Hello there! Sanna Fjellström who nailed her thesis
On the eighth of April, Sanna Fjellström nailed up her dissertation in health sciences, the title of which is "Empowering Physical Activity through eHealth: Web-Based Exercise for Older Adults and People with Intellectual Disabilities".
How did it feel to nail up your dissertation?
I thought before that the nailing didn't feel like such a big deal, but it was very nice to do it somehow. To put the thesis there on the wall, a relief, fun and a sense of pride! I'm looking forward to the dissertation, with excitement of course!
Can you tell us about your most important findings during the thesis work?
One of the key findings is that web-based training appears to be feasible and improves various health parameters for the elderly and people with intellectual disabilities. The studies show that the success factors lie in flexibility and adaptability, and that support structures around it are important for feasibility. But that it is a challenge to achieve sustainability in the long term!
Why did you choose to study this particular study?
eHealth is an incredibly large and growing area for promoting health. But as with many other things, researchers often test interventions on those with the worst health last, as these may be target groups that are more challenging to include in research. I am passionate about reducing the health gap and believe that everyone should have the right to equal health. With the growing trend in web-based training, I thought it was very important to also test the training type on older people and people with IF.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to be able to keep a foot in research in one way or another, but exactly how it turns out remains to be seen. I want to continue working to reduce the health gap in society and we have a long way to go, but we know that increased levels of physical activity can make a big difference. At the same time as I do research, I have a position at the Public Health Unit at Region Jämtland Härjedalen where I also work to promote physical activity for the population. It has been incredibly cool to be able to produce research results and then be involved in implementing it in reality. It's a privilege!
What do you do when you're not working?
It would be strange if I didn't say that I exercise. I live with my family outside Undersåker and have the mountains as a neighbor and that's exactly what I like most in my spare time. Be up on the mountain and run, climb or ski. And of course build balance courses and play in goo fun with my children. Movement in nature – that's nice!