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BEDREHELSE-Bedre helse og livskvalitet

Healthy choices and the social gradient

Alternative title: Sunne valg og sosiale ulikheter i helse

Awarded: NOK 50.4 mill.

he 2023-report along the project's 4 main axes: 1. Access to health data (WP2): Metadata from the Tromsø Study, WOMAC and SAMINOR are now available on helsedata.no. The EUTRO database system is relocated to TSD at UiO to enhance data security. EUTRO has integrated dataset, biobank, and project modules and is key to administration of population studies. A newly developed access module allows research participants to access their own data. Helseboka.no is used for obtaining consent and questionnaires in planned data collections since the service is not available on helsenorge.no. It is challenging to secure funds for new data collections in population studies due to the lack of financing arrangements. Tasks related to research administration consume a significant amount of researchers' and tech./admin. staff's capacity. 2. Research on social inequality in health (WP3,4): Data collection in SAMINOR3 has started and will conclude in 2025. The main themes are health, marginalization, and violence in close relationships. Significant efforts have been made to secure funding, develop data collection solutions, and recruitment. Data collection is not fully funded. The postdoc project with SAMINOR data is completed, and the researcher has now a permanent position at UiT. WOMAC prepares for a new data collection among participants and their children starting in 2024. Consent will be expanded to cover social inequality and women's health. Planning for Tromsø8 continues with a focus on social inequality and elderly health. In 2023, a user involvement project was conducted to identify measures to increase participation among immigrants and individuals with low SES. The report is completed. The RESTART (KSP336341) RCT is being prepared for launch in 2024. We have developed an interactive online tool (Re-start.no) to provide motivation and knowledge support for RESTART in collaboration with Health South-East. The project "Tracing causes of inequalities in health and wellbeing" (RCN52437) is concluding, with a workshop planned in January 2024 to summarize results and initiate new projects. The research collaboration "Social exposome" with Imperial College and INSERM continues with guest researcher stays and regular meetings. A significant work was recently published, and more are in progress. A joint researcher workshop in London is planned in fall 2024. Project funds have financed data on inflammatory markers in the Tromsø Study, now used in a postdoc project. After three announcements, the final postdoc candidate was hired in fall-23. A professor/senior researcher has a research stay in the USA in fall-2023. 3. Targeted information on health and healthy choices (WP5): The focus is on innovative research communication. The original WP-plan was outdated, and an experienced team member has revised the plan and leads the implementation work. The new plan has a particular focus on physical activity, artificial intelligence, and art integrated into research communication. Two self-funded PhD candidates investigate communication channels for health messages and key elements in effective health research communication. Following the day seminar in 2022, we collaborated with the municipality and the Public Health Association on planning, implementation, and sci. contribution to the National Public Health Conference in Sept 2023. More than 500 participated. We also organized a "User Workshop" as a satellite meeting in collaboration with the National Association for Public Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The aim was to identify measures to strengthen dialogue between researchers and the municipalities in public health work. The report is completed. SAMINOR co-organized a panel discussion in connection with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report and an exhibition organized by the University Museum. The rectors of UiT and NTNU hosted a meeting to profile the HUNT, SAMINOR, and Tromsø Study at “Arendalsuka”. 4. Integration of research/education (WP6): The "Well-being Survey" was further developed in interdisciplinary collaboration and applied for at RCN (RELATE, RCN343258). The project received score 6 but not funding, and we consider new applications. Pilot studies include: 1) The Coffee Pilot: Completed, and experiences are integrated into teaching in study programs. An article has been published in the “Bioingeniøren” journal, and an article on learning outcomes is being prepared. 2) Students' Mental Health during the Pandemic: An article is under development. 3) Students' Experience of Stress: Recruitment is ongoing and includes questionnaires, interviews, and hair samples. The pilot is integrated into the biomedical engineering program, with students as co-researchers. 4) Teach and Learn: A module on effective learning is integrated into a course for over 600 health science students. There has been extensive outreach activity at conferences and through national media.

Norway has two principal public health objectives; to improve population longevity and quality of life, and to reduce social inequality in health. Nevertheless, numerous reports show persistent social gradients within Norway and call for knowledge-based actions. The current understanding of behavior, biological markers and socioeconomic status is based on a simplistic understanding of the relationship between these and future risk of disease. As a result, intervention efforts at the individual and societal level have been limited in value. The current project has access to unique data sources that enable the combination of these factors not seen previously, enabled by cutting-edge novel analytical methods and technology. We will use large longitudinal population based data sets that includes information on ethnic and vulnerable groups, with up to 45 years of follow-up and (for some) self-reported information on childhood living conditions. Studying these factors through transition phases in life and in different studies allows us to identify specific risk factors and target groups of the population for future actions to reduce social inequalities in health. The interplay of factors, and understanding of at what time in the life course a factor or combination of factors best can be targeted for intervention, can provide the relevant knowledge base and actions needed for intervention. “Healthy Choices and the Social Gradient” addresses key priorities and areas put forward by the Health&Care 21 strategy for health. The proposal meets the call of the BEDREHELSE program with novel and innovative approaches. The platform brings together ongoing and planned research activities at UiT, national and international partners and research networks. A novel project for and with students will ensure research based training. Emphasis will be put on communication and knowledge building across social gradients and decision makers.

Publications from Cristin

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BEDREHELSE-Bedre helse og livskvalitet