Helena Salminen's research
The research is focused on two major areas of interest – clinical research on osteoporosis and pedagogical research.
Research focus
Clinical research on osteoporosis and its risk factors, as well as complementary treatment methods aimed at preventing the development of osteoporosis. This includes treatment with low-dose estrogen, the use of an activating spinal orthosis to counteract spinal osteoporosis, and exercise methods that improve bone health.
I established a primary care cohort, the Primos cohort, during my doctoral studies. This cohort has been followed up over 10 years with repeated clinical assessments. Data from the Primos cohort has contributed to the doctoral theses of Hans Lundin, Elin Uzunel, and Christina Kaijser-Alin. Three randomized controlled trials (RCT:s) in the field of osteoporosis have generated new knowledge. In the Primos cohort, we found that low-dose estrogen has a positive effect on bone mineral density. In a later RCT, we studied the effect of an activating spinal orthosis, and in an ongoing project, we are conducting an RCT comparing the effects of two exercise interventions on bone health: OsteoStrong training versus group-based physical exercise.
Educational research aimed at exploring and improving the clinical learning environment and student learning in primary care settings.
Within this field, our studies on the clinical learning environment resulted in a doctoral thesis by Eva Öhman, who defended her dissertation in 2024. We validated an instrument for evaluating the clinical learning environment (which has also been implemented in clinical practice) and conducted interviews with students about their learning experiences at primary care centers, as well as with patients about their perceived contribution to student learning. In another doctoral project, Carrie Tran (PhD 2023) studied interprofessional learning using a virtual home visit model in primary care.
In an ongoing project, we are studying the feedback culture in primary care. In another interprofessional project, we are investigating interprofessional learning between students from ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and Mayo Clinic through joint digital case seminars.
Contact
Collaborators and researchers
Clinical Research on Osteoporosis
̽»¨¾«Ñ¡:
- Maria Sääf, PhD, specialist in endocrinology
- Hans Ranch Lundin, PhD, Specialist in General Practice
- Eva Toth-Pal, PhD, Specialist in family medicine
- Sven Nyrén, docent, specialist in radiology
- Christina Kaijser Alin, PhD, physiotherapist
- Elin Uzunel, PhD, specialist in family medicine
- Peter Lindberg, PhD student, physiotherapist
- Kristin Moystad Michelet, PhD student, resident physician, family medicine
- Jenny Nilsson, PhD student, physiotherapist
Linköping University:
- Ann-Charlotte Grahn Kronhed, associate professor, physiotherapist
- Per Magnusson, adjunct professor
Collaboration
In the ongoing osteoporosis project Bonemore, we collaborate with Linköping University and have two colleagues from there: Ann-Charlotte Grahn Kronhed, associate professor, and Per Magnusson, professor.
In the pedagogical project on feedback culture, we collaborate with Professor Marjo Wijnen-Meijer from Dresden University of Technology. The aim is to compare feedback culture between Germany and Sweden, and to explore country-specific factors influencing the choice of family medicine as a specialty.
In the interprofessional learning (IPL) project involving digital case seminars for students, we collaborate with a primary care clinic in Eau Claire Family Medicine, Wisconsin, affiliated with Mayo Clinic.
Funding
The ongoing osteoporosis project Bonemore is primarily funded through a private donation to ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in 2020. The ongoing educational research project on feedback culture is funded by ALF pedagogical grants. The IPL project with Mayo Clinic is supported by ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ through funding aimed at promoting internationalization.
Selected publications
Rothlind E, Salminen H, Rolfhamre K, Karlgren K, Toth-Pal E
Scand J Prim Health Care 2025 May;():1-18
Uzunel E, Ranch Lundin H, Grahn Kronhed AC, Wändell P, Salminen H
Sci Rep 2024 Nov;14(1):29399
Elleby C, Skott P, Johansson SE, Nyrén S, Theobald H, Salminen H
PLoS One 2023 ;18(3):e0283564
Tran C, Toth-Pal E, Ekblad S, Fors U, Salminen H
JMIR Med Educ 2023 Jan;9():e38599
Öhman E, Pal ET, Hult H, Nilsson GH, Salminen H
BMC Med Educ 2023 Dec;23(1):935
Uzunel E, Kronhed AG, Alin CK, Ahmed AS, Wändell P, Salminen H
Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl 2023 Dec;5(4):100297
Uzunel E, Lundin H, Wändell P, Salminen H
PLoS One 2021 ;16(3):e0247924
Elleby C, Skott P, Jonasson G, Theobald H, Nyrén S, Salminen H
Eur J Oral Sci 2021 Oct;129(5):e12801
Tran C, Toth-Pal E, Ekblad S, Fors U, Salminen H
PLoS One 2020 ;15(9):e0238797
Kaijser Alin C, Uzunel E, Grahn Kronhed AC, Alinaghizadeh H, Salminen H
Arch Osteoporos 2019 Jan;14(1):5