Kerstin Johansson

Kerstin Johansson

Assistant Senior Lecturer
Telephone: +46852483622
Visiting address: Blickagången 9 A, Enheten för logopedi F67, 14186 Stockholm
Postal address: H9 Klinisk vetenskap, intervention och teknik, H9 CLINTEC Logopedi, 141 52 Huddinge
Part of:

About me

  • I pursued my doctoral studies 2009-2013 under the supervision of assistant
    professor Ellika Schalling (KI), and co-supervisors professors Lena Hartelius
    (Gothenberg University, GU) and Sten Fredrikson (KI). My thesis includes
    works on voice and speech characteristics in multiple sclerosis (MS) and
    cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI), and effects of respiratory training such
    as glossopharyngeal breating in MS and CSCI, and Expiratory Muscle Strength
    Training (EMST) in MS.
    Åke Ljundahlsstipendiet, Parkinsonförbundet, 2005
    I got my speech-language pathology (SLP) degree 1989 at the SLP program at
    GU. 1997-2020 clinical SLP at Function Area
    Speech-Language Pathology at the Karolinska University Hospital, where my
    work focused on assessment and treatment of speech and swallowing in patients
    with neurological conditions, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, MS, ALS,
    Huntington's disease, and in frail patients, specifically elderly with
    cognitive disorders or dementia. 2010-2020 affiliatied to the division of
    speech-language pathology at the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention
    and Technology (CLINTEC) at the Karolinska Institutet. Since 2020 full time adjucnt lecturer and since 2022 Assistant lecturer, In the
    SLP program roles in teaching, clinical supervision, and supervision of students'
    thesis and master theses.
    Teaching Area
    Course coordinator of the course Dysphagia (7.5 credits) in the SLP program
    at KI. Supervisor in clinical training of SLP students, and of students' and
    master theses. IPL promotor and member of KI IPL working group.
    In 2021 och 2023 course coordinator for freestanding course Intervention for elderly with dysphagia (7.5 credits). In 2002, 2006 and 2010 course coordinator for the freestanding course
    Fiberendoscopy in SLP practice (7.5 credits), KI, in collaboration with assistant
    professors Ellika Schalling (in 2010) and Gunilla Henningsson (2002).

Research

  • Research Area
    Swallowing difficulties in the elderly: identification, intervention and
    prevention.
    In national and international clinical research collaborations, projects are
    planned with the aim to reduce the risk for complications of dysphagia in the
    elderly. These complications include malnutrition, dehydration, airway
    complications and reduced quality of life. The overarching aim of the project
    is improved methods for identification and diagnostics of dysphagia in
    elderly and improved intervention and prevention for dysphagia in the
    healthcare. Several studies are planned within the project: 1) prevalence of
    dysphagia in elderly who visit a primary care central, 2) patient experiences
    of dysphagia and patient-reported needs for intervention in elderly with
    dysphagia, 3) validation of a clinical instrument for speech and language
    pathologists – KIS2018v2 – for the quantification of dysphagia and
    aspiration, 4) design of a multilevel screening tool to detect mealtime
    problems in older people with dementia in the community or residing in
    nursing homes, and 5) effects of different training methods for improved
    swallowing. The benefit for the individual is improved health and quality of
    life, for the health care increased knowledge and safer routines, for society
    reduced costs. The studies are carried out partly within the curriculum of
    students’ theses and master theses at the division of speech and language
    pathology and re planned in collaboration with Swedish or international
    researchers.
    Speech after cervical spinal cord injury, CSCI.
    After my dissertation in November 2013 in-depth studies of voice and speech
    in relation to respiratory function in CSCI (together with assistant
    professor Anita McAllister, KI). Four studies are planned with the aim of
    providing a basis for SLP intervention in this patient group. The project is
    also undertaken in collaboration with professor Johan Sundberg at the Speech,
    Music, and Hearing, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. For study II,
    data has been collected in the respiratory laboratory of professor Mattias
    Heldner, Department of Linguistics, Stockholm University (SU).
    Neuromotor speech disorders.
    Together with assistant professor Ellika Schalling (KI) and professor Lena
    Hartelius (GU), surveys on self-perceived speech changes and services
    provided following MS, PD and CSCI have been performed. The questionnaires
    used included questions on perceived symptoms related to speech and
    communication, experienced restrictions in communicative participation, and
    services received.
    In collaboration with professor Lena Hartelius and the Region Västra
    Götaland (Angered Hospital and Skaraborg Hospital) a clinical project is
    running during 2019-20 with the aim to study the Effects of Exspiratory
    Muscle Strength Training (EMST) on voice, speech and swallowing in
    Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). EMST is a promising
    training method recently introduced in Sweden. Examples of documented effects
    on swallowing after EMST is a more efficient swallowing and a decrease in
    penetration and aspiration. A service evaluation of clinical experiences (K.
    Johansson, presentation at the National Conference of Logopedics, 2018) from
    the first years EMST has been offered in Sweden shows that the method is
    appreciated among patients. Also, compliance is high for patients who
    participate in EMST. The expiratory pressure (which reflects the strength in
    the exspiratory musculature) increases. Patients who have participated report
    positive effects such as reduced cough during meals, a generally more
    forceful cough and improved ”wind”. However, the effects of EMST on
    voice, speech and swallowing needs to be further evaluated, which is the aim
    of the above described project.
    Supervision, ongoing master projects
    SLP Emma Lindroos – Free from dysphagia?
    SLP Jeanette Telford – Effects of contagious yawning on saliva production
    and swallowing in adults with traumatic brain injury – a possible treatment
    method
    SLP Sanna Jansson – Effects of free water in patients with dysphagia
    SLP Jeanette Holmgren Nilsson – Effects of pitch training on swallowing
    safety in individuals with neurological conditions, for example, ALS
    Completed master project:
    SLP Elisabet Östlund – Perception of pitch, identification of children's
    songs, and self-reported experiences of music in children with bilateral
    cochlear implants
    Publications
    Johansson K, Seiger, Å, Forsén, M, Holmgren Nilsson J, Hartelius, L,
    Schalling, L. Assessment of voice, speech and communication changes
    associated with cervical spinal cord injury. Int J Lang Commun Disord 2018
    53(4):761-775. Epub Feb, 24, 2018DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12380
    Schalling, E, Johansson, K, Hartelius, L. Speech and communication changes
    reported by people with Parkinsons's disease. Folia Phoniatr Logop 2017
    69(3):131-141. Epub 2018 Jan 18. doi: 10.1159/000479927
    Johansson K, Strömbergsson S, Robieux C, McAllister A. Perceptual detection
    of subtle dysphonic traits in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury
    using an audience response systems approach. J Voice. 2017
    Jan
  • 31(1):126.e7-126.e17. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2015.12.015. Epub 2015 Dec
    24.
    Vogel AP, Keage MJ, Johansson K, Schalling E. Treatment for dysphagia
    (swallowing difficulties) in hereditary ataxia. Cochrane Database of
    Systematic Reviews 2015 11:1-20, CD010169. doi:
    10.1002/14651858.CD010169.pub2.
    Johansson K, Hartelius L, Kjellmer L, Fredrikson S, Schalling E. “I can
    walk briskly and talk at the same time!” - effects of Expiratory Muscle
    Strength Training (EMST) on respiration and speech in multiple sclerosis. J
    Med Speech Lang Pathol 2012 20(4):70-76
    Johansson K, Nygren-Bonnier M, Schalling E. Effects of glossopharyngeal
    breathing on speech in severe multiple sclerosis: a case report. Mult Scler
    2012 18(6):905-8. Epub 2011 Dec 19. 2012 Jun
  • 18(6):905-8. doi:
    10.1177/1352458511430223. Epub 2011 Dec 19.
    Johansson K, Nygren-Bonnier M, Klefbeck B, Schalling E. Effects of
    glossopharyngeal breathing on voice in individuals with cervical spinal cord
    injury. Int J Ther Rehabil 2011 18(9):501-510 DOI:
    10.12968/ijtr.2011.18.9.501. Epub 29 Sep 2013. Publikationsdatum papper 1
    september 2011.
    Widen Holmqvist L, von Koch L, Kostulas V, Holm M, Widsell, G, Tegler H,
    Johansson K, Almazán J och J de Pedro-Cuesta. A randomized controlled trial
    of rehabilitation at home after stroke in southwest Stockholm. Stroke 1998
    29(3):591-7 https://doi-org.proxy.kib.ki.se/10.1161/01.STR.29.3.591

Articles

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Grants

Employments

  • Assistant Senior Lecturer, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 2022-

Degrees and Education

  • Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 2013
  • Master Of Medical Science, Karolinska Institutet, 2003

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