Dell Saulnier
Om mig
Jag är biträdande lektor i hälsosystem i kriser, i forskargruppen Global katastrofmedicin – hälsobehov och insatser vid institutionen för global folkhälsa på Karolinska Institutet (KI). Min forskning fokuserar på resiliens i hälsosystem och systemtänkande för hälsosystem i kriser.
Utöver min roll på KI är jag också anknuten till Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies vid universitetet i Geneve. Mellan 2022 och 2024 var jag gästforskare vid institutionen för ekonomi vid University of Zambia och jag fortsätter att samarbeta med kollegor där.
Jag tog min kandidatexamen i epidemiologi vid Hampshire College 2006 och arbetade sedan i tre år med klinisk forskning om cystisk fibros vid Massachusetts General Hospital i Boston, MA, USA. Jag tog min masterexamen i internationell hälsa vid Uppsala universitet 2013 och disputerade vid KI 2020 på en avhandling med titeln Towards health systems resilience to extreme weather events: managing health needs during floods in Cambodia.
Forskningsbeskrivning
Min forskning kan övergripande delas in i tre överlappande teman:
Hälsosystemens resiliens
Mitt fokus här har främst varit att identifiera egenskaper och beteenden som genererar och upprätthåller resiliens. Det kan handla om att titta på beslutsstrukturer, kunskapsdelning, förtroende och ömsesidigt beroende. Jag ligger också i framkant inom de vetenskapliga diskussionerna om framtiden för forskningsområdet resiliens i hälso- och sjukvårdssystemen. Inom temat samarbetar jag nära med kollegorna vid Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies vid universitetet i Genève.
För närvarande fokuserar jag på vinstdrivande och icke-vinstdrivande aktörer inom den privata sektorns roll för resiliens, t.ex. genom informationsutbyte mellan sektorer, förtroende och legitimitet samt organisatorisk motståndskraft.
Jag tittar också på frågor om makt i relation till resiliens och i resultaten av resiliensinsatser, samt att identifiera trösklvärde mellan de tre viktigaste motståndskraftskapaciteterna för olika typer av kriser.
Jag deltar för närvarande i flera forskningsprojekt inom resiliens i hälso- och sjukvårdssystem:
- Discerning the role of the private sector in creating health system resilience: A case study in Zambia. Finansierat av Vetenskapsrådet
- Towards Universal Health Coverage in Zambia: How to build a sustainable and resilient health system. Finansierat av Vetenskapsrådet
- Health systems resilience in managing the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from regional preparedness plans in Sweden. Finansierat av Forte. Som en del av detta projekt är jag bihandledare för My Fridell i hennes doktorandprojekt.
Jag är också bihandledare för tre andra studenter som arbetar med ämnen som rör hälsosystemsresiliens:
- Claudia Truppa at the Università del Piemonte Orientale in her PhD project, that looks at the resilience of an ICRC program in Lebanon.
- Linda Esso at KI on learning from the Covid pandemic to prepare for future epidemics in low-resource settings
- Maisoon Elbukhari Ibrahim at the University of Geneva on developing indicators to measure health system performance and resilience in fragile and conflict-affected settings
Systemtänkande för hälso- och sjukvårdssystem
Systemtänkande för hälso- och sjukvårdssystem är ett tillvägagångssätt för att förstå komplexiteten i problem inom systemet, genom att se på dem holistiskt, se dem som sammankopplade och förstå relationerna och interaktionerna mellan systemets olika intressenter och delar.
Jag leder för närvarande ett projekt som undersöker orsakssambandet mellan social sjukförsäkring och ekonomiskt skydd, användande av hälso- och sjukvårdstjänster och hälsoutfall. Projektet fokuserar på Kambodja och finansieras av Vetenskapsrådet. Projektet heter:
- Social health insurance in the Universal Health Coverage era: Does it impact health?
Jag är också en av grundarna och medledarna för den europeiska delen av nätverket Systems Thinking Accelerator (SYSTAC) som främjar systemtänkande för hälso- och sjukvårdssystem.
Krisers inverkan på efterfrågan och utnyttjande av hälso- och sjukvårdstjänster
Inom det här temat studerar jag främst effekterna av översvämningar på efterfrågan och utnyttjande av hälso- och sjukvården, vilket också var ämnet för mitt doktorandprojekt. Utöver effekterna av kriser är jag också intresserad av hur hälso- och sjukvårdssystemen kan stärkas för att klara av kriser.
Jag är för närvarande med och leder ett arbetspaket i REACH-projektet för att bedöma effekterna av översvämningar och extrem värme på utnyttjandet och tillgång till mödra- och barnhälsovård:
Undervisning
Vid Karolinska Institutet undervisar jag främst i kurserna Applied Research Methods for Disasters och Qualitative Research Methods for Disasters, som jag dessutom har utvecklat. Därtill handleder jag master- och läkarstudenter i ämnen som hälsosystem, resiliens och katastrofer.
Artiklar
- Journal article: 2025Bwalya B; Simona S; Chama- Chiliba C; Sakic Trogrlic R; Chisola M; Bwalya R; Moonga A; Mweemba C; Bozzani F; Ismail S; Borghi J; Saulnier D
- Journal article: 2025Debele SE; Saulnier D; Part C; Chisola MN; Chama-Chiliba C; Trogrlic RS; Ismail S; Semwanga A; Foss A; Borghi J
- Article: LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH. 2024;12(7):e1204-e1208Ibrahim ME; Saulnier D; Blanchet K
- Article: HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS. 2024;11(1):436Saulnier DD; Saidi C; Hambokoma T; Zulu JM; Zulu J; Masiye F
- Article: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH. 2024;9(2):e014041Saulnier DD; Topp SM
- Article: CONFLICT AND HEALTH. 2024;18(1):2Truppa C; Yaacoub S; Valente M; Celentano G; Ragazzoni L; Saulnier D
- Article: BMJ OPEN. 2022;12(1):e054145Saulnier DD; Thol D; Por I; Hanson C; von Schreeb J; Alvesson HM
- Article: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH. 2021;6(8):e006779Saulnier DD; Blanchet K; Canila C; Munoz DC; Dal Zennaro L; de Savigny D; Durski KN; Garcia F; Grimm PY; Kwamie A; Maceira D; Marten R; Peytremann-Bridevaux I; Poroes C; Ridde V; Seematter L; Stern B; Suarez P; Teddy G; Wernli D; Wyss K; Tediosi F
- Article: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY. 2020;128:66-73Henriksson M; Saulnier DD; Berg J; Warnberg MG
- Article: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH. 2020;5(4):e002272Saulnier DD; Hean H; Thol D; Ir P; Hanson C; Von Schreeb J; Alvesson HM
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK SCIENCE. 2019;10(4):449-461Green HK; Lysaght O; Saulnier DD; Blanchard K; Humphrey A; Fakhruddin B; Murray V
- Article: DISASTER PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT. 2019;28(6):838-853Saulnier DD; Green HK; Ismail R; Chhorvann C; Bin Mohamed N; Waite TD; Murray V
- Journal article: PREHOSPITAL AND DISASTER MEDICINE. 2019;34(s1):s33Saulnier D; Allen C; Eriksson A; Taylor BH
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. 2018;15(12):E2689-2689Alga A; Thi ATD; Saulnier DD; Gia TN; von Schreeb J
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. 2018;15(4):E665-665Saulnier DD; Hanson C; Ir P; Alvesson HM; von Schreeb J
- Journal article: PREHOSPITAL AND DISASTER MEDICINE. 2017;32(S1):s102Muhrbeck M; Osman Z; Saulnier D; Von Schreeb J; Veen H; Andersson P
- Journal article: PREHOSPITAL AND DISASTER MEDICINE. 2017;32(S1):s55Saulnier D; Ribacke KB; Von Schreeb J
- Article: GLOBAL HEALTH ACTION. 2016;9:30834Saulnier DD; Persson L-A; Streatfield PK; Faruque ASG; Rahman A
- Article: FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH. 2016;4:222Ribacke KJB; Saulnier DD; Eriksson A; von Schreeb J
Alla övriga publikationer
- Book chapter: HEALTH SYSTEM RESILIENCE. 2025;p. 49-62Saulnier DD; Gooding K; Topp SM
- Book chapter: HANDBOOK OF HEALTH SYSTEM RESILIENCE. 2024;p. 465-473Thomas S; Farsaci L; O’Donoghue C; Almirall-Sanchez A; Gilson L; Topp SM; Ager A; Rosella LC; Unruh L; Chiou S-T; Catussi Paschoalotto MA; Baigrie B; Barry S; Burke S; Doshi RD; Economou C; Enright P; Eriksen A; Fernandez M; Guha M; Kihlström L; Repullo JR; Saulnier DD; Sarker M; van Ginneken E; Vrangbæk K; Williams GA
- Book chapter: HANDBOOK OF HEALTH SYSTEM RESILIENCE. 2024;p. 13-28Saulnier DD; Blanchet K
- Review: JOURNAL OF AGGRESSION MALTREATMENT & TRAUMA. 2023;32(4):505-522Ghoshal R; Douard A-C; Sikder S; Roy N; Saulnier D
- Book chapter: GLOBAL HEALTH ESSENTIALS: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS SERIES. 2023;p. 355-358Saulnier DD; Blanchet K; Tediosi F
- Review: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT. 2023;12(1):6659Saulnier D; Duchenko A; Ottilie-Kovelman S; Tediosi F; Blanchet K
- Review: BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH. 2022;22(1):1173Forsgren L; Tediosi F; Blanchet K; Saulnier DD
- Editorial comment: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH. 2022;7(2):e008174Sant Fruchtman C; Bilal Khalid M; Keakabetse T; Bonito A; Saulnier DD; Mupara LM; Iqbal S; de Almeida A; da Silva H; de Jesus D; Prytherch H; Mokalake E; Cobos Munoz D; Zafar S
- Conference publication: TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH. 2021;26:146Saulnier D; Thol D; Ir P; Hanson C; von Schreeb J; Alvesson HM
- Editorial comment: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2021;66:1604064Grimm PY; Saulnier DD
- Doctoral thesis: 2020Saulnier D
- Review: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT. 2020;9(1):6-16Fridell M; Edwin S; von Schreeb J; Saulnier DD
- Conference publication: BMJ EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE. 2019;24(Suppl 1):a15Saulnier D; Allen C; Eriksson A; Taylor BH
- Review: PREHOSPITAL AND DISASTER MEDICINE. 2017;32(5):568-579Saulnier DD; Ribacke KB; von Schreeb J
- Review: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2015;60(7):781-787Saulnier DD; Brolin K
Forskningsbidrag
- Economic and Social Research Council30 September 2023 - 29 September 2027Climate change is affecting health systems around the world, with those in low and middle income countries (LMIC) at particular risk due to limited health resources and greater exposure to climate hazards such as floods and extreme heat. Mothers and children are especially vulnerable to the effects of floods and heat, and they require access to routine and emergency services, which can be compromised by these hazards. Our project is focused on understanding the health system that provides services to mothers and children. This includes the people, resources, and activities that are involved in delivering services. We want to better understand the characteristics that make this system vulnerable to floods and heat, as well as the characteristics that make it resilient - able to absorb, adapt or transform - when faced with these hazards. By doing this, we hope to protect the health of mothers and children over the long term. Existing studies often focus on the effect of individual hazards on individual elements of the maternal and child health (MCH) system (such as health workers, or the number of services delivered) after the hazard occurred. However, health systems evolve over time, and comprise interconnected elements with feedback (where outputs of the system affect inputs). Further, climate hazards can occur together or sequentially, with implications for the MCH system. We will use system science methods which help us better understand how complex systems work and how we can make them work better. These methods have been used in health systems and environmental research and have great potential to help us understand how health systems function and respond to climate hazards and resilience building interventions over time. We will use causal loop diagrams (CLDs) - visual representations of system elements and their interconnections - and two types of mathematical models: a model of how the MCH system functions in terms of the overall flows of patients and drugs and supplies (a system dynamic model - SDM) and a model of the way community members and facilities interact and behave (an agent-based model- ABM). These models will then be integrated to provide a more holistic picture of the MCH system. The research will be carried out in Zambia and Brazil, two LMIC which are vulnerable to floods and heat, but which differ in terms of MCH care. This will allow us to explore how context affects health system vulnerabilities and responses. The research comprises a number of stages. First, will examine the relationship between floods and heat and MCH service outcomes and the affordability of health care. Second, we will define the MCH system and how flood and heat interact with it and affect service delivery, identifying vulnerabilities, and points of intervention to reduce these using CLDs. Then, we will identify potential interventions to build climate resilience, their feasibility acceptability and cost, and a plan for their financing. Next, we will build an SDM and ABM and an integrated model to quantify the effects of flood and heat scenarios on MCH service delivery and demand and the impact of resilience building interventions. Scenarios describing flood and heat events and their interactions with the MCH system, the CLDs and the models will be produced through repeat engagement with stakeholders at community, health facility and district levels, using surveys, in-depth interviews and participatory workshops. We will also use evidence from literature and existing household and facility data in each country. The model will be designed so that it can be used by decision makers at the local level to guide intervention selection and indicators to monitor the MCH system in relation to floods and heat. The project builds on a strong existing partnership and comprises a unique interdisciplinary team.
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2023 - 31 December 2024
- Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare1 January 2023 - 31 December 2025Research problem and specific questions: Sweden’s emergency preparedness has met several acute challenges in the past years, now in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has shocked the society, including the Swedish health system. There remains little empirical evidence on how health systems can remain resilient when exposed to shocks, but tested and trained emergency preparedness plans appear to be crucial elements. To be prepared for future shocks it is essential to systematically compile, assess and analyze to what extent emergency preparedness plans were adequate and have been implemented during the pandemic. The purpose of this project is therefore to assess the implementation and effectiveness of regional emergency preparedness plans in Sweden during COVID-19, so that Sweden will learn from the pandemic to build resilience of the Swedish health system for future shocks.Data and methods: The project is based on four individual studies that all apply different, well established research methods to study the Swedish emergency preparedness during the pandemic. Qualitative methods (interviews, Delphi panel) and systems thinking methods (Group Model Building) will be used to capture experiences from key stakeholders of the regional emergency preparedness plans and management of the pandemic. In addition, quantitative methods will be used to assess potential differences between the regional preparedness plans and how they may have affected provision of health care.Plan for project realization: The main applicant will lead the project together with one of the co-applicants. A doctoral student will be recruited for the project to further develop the research plan and perform most of the project work. Due to the nature of the proposed project, the budget costs in this application are mainly salary costs. The research group recently received funding from Karolinska Institutet, a doctoral training grant, in October 2021 for this project.Relevance: To develop emergency preparedness within the Swedish health system is key to be able to meet future health shocks, mitigate their effects and for recovery after the emergency has passed. This project aims to generate new knowledge on emergency preparedness from lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic and thereby support decision makers to develop more resilient health systems for the future.
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2022 - 31 December 2024
Anställningar
- Biträdande Lektor, Global folkhälsa, Karolinska Institutet, 2025-2031
Examina och utbildning
- Medicine Doktorsexamen, Institutionen för global folkhälsa, Karolinska Institutet, 2020