Vanja Berggren

• PhD International Health
• Professor (Associate) at Karolinska Institutet

Background: The use of social media in the modern world is necessary to stay equipped with the fast-paced changes of the 21st century. The integration of social media platforms into the life of medical students and their effect on their academic performance has not been studied enough. Objective: This study examines the duration of time spent on so...

Background In 2020 in sub-Saharan Africa, 25% of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections occurred among young women (15–24 years). In Uganda, the HIV prevalence is three times higher among young women at 2.9% compared to 0.8% among their male counterparts. HIV status disclosure is a gateway to preventive services. Objectives We set out t...

Background The burden of HIV remains disproportionally high among the adolescent girls and young women. This is often coupled with nondisclosure of HIV status partly due to delayed knowledge of HIV status which affects entry into HIV prevention interventions. HIV self-testing which provides instant knowledge of HIV status is being promoted to enabl...

Background: The rates of burnout among physicians and nurses are increasing globally. However, burnout among health care providers in Jordan is insufficiently explored. Thus, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout among Emergency Departments’ (ED) physicians and nurses in public sector hospitals in Amman- Jordan.Methods: A cross-secti...

Uganda is an exceptionally diverse, postconflict, sub-Saharan African country with a large share of its population being school-aged children. The launch of universal primary education by the incumbent President Yoweri Museveni was essentially carried out under the banner of national integration and reconciliation. However, contrary to the pronounc...

Background Female genital mutilation (FGM) is defined as all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injuries to them for non-medical reasons. Due to migration, healthcare providers in high-income countries need to better understand the consequences of FGM. The aim of this study was to elucidate wome...

Background Female genital mutilation (FGM) is defined as all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injuries to them for non-medical reasons. Due to migration, healthcare providers in high-income countries need to better understand the consequences of FGM. The aim of this study was to elucidate wome...

Primary education has generally positive effects on people’s productivity, health, and standard of living. This chapter discusses the Ugandan universal primary education in relation to the key concept of access. The abolishing of school fees in public primary schools has undoubtedly allowed millions of Ugandan children from various backgrounds to g...

Background Medical students’ involvement in patients’ care varies according to patient’s willingness, as some might consider it a privacy invasion. Thus, exploring patients’ perceptions and attitudes towards this interaction should be thoroughly investigated, to better understand it and to provide evidence-based data for improving the training of f...

Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare providers is a serious problem that carries health, safety, and legal consequences. Healthcare providers working in emergency departments (ED) are more susceptible to WPV compared to other healthcare settings. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of physical and verbal violence against ED physicians...

Background Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes a range of procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia. It is a harmful procedure that violates human rights of girls and women. FGM has been associated with obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI), among other adverse obstetric complications. However, the obstetr...

Special Issue: “Critical Explorations of Crisis: Politics, Precariousness, and Potentialities”. Special Issue Editors: Rydstrom, Helle, Mo Hamza, Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen, and Vanja Berggren. Global Discourse: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Current Affairs, Volume 12, Issue 3-4, 2022. Table of Contents: -Gammeltoft-Hansen, Thomas, Helle Rydstro...

Background: Shawerma is a popular traditional food in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the shawerma handlers' compliance with food safety practices and determine the microbial load and pathogenic organisms in the ready-to-eat chicken shawerma sandwiches in the restaurants of Amman, Jordan. Methods: This cro...

Introduction: as South Africa's maternal mortality ratio increased between 1990 and 2015, the country failed to reach the United Nations millennium development goal 5a. The maternal mortality ratio of Limpopo province is higher than the national average and previous studies report shortages of manpower and medical equipment in Limpopo province. Th...

Background and Aim South Africa is a middle-income country that did not reach the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 5 by 2015, because maternal mortality ratio increased between 1990 and 2015. Limpopo is a rural province, and its institutional maternal mortality ratio is higher than the national average. Studies reported that there is a sh...

Background: Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked the third most common cancer among men and the second in women. The American Cancer Society recommends that starting from the age 50 years, both men and women should be screened for polyps and for early detection of CRC. In Jordan, CRC is the most common cancer among males and the second mo...

Aims: Several food poisoning outbreaks in Jordan were due to Salmonella species isolated from chicken shawerma. This study aimed to assess the food safety knowledge among chicken shawerma food handlers in Jordan. Methods: Forty chicken shawerma restaurants in Amman were selected randomly and 120 food handlers (Egyptians 53%, Jordanians 26% and Syri...

Immigrant mothers who have immigrated during the last ten years and do not speak the language of the new country are found to be at particular risk of being affected by postpartum depression (PPD). Still they choose to participate to a lesser extent in screening for PPD and are not screened out as frequently as can be expected. In this study, non-n...

Aging entails health challenges globally, but pertinent data from low-income countries like Uganda remains scarce. A cross-sectional study was carried out at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, among 134 patients (38% men and 62% women) aged ≥60 years. Data was collected on sociodemographic characteristics, medical disorders, cognitive fu...

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an expanding prac- tice worldwide. However, there are few studies conducted in Jordan about CAM. This study aimed to assess knowledge about CAM among university students in Jordan and whether it should be incorporated into the educational curricula. Methods: This cross-sectional study to...

Background Previous studies were conflicting regarding the associations between HPV vaccination, cervical cancer risk perceptions, high-risk sexual behaviors and STIs. This study compared the HPV-vaccinated and non-vaccinated young women in Uganda regarding cervical cancer risk perceptions, high-risk sexual behaviors, syphilis and HIV infections 5...

Background: Due to the current world situation, Sweden has one of the highest asylum applications within the European Union. Immigrant mothers, specifically those who have immigrated during the last ten years and do not speak the language of the new country, are found to be at particular risk of being effected by postpartum depression. Aim: In t...

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and some predictors for vaccine and non-vaccine types of HPV infections among bivalent HPV vaccinated and non-vaccinated young women in Uganda. This was a comparative cross sectional study 5.5 years after a bivalent HPV 16/18 vaccination (Cervarix®, GlaxoSmithKline, Belgium) pilot project...

Background: Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Uganda. Despite earlier information campaigns to introduce human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination, which also targeted cervical cancer, misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the subject remain high. Women in Uganda present with cervical cancer at an advanced sta...

A mandatory National Premarital Thalassemia Screening Program was implemented in Jordan in 2004. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of university students in North Jordan toward this program. Data was collected from 542 students from four universities (two public and two private universities) located in North Jor...

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally. In Jordan, it is the number one cancer among men and the second most common cancer among women, accounting for 15% and 9.4% respectively of all male and female diagnosed cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions about colorectal cancer risk fact...

Despite the fact that HIV-positive women carry an increased risk of developing cervical cancer (CC) in comparison with HIV-negative women, HIV and CC screening programs in many developing countries have remained unintegrated. The objective of this study is to explore perceptions and preferences of community members in Uganda, including women, men,...

Objectives . The aim of this study was to investigate perceived and ideal body image (BI) and associated factors among female university students in Saudi Arabia. Methods . This cross-sectional study included 663 university female students. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, BMI, and BI perception (the 9-figure silhouette) were o...

Background: Immigrants are considered globally to be a vulnerable subpopulation. Vulnerable population groups have a higher prevalence of obesity than the general population. Despite increased immigration of people from Somalia to Sweden in recent years, little research has been undertaken about obesity and obesity-related health risks among Somali...

Background: Although the occurrence of malnutrition in hospitals is a growing concern, little is known about how hospital staff understand the care that nurses provide to patients with malnutrition. The purpose of this study was to explore nurses’ views and experiences of caring for malnourished patients in Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: Using a qual...

Objective: Research about the prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity in the Saudi Arabian female population is limited. The aim of the present study was to examine the dietary habits and the prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity and associated factors among female university students. Design: A cross-sectional study. Settin...

Background HIV-positive women have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer (CC) compared to the HIV-negative women. Despite this, HIV and CC screening programs in many developing countries have remained disintegrated. Therefore, the objective of the study was to explore perceptions of healthcare providers (HCP) and policy makers (PM) about...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer afflicting women in Jordan. This study aimed to assess the effects of an educational intervention through home visits, including offering free mammography screening vouchers, on changing women’s breast health knowledge and screening practices for early detection of breast cancer in a less privileged area in J...

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy afflicting women, and the most common cancer overall in Jordan. A woman's decision to go for screening is influenced by her social support network. This study aims to explore Jordanian men's individual and contextual perspectives on women's breast cancer and their own role in the breast health of the fema...

The aim of this study is to explore how women from part of the world where female genital mutilation (FGM) is normative perceive and experience FGM after immigrating to Sweden. Interviews were conducted with eight women from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The women's feelings were...

Background: The high prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia is a growing challenge to public health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of physical activity (PA) and associated factors among female university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 663 randomly selected female university students who completed t...

This article elucidates Somali women's experiences of cooking and meals after immigration to Sweden. Six Somali women participated in repeated focus group interviews. Content analysis of the interviews resulted in four themes: change in routines and content of the daily meals, changed experiences related to cooking and shopping for groceries, the s...

Aim . To explore female outpatients’ perspectives on problems related to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and their views on information, care, and counseling. Setting . An FGM/C support center at a maternity clinic in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Methods . A qualitative, descriptive study, using content analysis of seven semistructured interview...

Aim. The aim of this study was to elucidate midwives experiences in providing care and counselling to women with FGM related problems. Setting. The study was conducted at a maternity clinic in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Method. A qualitative, inductive study were performed with eight midwives living in Somaliland. The interviews had semi-structured ques...

Objective. To determine forms of female genital mutilation (FGM), assess consistency between self-reported and observed FGM status, and assess the accuracy of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) FGM questions in Sierra Leone. Methods. This cross-sectional study, conducted between October 2010 and April 2012, enrolled 558 females aged 12-47 from el...

Objective: To investigate the risk for anal sphincter tears (AST) in infibulated women. Design: Population-based cohort study. Setting: Nationwide study in Sweden. Population: The study population included 250 491 primiparous women with a vaginal singleton birth at 37-41 completed gestational weeks during 1999-2008. We only included women bo...

Rationale: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and determinants of PA, sedentary behaviors, and BMI among female university students in south western KSA.Methods: This cross-section ...

Background Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among Jordanian women. Breast malignancies are detected at late stages as a result of deferred breast health-seeking behaviour. The aim of this study was to explore Jordanian women’s views and perceptions about breast cancer and breast health. Methods We performed an explorative qua...

Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the world, and yet little is known about the health consequences of the practice. To explore whether and what kind of FGM-related health complications girls and women in Sierra Leone experience, and to elucidate their health care-seeking behaviors. A feasibility study w...

Male partners' involvement in women's sexual and reproductive health has been increasingly emphasised in international health. A qualitative approach with open-ended qualitative interviews was used to explore young, married men's first time experiences of early childbearing, their sexual and reproductive decision making and the meanings they make o...

The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of elderly people, living at home who receive hot meals that are distributed by their municipality. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the (n=13) interviews. The results showed that feelings of dependency, loneliness and gratitude were expressed by the participants in the study...

Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 69 home alone due to difficulties getting out of the house, which was associated with the costs of taxis transportation. Gratitude was expressed by the sincere thanks for the possibility of receiving traditional meals delivered daily. The major conclusion of the study was the indication that gre...

To determine the frequency of occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the circumstances and predisposing factors, the high-risk groups, the extent to which exposures are reported and the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) utilized by health-care workers (HCWs) and students in a Ugandan hospital. Occupational exposure to HIV is a l...

Background: Every woman giving birth has expectations. Identifying women's expectations, wishes, needs and fears enable the health care provider(s) to work toward a common goal of safe and positive childbirth experience. Aim: The aim was to determine women's preferences and needs during labor. Design: Analytic-cross sectional study. Setting: El Kas...

Background: Every woman giving birth has expectations. Identifying women's expectations, wishes, needs and fears enable the health care provider(s) to work toward a common goal of safe and positive childbirth experience. Aim: The aim was to determine women's preferences and needs during labor. Design: Analytic-cross sectional study. Setting: El Kas...

Background: Recent reports from the developing world have documented rheumatic fever (RE) incidence rates as high as 206/100 000 and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) prevalence rates as high as 18.6/1000. The high frequency of RHD in the developing world necessitates aggressive prevention and control measures. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine...

Background: Recent reports from the developing world have documented rheumatic fever (RE) incidence rates as high as 206/100 000 and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) prevalence rates as high as 18.6/1000. The high frequency of RHD in the developing world necessitates aggressive prevention and control measures. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine...

Background: Recent reports from the developing world have documented rheumatic fever (RE) incidence rates as high as 206/100 000 and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) prevalence rates as high as 18.6/1000. The high frequency of RHD in the developing world necessitates aggressive prevention and control measures. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine...

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Jordan and on average 70% of the cases present at advanced stages. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a public educational campaign conducted by the Jordan Breast Cancer Program to improve breast health knowledge among Jordanian women and to relate their knowledge to breas...

Objective: The objective of this study was to elucidate the attitudes of voluntarily counseling of HIV/AIDS with particular emphasis on voluntary counseling testing (VCT) among Sudanese pregnant women. Design: a cross sectional, clinic based study was performed. The data were analyzed using SPSS. Setting: six ante-natal clinics in Khartoum, Sudan....

This study elucidates the nursing of undernourished patients as experienced by eight registered clinical nurses and five nursing assistants by using content analysis. The participants' narratives describe the inner perspective of caring for undernourished patients, known in Sweden as `the thin ones'. Categories identified were: frustration in nursi...

This study explores married Vietnamese adolescents' perceptions and experiences related to transition into motherhood and their encounter with health care service. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 women younger than 20 who were either pregnant or had newly delivered. It emerged from the narratives that young women experienced ambivalence...

This paper describes a study to explore the prevalence of postpartum tightening operations of the vulva and reinfibulation (RI) in Sudan. Participatory observations with digital vaginal examinations before and after delivery were carried out on a sample of 100 women in two hospital settings. In 61% of the women tightening vulval operations had been...

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or the more value neutral term, Female Genital Cutting (FGC) is widely practised in northern Sudan, where around 90% of women undergo the most extensive form of FGC, infibulation. One new approach to combating FGC in Sudan is to acknowledge the previously hidden form of FGC, reinfibulation (RI) after delivery, when t...

This paper describes a study to explore the prevalence of postpartum tightening operations of the vulva and reinfibulation (RI) in Sudan. Participatory observations with digital vaginal examinations before and after delivery were carried out on a sample of 100 women in two hospital settings. In 61% of the women tightening vulval operations had been...

The purpose of the study was to explore the encounters with the health care system in Sweden of women from Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan who have been genitally cut. A qualitative study was performed through interviews with 22 women originally from Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea who were living in Sweden. The women experienced being different and vulner...

There are contradicting opinions whether female genital cutting (FGC) takes place in Sweden. The results from several studies indicate, however, that FGC is practiced on girls residing in Sweden. Almost no research has been done on girls on how they are affected by FGC. Thus there is no scientifically based knowledge on signs and symptoms in girls...

to explore Sudanese midwives' motives for and perceptions and experiences of re-infibulation after birth and to elucidate its context and determinants. triangulation of methods, using observational techniques and open-ended interviews. two government hospitals in Khartoum/Omdurman, Sudan, for the observations and in-depth interviews with 17 midwive...

Several studies in cultures in which FGM is widely performed have shown an emerging questioning of the value of performing the procedure, especially among the younger generations. Traditionally the practice has been said to be carried out by women in order to satisfy men. Recent research findings, however, indicate that men may have attitudes and p...

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is known to cause a wide range of immediate and long-term complications for women subjected to the practice. Male complications due to FGM have, however, not been described before. The objectives of this study were to explore male complications and attitudes with regard to FGM. A village in the Gezira Scheme along th...

Reinfibulation is performed on women previously subjected to infibulation and who have given birth. To investigate the practice and attitudes concerning reinfibulation, we randomly selected for interviews 60 young women and grandmothers in a rural village in central Sudan. Reinfibulation was widely practised in this area. The main motive for perfor...

To investigate the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), among young and old parents. One hundred and twenty young parents and grandparents in a rural area in central Sudan were randomly selected for interviews carried out according to structured questionnaires with open answer possibilities. All female respondents had undergone FGM. Of the...