The Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Our goal is to improve public health through promotion of good health and prevention of disease. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is a national centre of excellence in the areas of epidemiology, mental health, control of infectious diseases, environmental medicine, forensic toxicology and drug abuse. Our vision: A healthier society. Our motto: Knowledge for better public health.
Sperm quality among Western men is poor - especially in Norway and Denmark. It is disturbing that one in five Norwegian men has a sperm quality close to the limit which the World Health Organisation associates with reduced fertility. New research at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) is helping to reveal the causes of impaired sperm quality.
Read more [31.08.2010]
The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study
Ninety-nine percent of the mothers initiated breast-feeding and 80 percent of the infants were still breast-fed at 6 months, although only 2 percent were fully breast-fed at 6 months. At four months of age 87 percent of the children were breast-fed, but only 44 percent were predominantly breast-fed. This was the prevalence of full and partial breast-feeding among participants in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) during 2002 - 2005.
Read more [26.08.2010]
Immunity to the pandemic virus A (H1N1)
By autumn 2009, almost half of the population of Norway had been vaccinated against the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus. Many had also been infected by the virus during the summer and autumn outbreaks. The majority of those who were vaccinated or were infected are expected to have developed immunity to the virus. A study of the Norwegian population’s immune status to the pandemic virus in January 2010 was recently published in the journal Eurosurveillance.
Read more [24.08.2010]
Results from pilot study
In 2008-09, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Institute for Drug and Alcohol Research (SIRUS) conducted a pilot study on the use of alcohol and psychoactive drugs in the workplace. About 6% of the participants had been absent from work once or more in the previous year because of alcohol use, and approximately 24 % had been inefficient or experienced hangover at work due to alcohol. The study also revealed the use of psychoactive medicines among 5% of the participants, and use of illegal drugs among 1.7%.
Read more [19.08.2010]
Alcohol is still the most commonly used intoxicant among drivers on Norwegian roads. Last year, motorists and motorcyclists were found to be intoxicated in about 6,500 cases. Methamphetamine was detected in 1,480 cases, four times as many as in 2001.
Read more [28.06.2010]
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has announced that it has received a US $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support an innovative global health research project conducted by Dr Carol Holm-Hansen titled “TB Rapid Test (TBRT) Project.”
Read more [08.06.2010]
Infants born with severe congenital heart defects (CHD) have an increased risk of irritability, intense crying, and being more difficult to calm than healthy children. These children often display developmental delays more frequently, e.g., in rolling from back to stomach, gripping toys, responding to smiles and reacting to their name. This is shown in new research from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Read more [28.05.2010]
Chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and mental health problems, have become the major challenge for public health in Norway today. However, even though more people must live with a chronic disease, the Norwegian population has never been as healthy.
Read more [18.05.2010]
International meeting in Oslo
In August 2010, researchers and experts on drugs, alcohol and medicines will take part in the T2010 conference, the tri-annual meeting of the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS). This year’s meeting is being hosted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Read more [05.05.2010]
New research
If your mother suffered from very severe morning sickness in one or several of her pregnancies, you are three times more likely to do so, according to research by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, published on bmj.com. This is one of the first studies to investigate the recurrence of very severe morning sickness across generations.
Read more [30.04.2010]