Lene Aasdahl

Lene Aasdahl is a Professor at the Department of Public Health and Nursing at NTNU, leading the Work and Health research group. She holds an adjunct position as a physician and R&D leader at Unicare Helsefort Rehabilitation Center, specializing in chronic pain, stroke, traumatic brain injury, obesity, and CFS/ME. Trained as a physician with specialization in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, her research focuses on interventions to reduce sickness absence and improve return-to-work outcomes for individuals with musculoskeletal disorders and mental health conditions.

Her work integrates clinical and population-level studies, emphasizing occupational rehabilitation, workplace health strategies, and digital health solutions. Notable contributions include the Hysnes project, evaluating inpatient occupational rehabilitation through randomized controlled trials. Key research themes include musculoskeletal pain management, mental health interventions, and the biopsychosocial model in occupational health.

Publications highlight work on motivational interviewing efficacy, AI-driven self-management apps, and predictive models for prolonged work absence. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges clinical practice, policy, and economic analysis to optimize return-to-work pathways. Current efforts focus on translating evidence into scalable interventions for sustainable workforce participation.