Section for Health Services Research

The section is characterized by a clear cross-disciplinary approach using a range of methodologies including quantitative, epidemiological methods based on the excellent Danish registry data, clinical data, health economic data, questionnaires, and qualitative methodologies such as document analysis, interviews, focus groups, witness seminars, and participant observation. We place great emphasis on incorporating approaches and methods and in integrating philosophical and ethical scholarship and historical and anthropological modes of inquiry in many of our projects. What unites us is a keen interest in understanding the social, political and medical preconditions for, and implications of, health service delivery and a willingness to engage and challenge each other’s projects across disciplinary and methodological boundaries. Furthermore, the section has an ongoing collaboration with a range of social science departments (Political Science, Economics, Anthropology and Sociology) for both research and educational purposes.

We are organized in four research centers focusing on

a) migration and health,

b) healthy aging with a view on health care, health policy and community interventions, and

c) science and technology studies (STS), the latter shared with Museion and

d) health economics and policy and

e) a research unit specialized in measurement of patient-rated outcomes (PRO’s), mainly in cancer, and palliative care, besides some independent researchers.

While we use centers to create synergy between related projects, it is also important for us that researchers feel freed to pursue their own research agenda.

Specific strengths

• Migration and health
• Science and Technology Studies (STS)
• Patient-rated outcomes (PRO’s)
• Health systems and health policy analysis in a national and comparative perspective

While we do facilitate some intervention projects and forms of applied research, we are strongly oriented towards basic research. We analyze what the health services do, with a keen eye for the unexpected, and for the epistemological and ethical aspects of medical research and practice. We have an interest in how medical research and practices have consequences beyond health outcome, e.g. in changes of institutions and societal values, and in the social and political preconditions for medical research, health policy, organization and practice.

The department is responsible for the following classes

Medical Science
• Course in Medical Sociology and Health Care System (new study system) (ny studieordning)

Public Health Science
• Course in health Care System. 3rd year.
• Organizational Analysis. 3rd year.
• Health Economics. 3rd year.
• Questionnaire Methods. 4th year.
• Qualitative Methods. 4th year.
• Health Policy Analysis. Optional subject.
• Evaluation. Optional subject.
• Management, organization and leadership in the health care system. Optional subject.
• Evaluation and Measurement of Quality. Optional subject.
• Planning and implementation in the health care system. Optional subject.
• Management Analysis. Optional subject.
• Decision-making and planning in the health care system. Optional subject.

Courses for Master of Public Health
• Introduction course.
• Health-care organization, economics and management. Common Module 3.
• Health-care organization and management. Special Module

Courses for Master of International Health
• Health systems analysis