Rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders

I got my PhD in 2007 with a thesis on health experiences in people with musculoskeletal disorders. The thesis portrays experiences of the sufferers, from the overall experience of the balance between health-illness, through the course of the disease at neck-shoulder problems, down to symptom level and a comparison with certain questionnaires. If you want to read more, you can find the frame story of the thesis at: "Balancing intrusive illness — the experiences of people with musculoskeletal problems". After my doctoral thesis, I have worked with research and teaching at advanced and graduate level in the field of occupational health science. The most recent projects have focus ranging from qualitative studies of safety culture and risk taking to psychometric testing of questionnaires.

The focus of my research is of health, health experiences and outcome measures related to musculoskeletal disorders.

Current projects

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 forms that measure physical function in musculoskeletal disorders, with ICF classification of the questionnaires' 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

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. CUA - A cost utility analysis
Responsible: Birgitta Wiitavaara

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 is published 2012, study II 2019. IMMPACT-PHC
Responsible: Birgitta Wiitavaara

Collaboration

DisA - Working at a distance - opportunities and consequences for university teachers Collaboration partners:
Linda Widar, PhD Student, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle
Marina Heiden, Teacher, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle
Eva Boman, FD, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle

MätFunk - Measurement of physical function; a series of literature reviews on questionnaires regarding content and psychometric testing
Partners:
Hans Högberg, FD, Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies,University of Gävle / Region Gävleborg
Jan Florin, Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, University of Dalarna
Marina Heiden, Teacher, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle

CUA - Health economic evaluation of four forms of treatment for neck-shoulder problems
Collaboration partners:
Annika Nilsson Associate Professor, Department of Health and Care Sciences, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle
Dag Rissén, FD, CFUG Region Gävleborg / Uppsala University.

PrioSAM Test - Psychometric testing of three forms for measuring systematic work environment work
Collaboration partners:
Hasse Nordlöf, FD, Research Secretary, University of Gävle
Ragnar Westerling, Professor, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University
Hans Högberg, FD, Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle / Region Gävleborg

IMMPACT-PHC - Can internationally recommended outcome measures for clinical pain studies capture health issues that are prominent among women with neck-shoulder problems?
Collaboration partners:
Annika Nilsson, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Care Sciences, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle
Dag Rissén, FD, CFUG Region Gävleborg / Uppsala University

Lay perspectives on health
Collaboration partners:
Christine Brulin, Professor, Department of Nursing, Umeå University
Carita Bengs, associate professor, Department of Sociology, Umeå University