Signe Smith Jervelund

Signe Smith Jervelund is an Associate Professor in Health Services Research at the Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. She serves as Programme Director for Public Health Science and Head of Studies for BA/MA programmes in Public Health Science, while also acting as Danish Editor of the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health and Scientific Committee member of the Danish Society for Public Health.

Education:

• PhD in Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen (2011)
• Master of Science in Public Health (MSc), University of Copenhagen (2006)
• Health Law, Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen (2004)
• Bachelor of Public Health Science (BA), University of Copenhagen (2003)

Her research centers on healthcare access, utilization, and outcomes with emphasis on vulnerable populations, employing multidisciplinary approaches to reduce health inequalities through intervention research. Key domains include migration health, mental health, video consultations, and cross-sectoral service integration across European, American, and Latin American contexts. She actively develops educational curricula and disseminates research findings to influence policy.

Recent publications (2025) reveal strong thematic coherence in healthcare system restructuring, equity-focused interventions, and sustainability. Her work bridges Danish healthcare policy with international comparative studies, addressing urgent issues like dementia diagnosis pathways, intimate partner violence support systems, and digital health economics. Cross-cutting themes include reducing healthcare waste, enhancing cross-sectoral coordination, and implementing price transparency measures.

Scientific Awards:

• Association of Master of Science in Public Health Award (2008)

She supervises bachelor, master, and PhD students across Public Health, Medicine, and Global Health programmes while serving as PhD thesis opponent 13 times. Her research is funded through projects like EquityCancer-LA (Latin American cancer diagnosis), multimorbidity studies in fragmented systems, and the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Society's "Better Life" fund which she chairs. She provides expert advice to the Danish Health Authority's inequality committee and Epidemic Commission.

Leading the Section of Health Services Research, she previously directed the Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health (MESU). Her international collaborations span Harvard Medical School, Veterans Health Administration, NIVEL, and European health agencies, focusing on comparative health systems analysis and migrant health integration.