Aapo Hiilamo

Aapo Hiilamo serves as a Research Scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) and holds a Visiting Fellowship at the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) within the London School of Economics and Political Science's Department of Social Policy. Having completed his PhD at CASE in 2022 with a dissertation titled 'Ageing in the age of debt: household debt and mental wellbeing among people aged 50 years and older,' he maintains active research collaborations across European institutions.

His research program investigates critical intersections between economic conditions and wellbeing across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on demographic transitions, household indebtedness, mental health outcomes, and child welfare systems. Hiilamo employs sophisticated register-based methodologies using comprehensive Finnish and English longitudinal datasets to examine how macroeconomic shocks impact vulnerable populations. His work demonstrates how parental health conditions contribute to social assistance dependency, how child poverty correlates with out-of-home care placements, and how household debt affects mental wellbeing in later life.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent methodological approach utilizing nationwide register data with advanced statistical techniques including target trial emulation and cohort analysis. His research spans multiple disciplines but maintains focus on policy-relevant questions regarding economic insecurity's health consequences, particularly for children and older adults. The geographic concentration on Nordic welfare states provides valuable insights into how robust social safety nets mediate economic shocks' impacts.

Hiilamo's research trajectory demonstrates significant policy relevance, with findings directly informing social protection systems across Europe. His collaborative work with Finnish and British institutions leverages unique register data to produce high-impact evidence on poverty dynamics, debt consequences, and intergenerational welfare transmission. While no formal advising relationships are documented in the provided materials, his research program appears supported through institutional affiliations with MPIDR and CASE.