A socially sustainable local community can be described as a place where people want to live, now and in the future. To acheive socially sustainable communities, we need knowledge of people's needs, how the physical and social envoronment influences people's lives, and how the structures of society impact the possibility of the fair distribution of goods and services, integration and participation.

The research group has extensive competence in epidemiological methods, and use of geographical information systems (GIS). The group is also highly competent in various review methods, as well as in qualitative methods.

• The importance of the local community for health and wellbeing

  The local community is an important arena in public health work, and includes the physical and social environment in which we live.

  We investigate how physical factors, such as buildings and residential areas, green areas, nature, meeting places, roads and infrastructure, shopping malls, facilities and institutions such as schools and kindergartens influence people`s opportunities to participate in everyday activities, and how various qualities of the physical environment that surrounds us can promote health and well-being in different groups of the population.

  Further, we are interested in understanding the interactions between the physical environment and social aspects such as security, trust, belonging, social support and social capital, to be able to develop socially sustainable local communities.

  Ongoing projects and focus areas

  • People’s use of shopping centres as public space: The role of shopping centres for social sustainability 
  • Social sustainability in local communities in Østfold 
  • NORDGREEN - Smart Planning for Healthy and Green Nordic Cities 
  • Walk- and activity-friendly local communities 
  • School as community hubs 
  • Housing quality
  • Elderly in the city centre  

• Environmental determinants

  Biological, chemical and physical environmental factors can influence the health of humans. This research group is involved with projects that investigate:

  • how the exposure of different environmental factors is distributed across socioeconomic status
  • how air pollution and noise impact health
  • associations between exposure to radon and cancer
  • the importance of pesticides for health.  

  Ongoing projects and focus areas

  • Radonorm 
  • Pesticides and cancer
  • Mobi-health

• Migration health

  Immigrants constitute a growing proportion of the population, and have been shown to be at a higher risk of several health issues than the Norwegian-born population.

  Health and well-being among immigrants is influenced by factors before, during and after migration. In Norway, low socioeconomic status, disadvantaged living conditions, unemployment, social isolation, language challenges, low health literacy and experiences of discrimination may all be barriers to health and well-being. This may as well affect health among the descendants of immigrants to Norway.

  We investigate how different groups of immigrants and their descendants are faring in terms of health and well-being, and factors that may promote health and well-being in these groups to ensure a socially sustainable development.  

  Ongoing projects and focus areas

  • Health among children of immigrants in Norway
  • Integration and health

• Social inequalities and disadvantaged neighborhoods

  In Norway, there are large and increasing social inequalities in health. In some neighbourhoods, there is a concentration of challenges related to poor living conditions. Living conditions include many different factors, such as economic, social, physical, cultural and environmental - all of which impact health.
  
  Children growing up in areas with disadvantaged living conditions are especially vulnerable to challenges later in life. It is warranted to provide more knowledge on how initiatives to lift such areas can improve living conditions for those who are growing up there. 

  Ongoing projects and focus areas

  • State area initiatives in Østfold county

• Nordh, H., Nordbø, E.C.A., & Aamodt, G. (2024). Working with objective and perceived indicators of health and green space. In: Borges, L.A., Roherm L., & Nilsson, K. (eds). Green and healthy Nordic cities: How to plan, design, and manage health-promoting urban green space. Stockholm: Nordregio, pp. 36-47. 
• Aamodt, G., Nordh, H., & Nordbø, E. C. (2023). Relationships between socio-demographic/socio-economic characteristics and neighborhood green space in four Nordic municipalities–Results from NORDGREEN. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 82, 127894. DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127894
• Juul, V., & Nordbø, E. C. A. (2023). Examining activity-friendly neighborhoods in the Norwegian context: green space and walkability in relation to physical activity and the moderating role of perceived safety. BMC public health, 23(1), 1-10. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15170-4
• Ulset, V. S., Venter, Z., Kozák, M., Nordbø, E. C. A., & von Soest, T. (2023). Increased nationwide use of green spaces in Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic. Environment International, 180, 108190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108190
• Ihlebæk C, Katralen H, Nordbø ECA, Skipstein A. 2023. The role of social capital for well-being in people with long-term illness and disease. Nordic Journal of Wellbeing and Sustainable Welfare Development, 2(2), 53–67.  doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108190
• Pettersen GR, Nordbø ECA, Ese J, Ihlebæk C. 2023. Can shopping centres foster wellbeing? A scoping review of motivations and positive experiences associated with non-shopping visits. Wellbeing, Space and Society, 4, 100133. doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2023.100133
• Arka T, Ellingsen-Dalskau LH, Ihlebæk C. 2023. Long-term commitment in voluntary social work – the role of an autonomy supportive work environment. Voluntary Sector Review, 14(3), 445–459. DOI: 10.1332/204080521X16504447103977
• Langaas, Anne; Svendsen, Thomas Solgård; Sylliaas, Hilde. VM i gatefotball - en arena for støtte, samhandling og læring. Tidsskrift for psykisk helsearbeid 2023; Volum 20.(2) s. 113-123 doi.org/10.18261/tph.20.2.3
• Ihlebæk C. 2022. Planlegging, miljø og folkehelse. Chapter 13 in “Miljøplanlegging” (Eds S. Movik & K.B. Stokke). Universitetsforlaget, Oslo, pp 173-186.  
• Lillefjell M, Maass R, Ihlebæk C. 2022 Applying Salutogenesis in Vocational Rehabilitation Settings. In: Mittelmark M.B. et al. (eds) “The Handbook of Salutogenesis”. Springer, Cham., pp 441-446. 
• Ihlebæk C, Castellan C, Flobak J, Ese J. 2021. The School as an Arena for Co-Creating Participation, Equity, and Well-Being—A Photovoice Study from Norway. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 8252.  doi: 10.3390/ijerph18168252
• Ellingsen-Dalskau LH, Berget B, Tellnes G, Ihlebæk C. 2021. Understanding the relationship between subjective health complaints and satisfaction with life for people in prevocational training in Norway. Nordic Journal of Social Research; 12: 48-71. doi.org/10.7577/njsr.3500
• Ihlebæk C, Næss P, Stefansdottir H. 2021. Are compact cities a threat to public health? European Planning Studies, 2021, 29 (6), 1021–1049. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2020.1775790
• Kjøllesdal M, Indseth T, Iversen HH, Bjertnæs ØA. Patient experiences with general practice in Norway: a comparison of immigrant groups and the majority population following a national survey. BMC Health Services Research 20, Article number: 1106 (2020) doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05963-3
• Kjøllesdal M, Skyrud K, Gele A, Arnesen T, Kløvstad H, Diaz E, Indseth T. The role of socioeconomic factors for COVID-19 among immigrants in Norway. A register based study. Scand J Public Health 2022;50(1), 52-60. doi: 10.1177/14034948211015860
• Kjøllesdal M, Gerwing J, Indseth T. Proficiency in the Norwegian language and self-reported health among twelve immigrant groups in Norway. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 2023 51(3):363-370. DOI: 10.1177/14034948211025158
• Kjøllesdal M, Magnusson K. Occupational risk of COVID-19 by country of birth. A register-based study. Journal of Public Health, 2023 45(1) DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdab362
• Kjøllesdal M, Carslake D, Davey Smith G, Shaikh F, Næss Ø. The role of family factors in the association between BMI in early adulthood and risk of cardiovascular disease. An intergenerational study of BMI in early adulthood and cardiovascular mortality in parents, aunts and uncles. International Journal of Obesity 2022: 46(1); 228-234. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00987-z
• Kjøllesdal M, Labberton A, Reneflot A, Hauge LJ, Qureshi S, Suren P. Variation in disease in children according to immigrant background. Scand J Publ Health 2023 (51(3): 355-362 doi: 10.1177/14034948211039397
• Kraft KB, Godøy AA, Vinjerui KH, Kour P, Kjøllesdal M, Indseth T. Vaksinasjonsdekning mot covid-19 etter innvanderbakgrunn. Tidsskr Nor Legeforen 2021. doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.21.0799   
• Qureshi S, Kjøllesdal M, Gele A. Health disparities, and Health Behaviours of Older immigrants & Native population in Norway. PloS ONE 2022 doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263242 
• Kjøllesdal MKR, Juarez SP, Aradhya S, Indseth T. Understanding the excess COVID-19 burden among immigrants in Norway. Journal of Public Health 2022. fdac033, https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdac033 
• Kjøllesdal M, Gerwing J, Indseth T. Health risks among long-term immigrants in Norway with poor Norwegian language proficiency. Scand J Public Health. 2023 51(3):422-429 DOI: 10.1177/14034948221085399
• Kjøllesdal MKR, Labberton AS, Reneflot A, Qureshi S, Surén P. Diagnoses of infectious diseases among Norwegian-born children to immigrant parents – the role of parental socioeconomic position. Scand J Publ Health 2023 51(3):412-421. https://doi.org/10.1177/14034948221082455
• Hansen TM, Qureshi SA, Gele A, Hauge LJ, Biele GP, Surén P, Kjøllesdal MKR. Developmental disorders among Norwegian-born children with immigrant parents. BMC Child and Adolecent Psyciatry. 2023 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-022-00547-x
• Kjøllesdal MKR, Shah S, Labberton A, Bergh IH, Qureshi S, Surén P. Obesity diagnoses in children and adolescents in Norway by immigrant background. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 2023, online ahead of print, DOI: 10.1177/14034948231157951
• Øvrebø B, Kjøllesdal M, Stea TH, Wills AK, Bere E, Surén P, Magnus P, Juliusson PB, Bergh IH. Prevalence of overweight among children with immigrant background in Norway. BMC Public Health Aug 2023. Article number: 1660 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16571-1
• Kjøllesdal M, Ellingsen-Dalskau L, Iversen HH. Immigrant and ethnic minority patients` reported experiences in psychiatric care in Europe - a scoping review. BMC Health Services Research 23(1):1281. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10312-1
• Øydvin, Katrine; Langaas, Anne; Sylliaas, Hilde. Psykomotorisk fysioterapi eller pandemisk nødløsning? Erfaringer med bruk av videokonsultasjon i psykomotorisk praksis.. Fysioterapeuten 2022 ;Volum 2. s. 38-39 
• Sylliaas, Hilde; Solgård Svendsen, Thomas; Langaas, Anne; Eik, Hedda. Hvordan tilpasses fysioterapipraksis til sårbare brukergrupper? Fysioterapitilnærminger belyst gjennom teorier om tilfriskning og sosial bevisstgjøring.. Fysioterapeuten 2020 ;Volum 8. s. 18-22