Ditte Søndergaard Linde is a researcher and Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and the Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics at Odense University Hospital. She also heads SDU's Centre for Global Health. Her research addresses critical issues in women's health from a global health perspective. She has a background in public health science and received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Copenhagen, followed by a PhD degree from the Department of Clinical Research at SDU. Her doctoral research focused on cervical cancer, developing a digital intervention to support cervical cancer screening and follow-up in Tanzania.
Currently, Associate Professor Ditte Søndergaard Linde is involved in various international research projects, including implementation of a complex self-care interventions for pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes in Vietnam. She is leading an EU project on violence among pregnant women in Denmark and Italy and has previously been involved in European studies on screening for violence against women in Denmark and Spain. Further, her research has informed the recent national guidelines for screening for domestic violence within antenatal and post-partum care in Denmark. Her work exemplifies a commitment to tackling critical global health challenges with a strong focus on women through innovative and collaborative approaches.
Ditte’s research addresses complex health challenges using diverse methodologies. She has conducted randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, qualitative research, and systematic reviews with meta-analyses. She is inspired by a holistic and interdisciplinary research approach as she believes that the combination of various methodologies provides a deeper insight into complex health issues. Ditte Søndergaard Linde is part of Women in Global Health Denmark, the Nordic Network on Violence Against Women (NN-VAW), and she is also a former member of the Transatlantic Telehealth Research Network (TTRN).
From a young age, Ditte has been driven by a commitment to combat global health inequality through international collaborations. At 16, she spent a year in Melbourne, Australia, and later returned to study at Deakin University for her Master’s degree. During her undergraduate studies, she addressed the stigma faced by HIV-positive women in Kenya, and during her Master’s degree, she analysed abortion access in Nepal. Her doctoral research in Tanzania aimed to improve cervical cancer screening and currently has ongoing projects in Asia. Privately, she is based in Copenhagen and commutes weekly to Odense when she is not on field trips abroad.
Ditte’s work is strongly influenced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 3 (health and well-being), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 10 (reducing inequalities) and SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals). These goals underpin its commitment to reducing inequalities, promoting women’s health – including sexual and reproductive health and rights and fostering international collaboration to drive meaningful change.
Ditte Søndergaard Linde actively encourages students at SDU to undertake fieldwork during their studies, as it provides invaluable hands-on global health experience and excellent networking opportunities. Together with her colleagues, she is leading an exciting new global health programme in Nepal for students at the Faculty of Health Science at SDU. This programme includes a two-week field-based course, followed by a six-week internship or clinical placement at various location in Nepal.
Associate Professor Linde also welcomes external researchers to explore international collaborations. By identifying common research interests, such collaborations can enrich academic work and contribute to the advancement of global health knowledge.
