Kerstin Ekberg

Kerstin Ekberg, PhD, and certified psychologist. She is a professor in Work and Rehabilitation at Linköping University, Sweden, and has been leading the National Centre for Work and Rehabilitation. She is a senior research leader at the multidisciplinary Helix Vinn Excellence Centre. She has been head of the Centre for Public Health at the County Council of Östergötland. She was appointed professor of excellence by the vice-chancellor at Linköping University. She has been main supervisor of 15 PhD graduated PhD students.

The research group at the National Centre for Work and Rehabilitation (RAR) carries out research and development work, education and information in issues relating to health, work ability and return to work. Research within RAR is multidisciplinary, i.e. various theoretical starting points and research methods are being applied.

Kerstin Ekberg´s PhD thesis was based on epidemiologic studies of disorders in the neck and shoulders and interventions for return to work.  Her research interests later developed into studies also covering work-related common mental disorders as well as stroke. She has been principal investigator of a number of studies focusing organizational conditions and work environment conditions of importance for preventing work disability and for promoting return to work. Her area of research aims to develop knowledge on how modern working life affects health and work ability and to find strategies for promotion of health and facilitation of return to work and sustainable work ability. The complex research issues require methodological pluralism. Research is based on quantitative and qualitative research methods, including register studies and longitudinal epidemiologic survey studies, sometimes combined with interview and observational studies.