Nuria Matilla Santander

About me

I am an assistant professor at the Unit of Occupational Medicine. I received a bachelor in Biomedical Sciences, a master in Public Health and a PhD in Health Sciences. 

My research interests are focused on the health effects of digitalisation of the labour market and a life-course approach to study the impact of precarious employment on health. 

Research description

The main areas of research where I am working are: 

1) Digitalisation of the labour market: digital labour platforms and its effects on health and occupational safety

I am the PI of the GIG-HEALTH project (Digital labour platforms and its effects on health and well-being: a mixed-method project of gig workers in Sweden), funded by FORTE 2022-2024. The research group is multidisciplinary and led by Karolinska Institute in collaboration with Oxford University (UK), Johns Hopkins University and City University of New York (US), University of Alcalá (ES), Toronto University (CA). https://gighealthproject.com/

Within this project, we aim to: 

1. investigate whether different types of platform work are associated with various health outcomes
2. identify mechanisms through which types of platform work affect health and well-being
3. propose recommendations for improving platform workers job conditions, health and well-being

I am the co-PI and co-coordinator of the European project "New challenges for occupational safety and health in times of the digital transformation in Europe: the role of digital labour platforms", 2022-2025. The consortium includes researchers from 6 European countries University of Copenhagen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Université libre de Bruxelles, University of Warwick, University of Lodz, Tampere University and Pompeu Fabra University. https://www.gigosh.com/

The proposed project aims to:

1. investigate the occupational safety and health risks and regulations of platform work
2. provide recommendations to foster a safe and healthy occupational environment for platform workers in European countries 

2) High quality epidemiological evidence on the health effects of precarious employment

This area of research is based on the programme grant “Effects on non-standard work arrangements on health, work and families – solutions for the future in Sweden” (https://precariousworkresearch.org/) (PI: Theo Bodin).

My current scientific activity is aimed at identifying trajectories of precarious employment over time in Sweden to examine associations of these with the subsequent risk of several health disorders. I do so by means of advanced statistical methods, such as group-based model trajectories and repeated latent class analysis using register data. Health disorders that I have studied include common mental disorders (depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders), substance use disorders (alcoholic and non-alcoholic disorders), suicide attempts, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

Education

PhD in Health Sciences, 2019, International University of Catalonia (Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain) 

Master in Public Health, 2016, University Pompeu Fabra (Barcelona, Spain) 

Bachelor in Biomedical Sciences, 2014, University of Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain)