Mervi Issakainen

Mervi Issakainen is a Senior Researcher in the Law School at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. Her research focuses on health and well-being, particularly the rights and challenges faced by individuals with dementia, epilepsy, and cognitive impairments in working-age populations. She leads a work package in the AMIS project (2023–2027), funded by the Research Council of Finland, addressing mental health challenges among older people.

Her research interests include legal rights, access to justice, and workplace adaptations for marginalized groups. She has contributed to projects such as OBaMa (2025–2030), safeguarding welfare during pandemics (2022–2024), and dementia-related studies like Dementia or MCI @ work (2018–2022). She is part of the Center of Law and Welfare and Neuro-Ethics and Law Research Team.

Key publications include studies on dementia diagnosis impacts, epilepsy-related legal barriers, and cognitive decline in workplace environments. Her work emphasizes qualitative methods, participatory research, and policy advocacy. She has authored over 30 articles and book chapters on topics like dementia rights, mental health equity, and legal system accessibility for vulnerable populations.