Meet Professor Kaj Sparle Christensen, who aims to contribute to improving the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in general practice while enhancing health professionals' communication with their patients.

Stress, anxiety, and depression are the most common mental disorders, and they often lead to significant functional impairment, sick leave, and early retirement. According to Kaj Sparle Christensen, effective treatment of mental disorders is therefore crucial, and it depends on effective communication and accurate diagnoses.

Kaj Sparle Christensen participates in national and international research projects that develop and improve measurement tools for mental disorders. He investigates the effectiveness of problem-solving communication techniques in general practice and evaluates the effectiveness of psychopharmacological treatment in adults and the elderly through registry studies.

"My goal is to develop valid and reliable tools to assess health professionals' communication with patients. This will contribute to more effective and targeted treatment plans."

Kaj Sparle Christensen's interest in communication began during his studies at Aarhus University, where he studied medicine. He has been particularly focused on how general practitioners ensure understandable, comprehensive, and relevant information during patient consultations. His Ph.D. dissertation, which included working with psychometric tests, naturally led him into his current research field.

The Department of Public Health, where Kaj Sparle Christensen works, offers interdisciplinary research collaboration and a focus on developing his pedagogical skills. This makes it an attractive workplace for the professor, who is also a general practitioner.

"Recognition from my colleagues for my work on clinical guidelines for managing mental disorders in general practice has been a significant driving force for my commitment to research."

Kaj Sparle Christensen's research area: Clinical Public Health