̽ѡ

Kristina Johnell

Kristina Johnell

Professor | Head of department
Telephone: +46852482413
Visiting address: Nobelsväg 12a, 17165 Solna
Postal address: C8 Medicinsk epidemiologi och biostatistik, C8 MEB Johnell, 171 77 Stockholm
Part of:

About me

  • I am the Head of Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (MEB) and Professor in geriatric pharmacoepidemiology at ̽ѡ (KI). 

    I have scientific, pedagogical and leadership commitments:

    • My scientific production has led to over 170 articles in peer-reviewed journals, 2 book chapters and several reports and popular science presentations
    • Under my supervision, 10 PhD students have completed their studies since 2008. I am currently the main supervisor of 1 PhD student and co-supervisor of 6 PhD students
    • Since 2006, as principal investigator, I have received funding from the European Union (Horizon 2020: EIT Health), the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, and from several other funding sources
    • I teach in geriatric pharmacology and geriatric pharmacoepidemiology at first, second and third level university studies as well as to health care professionals and various non-academic organisations, such as senior citizens’ associations
    • Since 2019, I am the Head of Department ('prefekt') of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (MEB) (about 260 co-workers)
    • In 2014-2018, I was the Division Head of the Aging Research Center (ARC) (about 80 co-workers)
    • In 2015-2018, I was the Deputy Head of Department of Neurobiology, Care sciences and Society (NVS) (about 520 co-workers)
    • My current and past memberships in steering groups, committees and boards include chair, co-chair and panelist in review panel at the Swedish Research Council; Chair of Special Interest Group (SIG) Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology, International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE); Chair of The National E-Infrastructure on Aging Research (NEAR) Steering Board; Strategic management group for Stockholm’s biobank infrastructure; Evaluation panel Austrian Science Fund; Evaluation panel Foundation for Polish Science; Steering board for Aging Theme, Karolinska University Hospital; Executive management team, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society; Executive board for the Strategic Research Program in Epidemiology; the Nomination Assembly at KI; the Center for Alzheimer Research; the Academic Center for Geriodontics; and the Ethical Review Board

Research

  • My major research field is geriatric pharmacoepidemiology and my specific areas of research include:

    • Personalised drug treatment
    • Inappropriate drug use in older people
    • Adverse drug events in elderly persons
    • Drug therapy in people with dementia
    • Drug treatment at end-of-life
    • Inequalities in older people’s drug therapy
    • Decision support for drug treatment of elderly patients
    • Translational research of medications
    • Register-based pharmacoepidemiology

Articles

  • Article: BASIC & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY. 2025;137(3):e70093
    Kamgang K-HS; Lundby C; Szilcz M; Johnell K; Wastesson JW
  • Article: BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH. 2025;25(1):1144
    Oberg J; Khalaf K; Perez-Vicente R; Johnell K; Fastbom J; Merlo J
  • Article: ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE. 2025;178(8):1106-1115
    Khalili H; Mcgee EE; Challa PK; Roelstraete B; Johnell K; Schneeweiss S; Wastesson JW; Ludvigsson JF
  • Article: ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS. 2025;61(9):1500-1507
    Szilcz M; Wastesson JW; Bergman D; Johnell K; Ludvigsson JF
  • Article: PUBLIC HEALTH. 2025;242:324-331
    Xu Y; Nyberg F; Santosa A; Marking U; Jonsson J; Gisslen M; Wastesson JW; Johnell K
  • Article: FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY. 2025;16:1568160
    Jabri FF; Liang Y; Johnell K; Moller J
  • Article: ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA. 2025;21(3):e70081
    Eroli F; Johnell K; Acararicin Z; Tsagkogianni C; Zerial S; Lancia S; Latorre-Leal M; Alanko V; Hilmer SN; Matton A; Wastesson JW; Cedazo-Minguez A; Maioli S
  • Article: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE. 2025;132:97-105
    Trevisan C; Damiano C; Dai L; Wastesson JW; Calderon-Larranaga A; Johnell K; Amrouch C; Onder G; Marengoni A; Proietti R; Lip GYH; Johnsen S; Petrovic M; Vetrano DL; AFFIRMO C
  • Journal article: ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA. 2024;20 Suppl 1:e089109
    Tambaro S; Solis AM; Tang B; De Oliveira TL; Qin C; Kavsek A; Sjölander A; Johnell K; Religa D; Riedel C; Nilsson P; Hägg S
  • Article: FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY. 2024;15:1476464
    Amrouch C; Vetrano DL; Damiano C; Dai L; Calderon-Larranaga A; Grymonprez M; Proietti M; Lip GYH; Johnsen SP; Wastesson JW; Johnell K; De Smedt D; Petrovic M
  • Article: DRUGS & AGING. 2024;41(8):633-640
    Hilmer SN; Johnell K; Mach J
  • Article: EUROPEAN GERIATRIC MEDICINE. 2024;15(4):1149-1158
    Amrouch C; Amrouch S; Dai L; Calderon-Larranaga A; Wastesson JW; Johnell K; Vetrano DL; De Smedt D; Petrovic M
  • Article: ECLINICALMEDICINE. 2024;73:102689
    Tang B; Sjolander A; Wastesson JW; Maura G; Blotiere P-O; Szilcz M; Mak JKL; Qin C; Alvarsson M; Religa D; Johnell K; Hagg S
  • Article: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION. 2024;25(7):105011
    Abzhandadze T; Hoang MT; Mo M; Mostafaei S; Jurado PG; Xu H; Johnell K; Von Euler M; Eriksdotter M; Garcia-Ptacek S
  • Article: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY. 2024;72(7):2048-2059
    Maura G; Blotiere P-O; Wastesson JW; Johnell K
  • Article: INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS. 2024;36(5):415-426
    Hedna K; Sigstrom R; Johnell K; Waern M
  • Article: SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2024;52(3):345-353
    Blotiere P-O; Maura G; Raitanen J; Pulkki J; Forma L; Johnell K; Aaltonen M; Wastesson JW
  • Article: SSM-POPULATION HEALTH. 2024;25:101573
    Hoang MT; Kareholt I; Lindgren E; von Koch L; Xu H; Tan ECK; Johnell K; Nagga K; Eriksdotter M; Garcia-Ptacek S
  • Article: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY. 2024;72(2):456-466
    Szilcz M; Wastesson JW; Calderon-Larranaga A; Prieto-Alhambra D; Blotiere P-O; Maura G; Johnell K
  • Article: CLINICAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY. 2024;19(2):178-188
    Zhu N; Xu H; Lagerberg T; Johnell K; Carrero JJ; Chang Z
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All other publications

  • Letter: ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS. 2025;61(9):1549-1550
    Szilcz M; Wastesson JW; Bergman D; Johnell K; Ludvigsson JF
  • Conference publication: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY. 2024;33:383-384
    Kamgang KHS; Lundby C; Szilcz M; Johnell K; Wastesson JW
  • Conference publication: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY. 2024;33:403
    Maura G; Blotiere P-O; Wastesson JW; Johnell K
  • Conference publication: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY. 2024;33:378
    Wastesson JW; Kamgang K-HS; Szilcz M; Johnell K
  • Conference publication: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY. 2024;33:255
    Szilcz M; Ludvigsson JF; Johnell K; Wastesson JW
  • Letter: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY. 2024;72(11):3612-3613
    Szilcz M; Wastesson JW; Calderon-Larranaga A; Prieto-Alhambra D; Blotiere P-O; Maura G; Johnell K
  • Preprint: MEDRXIV. 2024
    Pineda-Moncusí M; Rekkas A; Pérez ÁM; Leis A; Gomez CL; Fey E; Bruninx E; Maljković F; Sánchez-Sáez F; Rodeiro J; Kiss LZ; Franz M; Mayer M-A; Eleangovan N; Pau PP; Natsiavas P; Şen S; Cooper S; Reisberg S; Manlik K; del Pino B; Uribe AP; Üresin AY; Bastić AD; Rodrigues AM; Afonso Ã; Palomar-Cros A; Verbiest A; Delmestri A; Erdoğan B; Dinkel-Keuthage C; Torre CO; de Beukelaar C; Eteve-Pitsaer C; Gonçalves CF; de Palma C; Gavina C; Dedman D; Price DB; Balan DG; Enders D; Burn E; Henke E; Scheurwegs E; Callewaert E; Martínez EP; Tan EH; Prasser F; Antonini F; Staelens F; Nyberg F; Agard G; Galli G; Candore G; Mestdach G; Shachaf H; Rantala H; Li H; Reinecke I; López-Sánchez I; Poquet-Jornet JE; de la Cruz Bertolo J; Evers J; Firmino-Machado J; Wastesson J; Bermúdez JLC; Ramírez-Anguita JM; Porkka K; Johnell K; Boyer L; Cool L; Moscetti L; Merkelbach M; Canelas-Pais M; Dominici M; Szilcz M; Puntoni M; Mosseveld M; Tadrous M; Oltra-Sastre M; Bové M; Rappoport N; Barrio NG; Ettala O; Baili P; Mayo PR; Prinsen P; Norris R; Claire R; Yackob RS; Lillini R; Garcia-Torrens S; Kukkurainen S; Lazzarelli S; Duarte-Salles T; Taveira-Gomes T; Jansen T; Keilholz U; Man WY; Li X; Bagyura Z; Prieto-Alhambra D; Rijnbeek PR; Burkard T
  • Conference publication: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY. 2023;32:25
    Szilcz M; Wastesson J; Calderon-Larranaga A; Prieto-Alhambra D; Blotiere P-O; Maura G; Johnell K
  • Review: HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY LETTERS. 2023;10(3):62-72
    Manzanet JMP; Fico G; Merino-Barbancho B; Hernandez L; Vera-Munoz C; Seara G; Torrego M; Gonzalez H; Wastesson J; Fastbom J; Mayol J; Johnell K; Gomez-Gascon T; Arredondo MT
  • Conference publication: GASTROENTEROLOGY. 2023;164(6):s-227
    Khalili H; Roelstraete B; Johnell K; Schneeweiss S; Wastesson JW; Ludvigsson JF
  • Conference publication: GASTROENTEROLOGY. 2023;164(6):S226
    Khalili H; Roelstraete B; Johnell K; Schneeweiss S; Wastesson JW; Ludvigsson JF
  • Preprint: AUTHOREA. 2022
    Manzanet JMP; Fico G; Merino-Barbancho B; Vera-Muñoz C; Hernandez L; Seara G; Torrego M; Gonzalez H; Wastesson J; Fastbom J; Mayol J; Johnell K; Gómez T; Arredondo MT
  • Conference publication: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY. 2022;31:111
    Szilcz M; Wastesson J; Lindman H; Johnell K
  • Conference publication: PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY. 2022;31:393
    Blotiere PO; Maura G; Wastesson J; Johnell K
  • Conference publication: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY. 2022;29:146
    Secnik J; Eriksdotter M; Rytarowski A; Annetorp M; Johnell K; Hagg S; Religa D
  • Conference publication: ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA. 2021;17(S10)
    Hoang MT; Kåreholt I; von Koch L; Xu H; Secnik J; Religa D; Tan EC; Johnell K; Garcia‐Ptacek S
  • Review: EXPERT REVIEW OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY. 2021;14(11):1367-1382
    Sawan MJ; Moga DC; Ma MJ; Ng JC; Johnell K; Gnjidic D
  • Preprint: BIORXIV. 2021
    Koch E; Johnell K; Kauppi K
  • Review: JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE. 2021;290(3):602-620
    Franks PW; Melen E; Friedman M; Sundstrom J; Kockum I; Klareskog L; Almqvist C; Bergen SE; Czene K; Hagg S; Hall P; Johnell K; Malarstig A; Catrina A; Hagstrom H; Benson M; Smith JG; Gomez MF; Orho-Melander M; Jacobsson B; Halfvarson J; Repsilber D; Oresic M; Jern C; Melin B; Ohlsson C; Fall T; Ronnblom L; Wadelius M; Nordmark G; Johansson A; Rosenquist R; Sullivan PF
  • Conference publication: EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY. 2020;40:S28-S29
    Zhang L; Reif A; Du Rietz E; Lagerberg T; Butwicka A; D'Onofrio BM; Johnell K; Pedersen NL; Larsson H; Chang Z
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Grants

  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026
    Older adults have the highest risk of adverse drug events, yet they are regularly excluded from clinical trials where drug safety is evaluated. Apart from age restrictions in clinical trials, exclusion criteria often involve age-related factors such as co-morbidities and concomitant drug use. In this proposal, we aim to systematically evaluate drug safety in older adults using a wealth of European data. With the ultimate goal of producing real-world evidence that can influence regulatory agencies and improve drug safety in clinical practice.In this five-year project we intend to create an improved workflow for evaluating drug safety in older adults using data sources mapped to the OMOP Common Data Model as part of the European Health Data Evidence Network (EHDEN). The workflow will include a model for prioritization of medications for investigation. The model will target drugs used in regular practice, whereas new drugs will be evaluated as they reach the market. Second, we will contribute to the methodological development for integrating co-morbidities, concomitant drug use and frailty in real-world evidence studies of drug safety from routinely collected data. The analyses can be conducted in any of the Swedish register data sources we have direct access to, or within the ≈200 data partners in EHDEN.The findings will improve drug use in older adults, the part of the population with highest drug use and largest risk for adverse drug events.
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 July 2023 - 30 June 2026
    Research problem and specific questionsMedications play an important role for the mental health and suicidal behaviour (i.e. suicide and self-harm) among older people. This is however an understudied topic, which we aim to change with the proposed project. We aim to investigate in older adults 1) Medication treatment before and after self-harm
    2) Medication patterns before suicide
    3) Medications, loneliness and bereavement
    and 4) Co-designing prevention of suicidal behaviour and involuntary loneliness.Data and methodThe project combines quantitative analyses of high quality Swedish register data (Aim 1-3) with qualitative focus group interviews with key stakeholders (Aim 4). We will analyse longitudinal data from several Swedish registers of people aged ≥65 years (n≈3.1 million). Results from these analyses will serve as a foundation for the semistructured focus group interviews with key stakeholders, including user organisations, health care and eldercare.Relevance This multidisciplinary project integrates different research approaches and uses participatory designs, with the goal of co-designing preventive interventions for older adults. We will use cutting-edge epidemiological methods based on registers with excellent data quality offering the possibility for long-term follow-up. With these methodological advancements and big high quality data, we will be able to address the shortcomings of previous studies. This project will also identify vulnerable high-risk groups for tailored interventions that could increase health and autonomy in older adults.Our focus on medications in this context is novel and highly relevant. Medication treatment is very common among older adults and, thus, a natural point of intervention and potential identifier of loneliness and suicidal behaviour.Plan for project realisation We will start with the register-based studies (Aim 1-3) and the initiation of a Community Advisory Board of older adults. Based on the findings from Aim 1-3, we will design focus group interviews with key stakeholders (Aim 4). We will actively involve end users and health care and eldercare providers in the project to ensure that all important stakeholders are represented and provide input.Feasibility is ensured by availability of all necessary data in-house, and by the combined high and wide competence in our interdisciplinary team.The budget mainly covers funding for a PhD student and a postdoc for the scientific and outreach activities.
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2023 - 31 December 2025
    Research problem and specific questions Deprescribing is a novel concept relating to a process where medications are reduced or stopped in order to avoid medication-related harms and improve patient outcomes. This proposal addresses two main challenges for deprescribing: (1) integrating deprescribing in routine care for older adults
    (2) adapting deprescribing activities to the Swedish context, a country where deprescribing have yet to be introduced.Data and methodThis mixed-method project combines register-based data analysis, with qualitative research and participatory design. We use a mixed approach in order to: (a) describe the current deprescribing activities in Sweden (nation-wide register data covering all older adults in Sweden)
    (b) gain detailed knowledge of the barriers and facilitators for deprescribing activities among patient and health care professionals (qualitative research and survey)
    and, (c) creating a roadmap for future deprescribing interventions in Sweden (co-design of health care interventions). We believe that that the selected methods are the necessary steps to introduce relevant and patient-centered deprescribing activities in Sweden.Plan for project realisation This participatory research project will be executed in three steps. First, we will conduct analysis of register data to have an up-to-date understanding of the need, current activities, and efficacy and safety of deprescribing in Sweden. Second, we will conduct a series of interviews with patients and health care professionals focusing on barriers and facilitators for deprescribing in the Swedish context, and invite health care professionals to rank their most needed resources to routinely conduct deprescribing. Based on the two first steps, we will conduct a series of workshops with stakeholders (patient representatives and different health care professionals) to co-design a deprescribing intervention that is feasible and scalable in the Swedish setting.RelevanceThe novel process of deprescribing has the potential to reduce the high levels preventable medication-related harms in older adults. Medication-related harms lead to much individual suffering and high economic cost. Ideally, this project will improve medication use in older adults by shifting the attention from prescribing to deprescribing. By including end-users throughout the project, we believe that this project will be highly relevant for patients, policy makers, and health care providers.
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 December 2021 - 30 November 2025
    We need post-COVID research on the most severely affected group in the pandemic – older adults. Focus has so far mainly been on younger individuals, although older adults are likely to be severely affected because of their lower resilience to stressors. We will therefore provide results based on large unselected longitudinal nationwide data.Among older adults, we aim to 1) Investigate use of healthcare and eldercare among COVID-19 survivors (including creating an indicator of post-COVID in older adults)
    2) Identify risk factors for post-COVID
    3) Study outcomes of post-COVID
    and 4) Explore the role of medications and dementia in post-COVID.We will analyze several Swedish registers of people aged &gt
    =65 years (n~2.6 million) and the Swedish Dementia Registry (n~100 000), and also include international comparisons. We will study the use of healthcare (e.g. hospitalizations, medications) and eldercare (home care services, nursing home admission) among COVID-19 survivors compared to non-infected. Adjusted regression models (e.g. Cox proportional hazard, propensity matching) will be used to study outcomes (e.g. mortality) and different risk factors (e.g. sociodemography, multimorbidity, depression and cardiovascular diseases). Also medications (e.g. polypharmacy, diuretics and anticoagulants) and dementia will be analyzed in detail.The findings will lead to mitigating the long-term effects of the pandemic as well as other infectious diseases like the seasonal influenza.
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 December 2021 - 30 November 2025
    We urgently need research on the most severely affected in the COVID-19 pandemic – older adults. In Sweden, ~90% of the deaths have occurred in people aged &gt
    =70 years. Still, few studies on COVID-19 among older adults have based their findings on big data. To address these major knowledge gaps, we will provide results based on large unselected longitudinal nationwide data. Among older adults, we aim to 1) Identify risk profiles for severe outcomes of COVID-19
    2) Show outcomes of medication treatment and dementia
    3) Study long-term consequences of COVID-19
    and 4) Investigate coverage and outcomes of vaccination. We will analyse several Swedish registers of people aged &gt
    =65 years (n~2.6 million) and the Swedish Dementia Registry (n~95 000), and also include international comparisons. Adjusted regression models (e.g. Cox proportional hazard, propensity matching, nested case-control design) will be used to estimate independent risk of outcomes (e.g. hospitalisation, mortality, long-term consequences and vaccination) of different factors (e.g. sociodemography, place of residence, nursing home/own home, eldercare, frailty, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, dementia, depression, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases). Also medications (e.g. ACE inhibitors, statins and anticoagulants) will be analysed. The findings will contribute to mitigating the effects of this pandemic as well as future ones. Thus, long-term advantages are expected, including for the seasonal influenza.
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 December 2020 - 30 November 2021
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 August 2020 - 31 December 2020
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2020 - 31 December 2023
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2019 - 31 December 2021
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2019 - 31 December 2021
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 October 2017 - 30 September 2020
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2017 - 31 December 2019
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2017 - 31 December 2022
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2017 - 31 December 2022
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2017 - 31 December 2019
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2016 - 31 December 2017
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Employments

  • Professor, Geriatric epidemiology, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, ̽ѡ, 2019-
  • Professor, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, ̽ѡ, 2016-2018

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, ̽ѡ, 2010
  • Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, ̽ѡ, 2005
  • Licentiate Degree, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, ̽ѡ, 2004
  • MSc Pharm (licensed pharmacist), Pharmacy, Uppsala University, 2002

Leadership and responsibility assignments

  • Head of department, C8 Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, ̽ѡ, 2019-

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