Pernille Pedersen

Pernille Pedersen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health - Department of Health Services Research at Aarhus University's Faculty of Health. She also serves as Program Manager and Senior Researcher at DEFACTUM with research output spanning from 2006 to present, including 40 publications and active projects through 2026.

Her educational background includes:

• Training as a nurse
• Master of Health Science (cand.scient.san.)
• PhD from Aarhus University

Dr. Pedersen's research focuses on rehabilitation, particularly daily life participation and return to work or education for individuals with health challenges. She employs quantitative methods to develop effective rehabilitation interventions that enhance functional ability and quality of life. Her work particularly addresses mental illness and cancer rehabilitation pathways, with expertise in employment, mental health, social inequality, and register-based research.

Her recent publications (2025) demonstrate a strong focus on transdiagnostic approaches to sleep disorders, vocational rehabilitation for schizophrenia patients, workplace accommodations for pregnant healthcare workers, and social vulnerability assessment in healthcare settings. These works reflect her commitment to evidence-based rehabilitation interventions that bridge clinical practice and real-world applications.

As an educator, she coordinates the 10 ECTS rehabilitation course in the Public Health Bachelor's program, emphasizing active student participation. She supervises students at all levels from Bachelor's to PhD candidates and serves as a censor for Public Health programs.

Dr. Pedersen leads multiple research projects including studies on late effects after pelvic cancer and functional ability in young people with schizophrenia. She is part of the SEVERIN coordination group, co-founded Rehabilitation and Mental Illness under the Danish Psychiatric Society, and serves on the research committee of the Danish Society for Public Health. Her collaborative work spans regional departments of social medicine, occupational medicine, oncology, psychiatry, and municipal health and employment departments.