Research title: Digital Health Technology for Indigenous Elders in Norway: Creating a Culturally Tailored and Sustainable Healthcare Solution

Research Aim: The project aims to identify key challenges and needs for healthy aging among elderly Sami in Norway and leverage this knowledge to create digital health tools that enhance their well-being as they age, in line with SDG 11's goal of fostering inclusive communities for older individuals. 

Background and Scope of Research: Europe's aging population demands sustainable health and social care services that focus on healthy aging, as highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3. Healthy aging involves maintaining functional ability, well-being, and independence in later life, with crucial factors including social support and daily activities. However, current health frameworks frequently overlook the cultural contexts that influence perceptions of healthy aging, especially within diverse populations like Indigenous communities. Indigenous peoples worldwide share common values and confront similar challenges, yet their distinct historical experiences require customized strategies to address the needs of their elders. In Sami communities, the only Indigenous group in Europe residing in Norway, Sweden, and Finland, health is understood as a harmonious balance of social, cultural, environmental, and spiritual factors. Unfortunately, this holistic perspective is not fully incorporated into the health systems of these countries, leading to unequal access to culturally relevant health and care services for Indigenous populations when compared to the majority population. Digital technology has the potential to bridge the disparities and support the healthy aging of Sami elders by offering equitable and independent services. However, research on aging Indigenous populations has predominantly concentrated on regions outside Europe, resulting in limited understanding of the healthy aging of Sami elders in Norway. Additionally, there is a notable scarcity of digital health tools tailored specifically for elderly users in this area. 

Research Challenge: We invite applicants to develop a project focused on designing and implementing digital solutions for the self-management and health promotion of Sami elders within community health and care services. 

Main research field: Digital health Technology

Keywords: Indigenous health, digital health technology, cultural safety, patient-centered approach, innovative methods, community health, self-management

Supervisor: Associate Professor Lise Tuset Gustad (lise.t.gustad@nord.no)

Research group: E-health, innovation and leadership (EHIL)

Faculty: Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences

About supervisor: Lise Tuset Gustad has completed supervisory courses at NTNU and NORD, totaling 56 hours. She has been the main supervisor at all academic levels, including bachelor, master, and PhD candidates. To date, she has supervised five doctoral candidates to completion, acting as the main supervisor for three of them (60%). Additionally, she supervised 10 master theses to completion, serving as the main supervisor for five of them (50%). Her research impact includes 51 unique publications, with 2404 citations, an h-index of 19, and the number of articles with over 10 citations is 24 (i10-index) (Google Scholar). Of these, eight (15.7%) as the first author, 14 (27.4%) as the second author, and eight (15.7%) as the last author. Her key expertise is in quantitative methods and epidemiology, but she has also published qualitative and mixed-methods studies. Gustad has significant experience in research management, having led the research group Clinical Quality Improvement at Nord University since 2022. Additionally, she has considerable experience in managing collaborative research and educational development projects. Gustad has secured external funding for five projects in the last five years, totaling 5.5 million NOK, acting as the project manager for four projects and as a team member for four projects.

Research infrastructure and facilities: The postdoctoral researcher will join a project team that includes Associate Professor of Public Health Ivana Bojanic from Nord University, who has experience in healthcare services and population-based studies focusing on Sami people in Norway. The team also includes Jon Petter Stoor, PhD, from Umeå University, and Kamilla Nørtoft from the University of Southern Denmark, Centre for Public Health in Greenland. Stoor is a member of the Lancet Indigenous Commission and has played a crucial role in data collection and the organization of a population-based study focusing on health and living conditions among Sámi in Sweden, known as the SámiHET study. Nørtoft specializes in aging research within Indigenous populations in Greenland and has led several projects related to healthcare and the living conditions of Inuit elders. The postdoctoral researcher will be part of the eHealth Innovation and Management research group, which offers access to an interdisciplinary community that fosters critical reflection on research designs and methods. This group provides a platform for presenting and discussing project findings. Nord University is a co-owner of TechLab, an independent technology consultancy focused on developing innovative digital health solutions to enhance quality across healthcare, education, and various industries through advanced technologies. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with experts in digital health technology to design tools specifically for Sami elders.

Who Can Apply? Eligibility Criteria: MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded for a duration of 12-30 months (12-24 months of Research + 6 months of additional placement in non-academic sector) to researchers of any nationality who:

• Are in possession of a doctoral degree.
• Have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent (FTE) experience in research after their doctoral degree.
• Comply with the MSCA mobility rule, i.e., have not resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Norway for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the call deadline.
• Have identified a supervisor at Nord University willing to host and supervise them.

If awarded, the Postdoctoral Fellowship grant covers salary, mobility allowance, family allowance (if eligible), and other allowances (if eligible) for the research fellow. The grant also covers research costs and overheads for Nord University.

How To Apply: If you are interested in this Expression of Interest (EoI), please first carefully review the eligibility criteria outlined above. If you meet these requirements, kindly submit the following documents to, lise.t.gustad@nord.no, bent.m.strandas@nord.no, and umair.n.mughal@nord.no:

• Eligibility Information:
  • Date of PhD degree award
  • Full-time research equivalent experience after PhD
  • Period of residence in Norway (if any)
• Research CV:
  • Comprehensive CV including a complete list of publications, projects, and relevant research expertise.
• Motivation Letter:
  • Describe your interest in collaborating with the relevant professor and research group.
  • Clearly outline your research and career goals.
  • Demonstrate how your research complements with the proposed EoI and those of the targeted research group.

How the MSCA PF Process Works: After reviewing your submitted documents, we will contact shortlisted candidates for an interview. Selected candidates will collaborate with us to prepare a full MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship (PF) application for submission under the Horizon Europe Programme, with a deadline in September.

We will provide comprehensive support throughout this process, including:

• Assistance in refining and focusing your research topic
• Participation in the MSCA MasterClass
• Professional reviews and feedback on your application
• Other necessary guidance to ensure submission of a high-quality application

Please note that MSCA PF is highly competitive, bringing together some of the best research talent globally. While funding success is not guaranteed, participating in the application process provides valuable experience and insights into your own research and proposal writing skills, as well as fostering close collaboration with your supervisor and research group.