Primary fields of research

My research primarily focuses on access to, utilization of, and outcomes of healthcare services, with particular attention to vulnerable populations. I also conduct intervention research aimed at reducing inequalities in access to healthcare, both in a national and international comparative perspective.

Previous and current research projects include access to and use of health services in Europe, the USA, and Latin America with particular focus on vulnerable groups; quality of treatment; video consultations; refugee integration into health; education and the labor market; intervention studies on health behavior; cross-sectoral health services; pregnancy outcomes and mental health. Applied research, multidisciplinary research approaches, development of educational curricula as well as research dissemination are import elements of my work.

I am Head of Studies of the BA and MA programmes in Public Health Science, Danish Editor of Scandinavian Journal of Public Health and a member of the Scientific Committee under the Danish Society for Public Health.

Current research

Signe Smith Jervelund is involved in a number of research projects within the areas of health services research, intervention research as well as migration and health

• Patients and specialist doctors' use and experiences with videoconsultations (Screened?)
• Promoting access to early cancer diagnosis in Latin American Healthcare systems (EquityCancer-LA)
• Multimorbid patients in a fragmented healthcare system
• The green transition of the healthcare system
• Equity in access to and use of healthcare services

Teaching

I primarily teach the orginization, functioning, and governance of the healthcare system, complex interventions, and migration and health across the following study programmes at the University of Copenhagen:

• Bachelor's and Master's programmes in Public Health (FSV)
• Medicine
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Global Health
• Master of Health Innovation (together with CBS)

I am the course director of "The structure, management and economics of the healthcare system" at MPH, and co-course director of "Statistics, Epidemiology and Medical Sociology" (SEMS) in the Master's programme in Medicine (MA 3rd semester)

I supervise bachelor, master and PhD students.

CV

Education:
2011: PhD, Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen
2006: Master of Science in Public Health (MSc), University of Copenhagen
2004: Health Law, The Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen
2003: Bachelor of Public Health Science (BA), University of Copenhagen

Selected positions:
2023-current: Programme Director, Public Health Science, University of Copenhagen
2023-current: Promotion Programme, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen
2016-2018: Head of Centre, Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health (MESU), University of Copenhagen
2014-2016: Head of Research, MESU, University of Copenhagen
2014-current: Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen, Department of Public Health, Section for Health Services Research
2011-2014: Assistant Professor, University of Copenhagen, Department of Public Health
2010-2011: Postdoc, University of Copenhagen, Department of Public Health
2007-2010: PhD Scholar, University of Copenhagen, Department of Public Health

Research and educational stay abroad 
2013: Veterans Health Administration, Los Angeles, USA
2009: Harvard Medical School, Department of Health Care Policy, Boston
2009: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA
2009: Agency of Public Health, Lazio Region, Rome, Italy
2009: NIVEL (Netherlands Institute of Health Services Research), The Netherlands
2005: University of Auckland, School of Population Health, New Zealand

Selected Academic and Professional activities:
2025-current: Chair of research fund "Better Life" under the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Society
2023-current: Member of the expert group on inequality and ethnicity, Danish Health Authority
2018-current: Expert advisor, Danish Epidemic Commission
2016-current: Danish Editor of Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
2016-current: Member of the Scientific Committee, Danish Society for Public Health
2016-2024: Chair of the Scientific Committee of Danish Public Health Society
2008: Award recipient, Association of Master of Science in Public Health-Award 
2008-: Reviewer: The Lancet, Social Science and Medicine, Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, European Journal of Public Health, International Journal for Equity in Health, International Journal of Public Health, and Ugeskrift for Læger
2016-current: PhD thesis opponnent on 13 occasions

Knowledge of languages

English, basis German and knowledge of French and the Scandinavian languages

Short presentation

Signe Smith Jervelund (PhD, MSc) is Associate Professor in Health Services Research and Head of Studies for Public Health Science. The overall focus of my research is the access, functions and outcomes of healthcare services with special attention on vulnerable groups, and how we can reduce inequities in access to healthcare in a national and international comparative perspective.

Possible conflicts of interest

I am a Danish editor of the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, a personal member of the Danish Society for Public Health, and the member of the Scientific Committee. Additionally, I have been appointed by the society as an expert in the committee on inequality and ethnicity under the Health Authority. Finally, I have been appointed by Danish universities as a scientific expert in the Epidemic Commission to assist with their work.