What are your research interests?
I am an empirical economist with research interests in health economics, a field that has profoundly contributed to our understanding of the determinants of health, and the economic consequences of ill-health.
Thus far, my research has examined these determinants and consequences across different countries and in various domains such as cardiovascular risk, domestic violence, survival expectations, child mortality, and job quality. In effect, I specialise in the creative use of applied econometric methods to inform health policy, to anticipate, and to effectively respond to real world challenges.
How did you become interested in your field of research?
I am an empirical economist with research interests in health economics, a field that has profoundly contributed to our understanding of the determinants of health, and the economic consequences of ill-health.
Thus far, my research has examined these determinants and consequences across different countries and in various domains such as cardiovascular risk, domestic violence, survival expectations, child mortality, and job quality. In effect, I specialise in the creative use of applied econometric methods to inform health policy, to anticipate, and to effectively respond to real world challenges.
What research question would you above all like to find the answer to? And why is that?
The average Danish woman outlives their male counterparts by close to half a decade. Yet, despite a survival advantage, at older ages, women tend to be in worse health than men. This phenomenon is called the male-female health-survival paradox and despite decades of research, the social determinants of this paradox remains unknown. My current research agenda investigates this paradox by estimating gender differences in healthcare utilization and health bahaviour.
This project, generously funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF), is poised to support Danish national objectives of increased patient involvement, more healthy life years, and a more effective healthcare system.
Which impact do you expect your research to have on the surrounding society?
Insights from my research is poised to contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and UN SDG 5: Gender Equality. My work will contribute to our understanding of the determinants of longer lives, and more importantly healthy ageing, which is indispensable for the increasingly ageing societies in Europe. Minimising health inequalities also has positive contagion effects on other important questions facing societies, for example healthy people have the potential for longer labor market productivity, thereby my research can directly contribute to the ongoing efforts to keep men and women in the workforce for longer.
