Kalkidan Yohannes Olkamo

Dr. Kalkidan Yohannes is a mental health researcher, clinician, and academic working at the intersection of global health, mental health, and women’s well-being. She employs participatory, interdisciplinary, and mixed-method approaches to improve mental health outcomes for women, individuals with mental health conditions, and other vulnerable populations.

Since 2013, she has been a member of the Department of Psychiatry at Dilla University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, where she delivers clinical services and mentors students in clinical psychiatry. She has also held leadership roles including Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Gender Director at the Directorate Office of Youth and Women, and Co-ordinator for Educational Quality at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Her research focusses on mental health disorders, women’s health, health equity, and health systems and policies. Dr. Yohannes has published over twenty peer-reviewed articles and continues to advance scholarship that informs policy, clinical practice, and the training of future mental health professionals.

Affiliations 

Education

PhD in Medical Sciences (orientation towards Global Health) – Uppsala University, Sweden (2025)
Affiliated with the Centre for Health and Sustainability and WOMHER (Women’s Mental Health during the Reproductive Lifespan)

MSc in Integrated Clinical and Community Mental Health (ICCMH)– University of Gondar, Ethiopia

BSc in Psychiatric Nursing – University of Gondar, Ethiopia

• Dr. Kalkidan Yohannes’ research focusses on mental health disorders, women’s health, and equity issues, with particular attention to vulnerable and marginalised populations. She employs innovative and participatory methods, including Photovoice, to amplify the voices of those often overlooked in health research.

  Her work spans mental health epidemiology, health services and systems, women’s mental health, and mixed-methods research, contributing to global discussions in mental and public health.

  Key areas of expertise include:

  • Mental health epidemiology

  • Participatory and Photovoice research

  • Health services and systems

  • Women’s mental health

  • Vulnerability and marginalisation

  • Mixed-methods research

  Publications:
  Dr. Yohannes has published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles in high-impact international journals, contributing as first, second, or senior author.

1. Yohannes K, Målqvist M, Bradby H, Berhane Y, Tewahido D, Herzig van Wees S. “Sleepless nights are a daily reality for us”: how women experiencing homelessness in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia describe street life: a photovoice study. Front Public Health. 2025;13:1488770. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2025.1488770
2. Anbessie MN, Belete YL, Ayele BA, Valcour V, Kavanagh N, Prioleau C, Yohannes K. Media for advocacy of mental health in the Ethiopian context: current practice, gaps, and future directions. Front Psychiatry.2023;14:1248827. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1248827
3. Ayano G, Tsegay L, Gizachew Y, Necho M, Yohannes K, Abraha M, Demelash S, Anbesaw T, Alati R. Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: umbrella review of evidence generated across the globe. Psychiatry Res. 2023;328:115449. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115578
4. Yohannes K, Berhane Y, Bradby H, Herzig van Wees S, Målqvist M. Contradictions hindering the provision of mental healthcare and psychosocial services to women experiencing homelessness in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: service providers' and programme coordinators' experiences and perspectives. BMC Health Serv Res.2023;23(1):821. doi:10.1186/s12913-023-09810-z
5. Yohannes K, Målqvist M, Bradby H, Berhane Y, Herzig van Wees S. Addressing the needs of Ethiopia's street homeless women of reproductive age in the health and social protection policy: a qualitative study. Int J Equity Health. 2023;22(1):80. doi:10.1186/s12939-023-01874-x
6. Yohannes K, Gezahegn M, Birhanie M, Simachew Y, Moges A, Ayano G, Toitole KK, Mokona H, Abebe L. Suicidality and homelessness: prevalence and associated factors of suicidal behaviour among homeless young adults in Southern Ethiopia. BMC Psychol. 2023;11(1):121. doi:10.1186/s40359-023-01162-x
7. Yohannes K, Ayano G, Toitole KK, Teferi HM, Mokona H. Harmful alcohol use among patients with tuberculosis in Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Subst Abuse Rehabil. 2022;13:117–125. doi:10.2147/SAR.S384921
8. Shegaw M, Fekadu W, Beka M, Menberu M, Yohannes K, Yimer S, Seid M, Necho M, Moges S, Anbesaw T. Problematic substance use and its associated factors among street youth in Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia. Front Psychiatry. 2022;13:930059. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.930059
9. Wondie T, Molla A, Mulat H, Damene W, Bekele M, Madoro D, Yohannes K. Magnitude and correlates of sleep quality among undergraduate medical students in Ethiopia: cross–sectional study. Sleep Sci Pract. 2021;5:1–8. doi:10.1186/s41606-021-00058-2
10. Ayano G, Yohannes K, Abraha M. Epidemiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2020;19:21. doi:10.1186/s12991-020-00271-w

Additional publications:

• Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=2wB517oAAAAJ&;hl=en
• Uppsala University: http://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/person.jsf?pid=authority-person%3A106547&dswid=-714
• ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kalkidan-Yohannes

Dr. Kalkidan Yohannes has over 10 years of teaching experience at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, spanning psychiatric, medical, and other health science programmes. She has taught at Dilla University, Ethiopia, and at Uppsala University and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

At Dilla University (2013–2020), she served as teaching, clinical, and research staff in the Department of Psychiatry. Her responsibilities included:

• Supervising medical and health science students in community health practice and team-based training programmes.

• Mentoring psychiatric nursing students during clinical placements.

• Contributing to curriculum design and development, including psychiatry-specific programmes.

• Participating in Higher Education Quality Assurance processes at the national level.

• Delivering lectures and practical sessions to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

• Providing clinical and community mental health services to urban and rural populations in Southern Ethiopia.

Selected courses taught at Dilla University:

• Neuroscience – Undergraduate, first year (2013–2020)

• Psychotic Disorders – Undergraduate, third year (2013–2020)

• Psychiatry Emergency – Undergraduate, third year (2013–2020)

• Psychopharmacology – Undergraduate, third year (2016–2020)

• Psychiatry for Other Health Science Students – Undergraduate, fourth year (2016–2020)

• Neurocognitive Disorders – Undergraduate, third year (2016–2020)

• Mental Health Theory – Undergraduate, second year (2017–2020)

• Fundamentals of Nursing – Clinical nurses, second and third year (2016–2020)

• Psychiatry for Medical Interns (New Accelerated Medicine Programme) – Year five (2016–2020)

At Uppsala University (2021–2023), she delivered postgraduate courses in Global Health and Health Systems, with a focus on health systems and health policy.

At Karolinska Institutet (2023–present), she continues to teach postgraduate courses in Global Health and Health Systems, with a focus on health policy.