent Labour-market Exclusion

    Parents with children that are placed in out-of-home care are often already in a vulnerable position on the labour market. Many of them remain excluded from work and education for years. Parents who are not reunited with their children are particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged – and face persistent exclusion from the labour market. This is shown in a new study in Public Health Sciences from Stockholm University.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Hands, credit card and phone on laptop for online gambling payment.

    Despite Duty of Care, Gambling Operators Place Responsibility for Gambling-Related Harm on Individuals

    Gambling operators licensed to operate in the Swedish online gambling market largely place the responsibility for gambling-related harm on individual gamblers rather than on the gambling products themselves. A new study from the Department of Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University shows that gambling operators interpret their statutory duty of care in vastly different ways, and that measures to prevent harm are often introduced only after harm has been identified.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Profile photo of Clare Levine

    Public Health Sciences Gave Clare a New Way of Understanding the World

    When Clare Levine discovered and applied to the Master’s Programme in Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University in 2016, her reaction was: “How did I not know about this field before?” With a background in sociology and psychology, she saw how the programme brought together her previous interests and skills while opening the door to something much bigger. Today, Clare Levine works as a statistician at the National Board of Health and Welfare.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Man with glasses in front of online casino slot machine on laptop computer at night

    Gambling problems affect more than the person who gambles

    More than one in ten people in Sweden say that someone close to them has experienced gambling problems. Among younger people, the figure is around 16 per cent. People close to someone with gambling problems are more likely to experience mental health difficulties, risky behaviours and relationship problems. Some consequences can persist even after the gambling problems have ended. This is shown by two new studies from Stockholm University.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Hands holding wine glasses, toasting

    Alcohol Can Both Support and Undermine Young People's Well-being

    Young people's use of alcohol — and other substances such as cannabis — is often discussed primarily in terms of risks and negative consequences. A new study from the Department of Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University suggests a more complex picture. While substance use can be linked to harm, it may also be associated with positive experiences. The researchers stress that their findings should not be interpreted as an endorsement of alcohol or drug use. Rather, they argue that a more nuanced understanding is needed to explain how substance use affects young people's well-being and changes over time.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Profile photo of Hanna Blomdahl

    Master's Student Hanna Blomdahl Works as a Teaching Assistant at the Department

    After completing her Bachelor's degree in Public Health Sciences at Stockholm University, Hanna Blomdahl decided to continue with the Master's Programme. Having now completed her first year, she reflects on a year filled with international perspectives, deeper academic knowledge, and new opportunities. Alongside her studies, she works as a teaching assistant at the Department of Public Health Sciences.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Group of smiling school kids, girls and boys walking in a school corridor.

    Swedish Municipal Plans Overlook the Importance of Everyday School Life in Children's Mental Health

    Schools play a key role in promoting the mental health of children and young people. However, approaches to the school's role in this work appear to vary across municipalities. In addition, schools' contribution to mental health promotion and prevention is often treated as separate from their core educational mission. This is the conclusion of a new public health study from Stockholm University.

    Department of Public Health Sciences
  • Portrait Of A Businessman With His Colleagues In Background At Office

    Public Health Sciences Thesis Sheds New Light on the Consequences of Workplace Bullying

    Workplace bullying has long been linked to poor mental health among employees. But people exposed to bullying are also at greater risk of taking sick leave and starting treatment with psychotropic medication. These findings come from a new doctoral thesis in public health sciences at Stockholm University examining workplace bullying in Sweden and Denmark.

    Department of Public Health Sciences