Project description coming soon

Purpose

This PhD project (2025-2028) examines the complex relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), social determinants of health, particularly educational level, and the risk of developing type-2 diabetes mellitus, with a focus on identifying high-risk subgroups that could benefit from tailored preventive interventions.

Description

While research links social determinants to diabetes, studies on these determinants’ association with GDM and the following progression to type-2 diabetes mellitus remain sparse. Specifically with regard to education, studies on its association with GDM has provided mixed results.

This project use register data to:

• estimate the prevalence of and trends over time in GDM according to educational level
• examine the risk of T2D in women post-GDM according to educational level and to explore the extent to which pre-pregnancy BMI mediates this association
• identify subgroups of women with GDM who share similar social and clinical characteristics and assessing their risk of progression to T2D

Partners

• Sinai Centre for Diabetes, University of Toronto
• Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen

Purpose
Describe the distribution of health literacy in Region Midtjylland through the recurring “Hvordan Har Du Det” survey among about 30,000 citizens. 

Description
The project showed the importance of health literacy among healthy and sick individuals. 

Data from 2013 and 2017 were collected and analyzed using two scales from the HLQ questionnaire. 

Scientific publications describe the relationship between health literacy and mortality, use of health services, prevalence of chronic conditions and multimorbidity, health behavior and self‑rated health. The relation between health literacy and social determinants such as education, ethnicity and income as well as gender, age and cohabitation status has also been examined. 

Data on health literacy continues to be collected in regional health profiles. 

Partner
DEFACTUM. 

Read more:

• Friis K, Pedersen MH, Aaby A, Lasgaard M, Maindal HT. Impact of low health literacy on healthcare utilization in individuals with cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and mental disorders. A Danish population-based 4-year follow-up study (2020)
• Friis, K, Aaby, ASE, Lasgaard, M, Pedersen, MH, H. Osborne, R & Maindal, HT. Health literacy and mortality in individuals with NCD: A 6-year Danish follow-up study (2020)
• Aaby A, Friis K, Christensen B, Rowlands G, Maindal HT. Health literacy is associated with health behaviour and self-reported health : A large population-based study in individuals with cardiovascular disease (2017)
• Friis K, Vind BD, Simmons RK, Maindal HT. The Relationship between Health Literacy and Health Behaviour in People with Diabetes : A Danish Population-Based Study (2016)
• Friis K, Lasgaard M, Rowlands G, Osborne RH. Health Literacy Mediates the Relationship Between Educational Attainment and Health Behavior: A Danish Population-Based Study (2016)
• Friis K, Lasgaard M, Osborne RH, Maindal HT. Gaps in understanding health and engagement with healthcare providers across common long-term conditions: a population survey of health literacy in 29 473 Danish citizens (2016)
• Friis K, Jensen ML, Lasgaard M, Maindal HT. Sundhedskompetence blandt personer med kronisk sygdom. Temaanalyse, vol. 2, Hvordan har du det? (2015)
• Bo A, Friis K, Osborne RH, Maindal HT. National indicators of health literacy: ability to understand health information and to engage actively with healthcare providers - a population-based survey among Danish adults (2014)