Research presentation
Birgitta Wiitavaara
Associate Professor, Ph.D. in Nursing Science, Registered Nurse
Research subject: Occupational Health Sciences
Email: birgitta.wiitavaara@hig.se
Telephone: +46 26 64 84 05
Mobile: +46 70 345 72 14
CURRENT RESEARCH
- DisA - Working at a distance - opportunities and consequences for university teachers. A doctoral project where I am the main supervisor for the doctoral student Linda Widar. The overall purpose of the thesis work is to investigate how teleworking is practiced by, and affect, university teachers. Furthermore, the purpose is to investigate the experiences of the first-line managers of leading a personnel group that works to a varying extent from a distance.
- MätFunk - Measuring Physical Function. A series of literature reviews on questionnaires that measure physical function in musculoskeletal disorders, with ICF classification of the questionnaire's content and mapping the psychometric testing done on the questionnaires, using the COSMIN check list. Sub-study I + II is published in 2018-19, sub-study III is ongoing.
- PrioSAM Test - Psychometric testing of three questionnaires for measuring systematic work-environment work.
- CUA - A cost-utility analysis to evaluate four treatments for neck-shoulder disorders previously investigated in a RCT-study. Data regarding improvement in the participants´ health profiles related to direct and indirect costs at individual and societal level will be considered
- IMMPACT-PHC. The long-term aim of this project is to evaluate whether internationally recommended outcome measures for clinical pain trials are suitable for use in evaluation of non-specific long-term musculoskeletal disorders and secondly to develop a short form questionnaire. Study I publiched
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Articles
Scholarly articles, refereed
Wiitavaara, B., Rissén, D. & Nilsson, A. (2023). Demographic and clinical factors associated with psychological wellbeing in people with chronic, non-specific musculoskeletal pain engaged in multimodal rehabilitation:– A cross-sectional study with a correlational design. Scandinavian Journal of Pain. 10.1515/sjpain-2023-0028
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Mutiganda, J., Wiitavaara, B., Heiden, M., Svensson, S., Fagerström, A., Bergström, G. & Aboagye, E. (2022). A systematic review of the research on telework and organizational economic performance indicators. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1035310
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Wiitavaara, B. & Florin, J. (2022). Content and psychometric evaluations of questionnaires for assessing physical function in people with arm – shoulder - hand disorders : A systematic review of the literature. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44 (24), 7575-7586. 10.1080/09638288.2021.1979109
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Widar, L., Heiden, M., Boman, E. & Wiitavaara, B. (2022). How is telework experienced in academia?. Sustainability, 14 (10). 10.3390/su14105745
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Wiitavaara, B., Strömberg, A., Mutiganda, J., Svensson, M., Hallman, D. & Svensson, S. (2022). Like a fire brigade, but without pay - Experiences of temporary employment among workers in Swedish elderly care. Human service organizations, management, leadership & governance. [Submitted]
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Widar, L., Wiitavaara, B., Boman, E. & Heiden, M. (2021). Psychophysiological reactivity, postures and movements among academic staff : A comparison between teleworking days and office days. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (18). 10.3390/ijerph18189537
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Heiden, M., Widar, L., Wiitavaara, B. & Boman, E. (2021). Telework in academia : associations with health and well-being among staff. Higher Education, 81, 707-722. 10.1007/s10734-020-00569-4
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Wiitavaara, B. & Heiden, M. (2020). Content and psychometric evaluations of questionnaires for assessing physical function in people with low back disorders : a systematic review of the literature. Disability and Rehabilitation, 42 (2), 163-172. 10.1080/09638288.2018.1495274
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Wiitavaara, B., Rissén, D., Högberg, H. & Nilsson, A. (2019). Psychometric testing of a short form questionnaire for measurement of health experiences among people with musculoskeletal disorders undergoing multimodal rehabilitation. BMJ Open, 9 (5). 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025103
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Wiitavaara, B. & Heiden, M. (2018). Content and psychometric evaluations of questionnaires for assessing physical function in people with neck disorders – A systematic review of the literature. Disability and Rehabilitation, 40 (19), 2227-2235. 10.1080/09638288.2017.1334096
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Nordlöf, H., Wiitavaara, B., Högberg, H. & Westerling, R. (2017). A cross-sectional study of factors influencing occupational health and safety management practices in companies. Safety Science, 95, 92-103. 10.1016/j.ssci.2017.02.008
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Wiitavaara, B., Fahlström, M. & Djupsjöbacka, M. (2017). Prevalence, diagnostics, and management of musculoskeletal disorders in primary health care in Sweden : an investigation of 2000 randomly selected patient records. Journal of Evaluation In Clinical Practice, 23 (2), 325-332. 10.1111/jep.12614
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Björklund, M., Wiitavaara, B. & Heiden, M. (2017). Responsiveness and minimal important change for the ProFitMap-neck questionnaire and the Neck Disability Index in women with neck-shoulder pain. Quality of Life Research, 26 (1), 161-170. 10.1007/s11136-016-1373-8
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Wiitavaara, B., Bengs, C. & Brulin, C. (2016). Well, I'm healthy, but... : lay perspectives on health among people with musculoskeletal disorders. Disability and Rehabilitation, 38 (1), 71-80. 10.3109/09638288.2015.1024338
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Nordlöf, H., Wiitavaara, B., Winblad, U., Wijk, K. & Westerling, R. (2015). Safety culture and reasons for risk-taking at a large steel-manufacturing company : Investigating the worker perspective. Safety Science, 73, 126-135. 10.1016/j.ssci.2014.11.020
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Wiitavaara, B., Björklund, M. & Nilsson, A. (2012). An initial factor analysis of prominent aspects of health experiences for women with neck-shoulder pain. Disability and Rehabilitation, 34 (11), 934-942. 10.3109/09638288.2011.628436
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Wiitavaara, B., Björklund, M., Brulin, C. & Djupsjöbacka, M. (2009). How well do questionnaires on symptoms in neck-shoulder disorders capture the experiences of those who suffer from the disorders? : A content analysis of questionnaires and interviews. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 10 (1). 10.1186/1471-2474-10-30
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Wiitavaara, B., Brulin, C. & Barnekow-Bergkvist, M. (2008). When the body makes itself heard : the experience of bodily illness among people with neck-shoulder problems. Advances in Physiotherapy, 10 (2), 85-94. 10.1080/14038190701760627
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Wiitavaara, B., Lundman, B., Barnekow-Bergkvist, M. & Brulin, C. (2007). Striking a balance - health experiences of male ambulance personnel with musculoskeletal symptoms : a grounded theory. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 44 (5), 770-779. 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.02.007
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Wiitavaara, B., Barnekow-Bergkvist, M. & Brulin, C. (2007). Striving for balance : a grounded theory study of health experiences of nurses with musculoskeletal problems.. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 44 (8), 1379-1390. 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.07.009
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Scholarly articles, non-refereed
Wiitavaara, B., Bengs, C. & Brulin, C. (2015). Lekmannaperspektiv på hälsa bland personer med muskuloskeletala besvär. Best Practice : Smärta, 4 (10), 20-23.
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Doctoral thesis
Wiitavaara, B. (2007). Balancing intrusive illness : the experiences of people with musculoskeletal problems. Diss. (sammanfattning), 2007. Umeå: Umeå Universitet. 54 p. (Umeå University medical dissertations 1106)
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Book chapters
Aasa, U. & Wiitavaara, B. (2016). Personalens hälsa och arbetsmiljö. Prehospital akutsjukvård. Stockholm: Liber. P. 72-79.
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Aasa, U. & Wiitavaara, B. (2009). Personalens hälsa och arbetsmiljö. Prehospital akutsjukvård. Stockholm: Liber. P. 33-38.
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Conference papers
Widar, L., Boman, E., Wiitavaara, B. & Heiden, M. (2019). Psychophysiological reactions, stress and recuperation among telecommuting academics. . Bologna.
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Heiden, M., Widar, L., Wiitavaara, B. & Boman, E. (2019). Telecommuting in academia – Associations with staff’s health and well-being. Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018) : Volume IX: Aging, Gender and Work, Anthropometry, Ergonomics for Children and Educational Environments. Cham: Springer. P. 308-312. 10.1007/978-3-319-96065-4
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Widar, L., Wiitavaara, B., Heiden, M. & Boman, E. (2018). Att arbeta på distans – möjligheter och konsekvenser för universitetslärare. FALF KONFERENS 2018 Arbetet – problem eller potential för en hållbar livsmiljö? 10-12 juni 2018 Gävle : Program och abstracts. Gävle: Gävle University Press. P. 118-.
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Wiitavaara, B. & Heiden, M. (2017). Content and quality of questionnaires for assessment of physical functioning in neck disorders – A systematic review of the literature. Joy at Work, NES, <em>2017</em>.
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Nordlöf, H., Wiitavaara, B., Högberg, H. & Westerling, R. (2016). To measure OHS management practices in manufacturing companies. .
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Wiitavaara, B. & Heiden, M. (2016). What do questionnaires for assessment of physical functioning in neck disorders really measure? : A systematic review of the literature. .
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Nordlöf, H., Wiitavaara, B., Winblad, U., Wijk, K. & Westerling, R. (2013). A description of reasons for risk-taking at a large steel manufacturing company. Ergonomics for equality: Nordic Ergonomics Society (NES), Reykjavík, Iceland, 11-14 august 2013.
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Nordlöf, H., Wiitavaara, B., Winblad, U., Wijk, K. & Westerling, R. (2013). En beskrivning av anledningar till risktagande vid ett stort stålindustriföretag. .
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Wiitavaara, B. (2012). Well but ill: Lay perspectives on health among people with musculoskeletal disorders.. .
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Wiitavaara, B., Björklund, M., Djupsjöbacka, M. & Nilsson, A. (2010). Can internationally recommended outcome domains capture aspects that are prominent for the health experiences of women with neck- and shoulder pain? : A factor analysis. (Poster). Proceedings of the Premus 2010 conference (Seventh International Conference on Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders) August 29-September 2. Angers, France. P. 283-.
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Wiitavaara, B. (2006). Health as balance : illness and wellness among persons with musculoskeletal disorders. 5th Global Conference Making Sense Of: Health, Illness and Disease.
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Wiitavaara, B., Lundman, B., Barnekow-Bergkvist, M. & Brulin, C. (2005). Experiences of illness, wellness and work environment of male ambulance personnel. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the Nordic Ergonomics Society. P. 266-270.
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Other
Wiitavaara, B., Rissén, D. & Nilsson, A. (2013). Utvärdering av muskuloskeletala besvär : Utveckling av ett kliniskt användbart frågeformulär för personer med besvär från rörelseapparaten.
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