One in every three Danes over the age of 16 suffers from at least one chronic disease. Among the elderly, one in every five has at least three chronic diseases, also called multiple diseases. Chronic diseases, especially multiple diseases, challenge public health and affect social health inequalities.
The major burden of disease is increasingly being handled outside of the hospital’s auspices. It is therefore important to uncover the mechanisms and risk factors that lead to multiple diseases and the factors that affect the course of illness. In addition, it is crucial to gain knowledge about how children and adults experience and deal with chronic disease and multiple diseases in encounters with the health care system and in everyday life.
The SIF is a leader in epidemiological and register-based studies of chronic disease, prevention research and studies that reveal children’s and adults’ experience with chronic disease and how they handle it.
Not only do we research mechanisms and risk factors that lead to chronic disease and multiple diseases, but we also develop and carry out interventions and preventive measures.
In addition, we are responsible for registers focusing on areas pertaining to sclerosis, cerebral palsy and the heart.