The work of this thesis was initiated because Finnmark County had a mortality rate from external causes well above national average for several decades. The aims of the thesis were to 1) investigate possible reasons for Finnmark’s’ elevated death rate from external causes, 2) identify challenges that a trauma system in Scandinavia must be tailored to meet, and 3) find access points to limit ...

The thesis explores how case characteristics impact decision-making in the Norwegian child welfare service. The following decisions were studied: i) the initial screening decision, ii) the extent of an investigation, and iii) the dismissal of cases when the family refuse interventions. Previous research has identified differences in case trajectory between agencies. The impact of case characteristics ...

The overall aim of this doctoral thesis was to increase the understanding and knowledge of the prevalence and management of deep carious lesions. The prevalence of dental caries in Norway was among the highest in the world in the middle of 20th century. Though it has significantly declined, there are indications that the prevalence of caries in Northern Norway is higher than in the rest of the ...

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may develop 10-15 years before onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Early intervention may serve to halt or delay disease progression. Thus, there is a need to investigate early cognitive and biological markers to detect and track disease progression. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is an established risk-factor for AD. However, SCD is a common phenomenon ...

In Scandinavian countries, resin-based composite materials have been used in restorative dentistry for over 30 years, replacing dental amalgams. Composite materials based on dimethacrylates provide better aesthetics and treatment options. However, according to in-vitro findings, dental composites can be affected by water, potentially reducing the longevity of dental restorations. The proper ...

This thesis deals with a socio-technical approach towards the development of inter-organisational ICT tools in healthcare. My overall case is Norwegian healthcare, and I investigated how national inter-organisational ICT tools were developed and why good results were difficult to achieve. Three public projects make up the basis of my data collection in which the main categories of data are interviews, ...

The overall aim of the thesis was to evaluate the potential of gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) antagonists as radiotracers for the early detection and understanding of Alzheimer`s disease (AD). The molecular imaging field is a symbiosis between organic chemistry, radiochemistry, in vitro biology, as well as preclinical- and clinical trials, therefore an evaluation should involve all ...

Oral drug administration is the most convenient route to systemically deliver drugs because of its cost-effectiveness, ease of administration and high patient compliance. However, when a drug is orally administered it will be exposed to the different physiological processes and environments found along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which will determine its ability of being absorbed and reach the ...

Although several routes of administration can be utilized to bring a drug to the desired site of action, oral administration is still the most important and prevalent route of administration, due to its cost efficiency, convenience and patient compliance. A prerequisite for successful oral therapy is the ability of a drug to cross the gastrointestinal barrier. Over the past two decades, the ...

Early diagnosis of cancer is beneficial to most cancer patients. This doctoral thesis is based on studies in general practice in Tromsø, Norway, during the years 1978-1985. General practitioners have a very important role in the work excluding or leading up to a cancer diagnosis. The studies deal with diagnostic delay, the value of symptoms, and with strategies for GP s to improve their cancer ...