About me
I am a mixed-methods social epidemiologist with a sound methodological and theoretical background on gender and health. I am also a medical doctor (Nicaraguan National Autonomous University Managua, 2002) , with a master in science with mention in epidemiology (Nicaraguan National Autonomous University León, 2008) and a Ph.D. in public health (Umeå University Sweden, 2011).
As a part of multidisciplinary research teams, I have been conducting quantitative and qualitative research for the last 15 years in low-, middle- and high-income settings (Nicaragua, Ecuador, India and Sweden). I also collaborate with the International Journal for Equity in Health as an associate editor. Currently, I am part of the Global and Sexual Health research group at GPH, KI ( https://ki.se/en/gph/global-and-sexual-health-glosh).
Research description
The initial focus of my research has been studies on the relationship between gender, violence against women and women´s and their children´s health. As my career progressed, I collaborated with other researchers to study emergent social issues such as early teenage pregnancies, children´s resilience, and gendered constructions of stigma and discrimination to people living with HIV, Ebola related health seeking behavior among others.
Currently, my research focuses on the intersection between masculinities, femininities, violence against women (VAW) and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among young people and migrant populations.
To this end, I am currently the PI of three research projects:
1.CTEST: Improving young Swedish men health service utilization for Chlamydia Trachomatis infection, detection and treatment. How can we do it? Project awarded by FORTE, Sweden.
2.How do we improve the sexual and mental health of young men? An implementation project among young male migrants in Stockholm County. Project awarded by Stockholm County Council.
3.PositivMas. Masculinities and violence against women among young people: Identifying discourses and developing strategies for change using a mixed method approach. Project awarded by Vetenskatpsrådet , Sweden in collaboration with Gender-Net EU. (https://positivmasc.ki.se/)
Teaching portfolio
As part of my duties, I coordinate the Biology of Infection and Global Health doctoral program at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden (https://ki.se/en/research/doctoral-programme-in-biology-of-infections-and-global-health-bigh).
In addition, I supervise master and Ph.D students and lead courses at the master and Ph.D. level.
Courses led
1. Ph.D. course: Practical approaches to qualitative research based on blended learning (2674). 7.5 credits. Department of Public Health Science, Karolisnka Institutet, Sweden. (https://kiwas.ki.se/katalog/katalog/kurs/2596)
2.Ph.D. course: Mixed methods: integration of qualitative and quantitative data within applied health research (3032). 3 credits. Department of Public Health Science, Karolisnka Institutet, Sweden. (https://kiwas.ki.se/katalog/katalog/kurs/2718)
3. Master course: Health policy, management and economics (3GBO14). Master programme in Global Health, Karolisnka Institutet, Sweden. (https://education.ki.se/course-syllabus/3GB014/21365)
Education
Doctoral degree (2011)
Ph.D in Public Health. Umeå University, Sweden. Dissertation Title: Salazar M (2011). Intimate Partner Violence in Nicaragua. Studies on ending abuse, child growth, and contraception. Umeå University Medical Dissertation New Series No. 1411 ISSN: 0346-6612 ISBN: 978-91-7459-169-9. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University. Available at: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf;jsessionid=1dbe96c03ab31d5f….
Master degree (2008)
Master in Science with Mention in Epidemiology. Nicaraguan National Autonomous University, León, Nicaragua.
Medical degree (2002)
Doctor in Medicine and Surgery. Nicaraguan National Autonomous University, Managua, Nicaragua.
Academic honours, awards and prizes
Scholarships received
1. SIDA scholarship for master training in epidemiology at the Center for Demography and Health Research, Nicaraguan National Autonomous University, León Nicaragua.
2. SIDA scholarship for Ph.D training at Umeå University, Sweden.