Research field

Health promotion

Tampere University

The Health Promotion group brings together public health and health sociology researchers. This allows the group to offer a multidisciplinary behavioral and social science perspective on current issues related to health, illness, and healthcare. Such a perspective is essential when searching for solutions to pressing health issues.

Public health is a multidisciplinary field that examines population health and the factors affecting it. We integrate behavioral sciences (such as social psychology and health psychology) and social epidemiology to better understand and address both individual and societal factors that impact population health. Key areas of focus include health inequalities and health promotion among vulnerable population groups.

Health sociology studies the social, cultural, and societal dimensions of health, illness, and healthcare. It explores, for example, how health and illness are defined and experienced across different cultures and the meanings attached to health and illness. Health sociology also investigates how these phenomena are connected to socioeconomic background and life course. Sociological theoretical perspectives and research methods are utilised in health sociology.

We teach in bachelor, master and doctoral programs in public health. Our group is responsible for courses in population health basics, health promotion, health sociology, health communication, health education and qualitative research methods in health sciences.

We provide thesis supervision on bachelor, master and doctoral level. Our doctoral seminar scientific disciplines are public health and health sociology

Members of the health promotion group:

Professor of Public Health Pilvikki Absetz, pilvikki.absetz [at] tuni.fi

Professor of Health Sociology Piia Jallinoja, piia.jallinoja [at] tuni.fi

University Lecturer Pirjo Lindfors, pirjo.lindfors [at] tuni.fi

University Instructor Jaana Kinnunen, jaana.kinnunen [at] tuni.fi

Postdoctoral Research Fellow Ekaterina Borozdina, ekaterina.borozdina [at] tuni.fi

University Instructor Marjaana Jones, marjaana.jones [at] tuni.fi

Postdoctoral Research Fellow Anu Linnansaari, anu.linnansaari [at] tuni.fi

Postdoctoral Research Fellow Tuula Nygård, tuula.nygard [at] tuni.fi

Doctoral Researcher Tuulia Lahtinen, tuulia.lahtinen [at] tuni.fi

Doctoral Researcher Terhi Koivumäki, terhi.koivumaki [at] tuni.fi

Doctoral Researcher Laura Lahti, laura.e.lahti [at] tuni.fi

Doctoral Researcher Heidi Kesanto-Jokipolvi, heidi.kesanto-jokipolvi [at] tuni.fi

Researcher Madhura Joshi, madhura.joshi [at] tuni.fi