Sociology of health, well-being, and quality of life
Research group
Our research group is dedicated to studying well-being, quality of life, and health from various perspectives. We are interested in how social, economic, and cultural factors at both the individual and societal levels are linked to people's mental and physical health as well as their well-being.
Subjective Well-being
One of our research areas is subjective well-being, where we map and explain differences in well-being both within and between countries. We investigate how factors such as economy, social position, and employment are linked to people's life satisfaction and emotional well-being. Furthermore, we study differences between countries and how methods for measuring subjective well-being in different cultures and societies can be improved.
Parenthood and Mental Health
We also study the connection between parenthood and mental health in Sweden, including how mental well-being affects the likelihood of becoming a parent and how parenthood, in turn, affects the mental health of mothers and fathers. We further investigate how the labor market trajectories of adult children affect the mental well-being of their aging parents.
Working Life, Young Adults, and Mental Illness
Within the group, research is also conducted on social determinants of health and living conditions, with a focus on working life, young adults, and mental illness. We investigate how class and gender patterns in the labor market contribute to health inequalities and study health outcomes such as mental and somatic health, hospital admissions, prescriptions, and diagnoses for mental illness.
Use of Integrative, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine
Another research area is people's experiences of and motives for using integrative, complementary, and alternative medicine. Here, we are interested in how knowledge in these areas is produced, understood, and negotiated by various actors, such as patients, practitioners, researchers, healthcare professionals, and politicians.
Examples of Research Questions
What role does income play in well-being in different countries?
What role do mental health problems play in the likelihood of becoming a parent as a teenager in Sweden?
How do class and gender patterns in the labor market contribute to health inequalities?
How is knowledge in integrative, complementary, and alternative medicine produced, understood, and negotiated by different actors?
