Cecilia Krüger

I am a doctoral candidate within the Research School for Health Science (FiH) [1] at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society at Karolinska Institutet. My background is within public health, epidemiology and anthropology, working with both quantitative and qualitative research methods. I have prior experience with early-stage clinical research across several therapeutic areas, including public health indications. My current research focus is the misuse of narcotic medications and prevention of negative health outcomes associated with prescription drug misuse and addiction. 

I hold a Master of Medical Science in Public Health Epidemiology from Karolinska Institutet and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Anthropology and minors in public health science, chemistry, and the pre-medical track, from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, USA.

[1] https://ki.se/nvs/forskarskolan-i-halsovetenskap-fih

My PhD research project is regarding the early intervention and care for people who misuse opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines. This research is conducted in collaboration with a diverse team of researchers that focuses on interventions for the prevention and improved care of persons with addiction. I am working on several projects in collaboration with my research team, including:

• A national register study examining the risk of long-term opioid use and associated risk factors in a 5-year opioid-naïve national cohort.
• A randomized control trial of an educational intervention in primary care that aims to reduce inappropriate prescription of opioids.
• A qualitative interview study on experiences of addiction and motivation to seek treatment among individuals with benzodiazepine addiction.
• A clinical cohort study in specialized addiction care investigating the clinical trajectories and treatment outcomes of patients seeking treatment for narcotic use disorders. 

I have given several oral presentations regarding ongoing research projects and updates, including at a conference on addiction of prescription narcotics by  Riksförbundet mot Alkohol och Narkotikamissbruk (RFMA).
I have also guest lectured regarding clinical development and good clinical practice for the specialized nursing program for district nurses at Marie Cederschiöld Högskola.