CEDAR seminar - Research Marathon

Welcome to the first session of “Research Marathon” at CEDAR.

The aim is to have short presentations about our ongoing projects. This time we have Johan, Mojgan, Toafeek and Erling as speakers.

The seminar will take place in the conference room at CEDAR and via zoom. Link will be sent out within CEDAR, other interested should contact Mojgan Padyab.

Johan Junkka

Exploring Resilience Through Time: A Proposed Study of Temperature Exposure, Socioeconomic Vulnerabilities, and Health in Historical Context

In this talk, I propose a new research topic that seeks to combine historical and modern register data to investigate long-term resilience to temperature exposures, focusing on the intersections of health, disability, and socioeconomic factors. The project aims to explore gender disparities in temperature-related mortality among vulnerable populations and analyze the role of individual and neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors in modulating the effects of ambient temperature on health and mortality outcomes. By leveraging longitudinal data from the 19th to the 21st century, the proposed study will delve into the complex interplay between temperature exposure, socioeconomic vulnerabilities, and resilience over time. This research endeavor will uncover new knowledge that can enhance climate resilience among vulnerable populations and neighborhoods, ultimately fostering more equitable and climate-resilient communities.

Mojgan Padyab

Cybercrime: a longitudinal register-based study on demographic, socioeconomic and technological determinants

Strengthening public security and protecting institutions and individuals are crucial to society and of great concern to the Swedish government. Given an increased use of internet in daily life, which is positive per se, the negative impacts of cyber threats on people’s integrity and economic consequences are inevitable. While good preventive strategies should target particular risk groups for various types of cybercrime, yet research on the risk factors of cybercrime is insufficient. Understanding the risk factors of susceptibility to cybercrime and the context in which cybercrime occurs would offer a way to exploit preventive strategies for the most effective outcomes. We will provide an empirically grounded knowledge on risk factors for three main elements of cybercrime: offenders, victims and the Information Technology(IT) environment.

Taofeek Kolawole Aliyu

Social Support Networks and Quality of Life of Octogenarians in Nigeria

The association between ageing, declining health, reduced income, and loss of independence has gained traction among researchers. Research has shown that social support at this phase of life has a positive impact on quality of life (QoL). Meanwhile, the decline in the social support system occassioned by eroding extended family systems via migration, urbanisation, modernisation, and the economic downturn has increased the vulnerability of older people to health and other social problems. Most studies on older people have treated this age cohort as homogenous, with little known studies addressing the issue of social supports and QOL of people who are between 80 and 89years. This research is therefore focused on the influence of social support networks on the quality of life of octogenarians in Nigeria. A sequential explanatory design involving quantitative and qualitative components was adopted for this study. A sample of Nigerian octogenarians aged 80 and 89 years (n = 1600) were assessed using the World Health Organisation Quality of Life instrument (WHOQoL-Bref), and a sample successful octogenarian, friends of octogenarian, significant others, community leaders, religious leaders, pensioner association members, and ministry officials (n = 72) will be adopted for the in-depth and key informant interviews. Data generated from this research will fill the gap relating to the octogenarian group within the larger population and provide a primary source of information on the quality of life and their association with social support networks. The outcome of this study will also contribute to the formulation of relevant and acceptable policy responses to the issue of octogenarians in Nigeria.

Erling Häggström Gunfridsson

Crisis and mortality in northern Sweden during the 19th century

During the 19th century, two major crises - the Finnish war of 1808-1809 and the famine of the 1860s - caused a significant increase in mortality in northern Sweden. This ongoing research aims to examine how these crises impacted mortality in Västerbotten, specifically by analyzing who died, from what causes, and when.

Who: What factors such as gender, age, socio-economic situation and health affects the probability of dying or surviving.

What: Which death causes characterize the crisis and how do they compare with normal conditions.

When: What patterns can be found in the process leading to increased mortality during the crisis.

The Finnish war: The last war on Swedish soil happened in Västerbotten killing about 20% of the civil population making it a suitable case study of mortality under crisis. Here the rural Umeå parish will be studied.

The famine: In the 1860s northern Europe was affected by extreme weather conditions that caused crops to fail and, in some places, led to famine. The north-Swedish province of Västerbotten stands out in national context in this regard making it interesting to study. Here data from all Västerbotten will be used except some parts in the south east.