Atika KHALAF

Name: Atika KHALAF
Country: Sweden
Degrees: Ph.D., M.Sc. SRH, M.Sc.
Current job title: Assistant Professor in Health Sciences
Institution: Kristianstad University
Short autobiography:

I have a PhD in Medical Sciences, Global Public Health from Karolinska Institute and work as an assistant professor in health sciences at Kristianstad University, Sweden. I have a long experience of both clinical and academic work in different professions such as nursing, midwifery, public health and integrative health science. Besides my broad pedagogic experiences in different international contexts and with multicultural students, I have interdisciplinary research experience within the fields of public health, nursing, and midwifery and have published scientific articles in the fields. Further, I have experience of leading research team in a previous COST ACTION project. In my work, I have conducted epidemiological studies with both quantitative and qualitative approaches, worked with national comprehensive population register data, and measured different instruments psychometrically. Additionally, I have implemented an intervention on attitudes towards, knowledge about and levels of physical activity in relation to perceived, ideal and actual body shape preferences among young female university students. The data from the intervention study are yet to be analysed. 

Reason for joining: To apply new knowledge in scientific and professional work
Current research interest in relation to the COST Action: 1. How does body image affect the wellbeing, eating habits and physical activity patterns of adolescents, young adults and women 2. Develop and evaluate educational material for maternity healthcare givers to promote positive body image in mothers of young children (one to five years old, with and without visible disfigurement) 3. Public Health in relation to equality and access to care.
COST Actions Outcomes:
E-mail: Atika.khalaf@hkr.se
Link to institution: https://www.hkr.se/en/