My special interests include theories of social inequalities in health and intersectionality. I am particularly engaged in women’s health, gender perspectives on the use of health-related social security benefits and the role of intersectionality in research on sustainable work participation. In the research group of Work, Health and Gender, we address issues related to the Norwegian model for follow-up of sick listed workers. We ask to what extent the primary health-care model can provide necessary interdisciplinary follow-up of workers at risk for long-term sickness absence.

Project MenoWork - Women's health, menopause and working life. From 2023, I have engaged in developing a project where menopause and work are at the centre. There is little research into how health problems during women's menopause can affect work participation, and varying knowledge of the topic among women themselves and in health care. Lack of knowledge can lead to women's complaints not being associated with menopause and thus being diagnosed, treated and medicated as non-specific women's complaints. These complaints are the most common reasons for women's sickness absence mid-life.

The Women's Health Committee's report (NOU) points out that more research is needed to determine what role menopausal symptoms play in women dropping out of working life at this age. Furthermore, that more research is needed on the impact of menopause on women's physical and mental health, and how menopause is experienced by women in different socio-economic positions.

In NORCE I am engaged in a comprehensive register study ‘The Norwegian GP-DEP study’, examining GP’s follow-up of people with depression and the relation to sustainable work participation.

Haukenes teaches at the master's program Helse og samfunn (Health and Society)

She has developed a model for dialogue-based group supervision of master students, closely related to Dialogic teaching and og Sokratic seminars 

Couses and topics that she teaches: 

HELSAM301: Heatlh and Society - Introductory course (10 ects). Topics: The research process, social inequality in health and intersectionality 

HELSAM305: Methods, qantitative study designs (10 etcs) 

UPSH301: Perspectives on key health challenges, Part 1 (10 etcs). Topics: Social inequality in health and intersectionality 

UPSH302: Perspectives on key health challenges, Part 2 (10 etcs). Supervision 

Conference lecture

• Anita Silden Prante; Anette Fagertun; Ingrid Jerve Ramsøy et al. (2025). Menopause experiences from Norwegian workplace settings. (external link)
• Inger Haukenes; Jens Christoffer Skogen (2015). The gender difference in sickness absence and disability pension: a matter of understanding the historical context?. (external link)
• Heidi Marie Kirkeng Meling; Inger Haukenes; Sabine Ruths et al. (2021). Promoting sustainable work participation for workers with depression through improved collaboration in depression care: a focus group study. (external link)
• Sabine Ruths; Valborg Baste; Øystein Hetlevik et al. (2019). Time trends in GPs’ provision of depression care during 2008-2016. (external link)
• Anneli Borge Hansen; Øystein Hetlevik; Valborg Baste et al. (2023). Socioeconomic status and follow-up of patients with antidepressant drug therapy for depression in general practice. (external link)
• Ina Lill Skurtveit Grung; Norman Anderssen; Øystein Hetlevik et al. (2022). Patient experiences with depression care in general practice. (external link)
• Sharline Riiser; Valborg Baste; Inger Haukenes et al. (2022). The organisational framework of GP practices: impact on depression care. (external link)
• Inger Haukenes; Jens Christoffer Skogen (2015). The status of gender and feminist perspectives in social epidemiology. (external link)
• Inger Haukenes (2009). Disability pension by gender and occupational class - the impact of job strain. The Hordaland Health Study Cohort. (external link)
• Inger Haukenes (2010). Disability pension by occupational class - the impact of work-related factors. The Hordaland Health Study. (external link)

Academic article

• Jens Christoffer Skogen; Gunnel Hensing; Simon Nygaard Øverland et al. (2017). The gender gap in accrued pension rights - an indicator of women’s accumulated disadvantage over the course of working life. The Hordaland Health Study (HUSK). (external link)
• Nina-Margrethe Tennebekk Theodorsen; Rolf Moe-Nilssen; Kari Bø et al. (2023). Effect of exercise on the inter-rectus distance in pregnant women with diastasis recti abdominis: an experimental longitudinal study. (external link)
• Nina-Margrethe Tennebekk Theodorsen; Rolf Moe-Nilssen; Kari Bø et al. (2025). Associations with the inter-recti distance at gestation week 37: a prospective cohort study among healthy pregnant women. (external link)
• Øystein Hetlevik; Tone Smith-Sivertsen; Inger Haukenes et al. (2023). Young adults with depression: A registry-based longitudinal study of work-life marginalisation. The Norwegian GP-DEP study. (external link)
• Nina-Margrethe Tennebekk Theodorsen; Kari Bø; Kjartan Vibe Fersum et al. (2024). Pregnant women may exercise both abdominal and pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy without increasing the diastasis recti abdominis: a randomised trial. (external link)
• Irene Larsen Øyeflaten; Silje Mæland; Inger Haukenes (2020). Independent medical evaluation of general practitioners’ follow-up of sick-listed patients: a cross-sectional study in Norway. (external link)
• Brit Jorun Fossan Liseth; Rolf Moe-Nilssen; Randi Margrete Hole et al. (2025). Table Slide Shoulder Flexion test for early assessment following proximal humeral fracture: development and reliability. (external link)
• Heidi Marie Kirkeng Meling; Norman Anderssen; Sabine Ruths et al. (2023). Stakeholder views on work participation for workers with depression and intersectoral collaboration in depression care: a focus group study with a salutogenic perspective. (external link)
• Lee Diana Winde; Inger Haukenes; Øystein Hetlevik et al. (2013). Fastlegetilhørighet og sykefravær - en registerbasert studie. (external link)
• Anke Samulowitz; Inger Haukenes; Anna Grimby-Ekman et al. (2023). Psychosocial resources predict frequent pain differently for men and women: A prospective cohort study. (external link)
• Viktoria Marander; Målfrid Råheim; Inger Haukenes et al. (2024). Mothers’ experiences living with diastasis recti abdominis – an interview study. (external link)
• Nina-Margrethe Tennebekk Theodorsen; Kjartan Vibe Fersum; Rolf Moe-Nilssen et al. (2022). Effect of a specific exercise programme during pregnancy on diastasis recti abdominis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. (external link)
• Anke Samulowitz; Gunnel Hensing; Inger Haukenes et al. (2022). General self-efficacy and social support in men and women with pain – irregular sex patterns of cross-sectional and longitudinal associations in a general population sample. (external link)
• Sharline Riiser; Valborg Baste; Inger Haukenes et al. (2022). Practice characteristics influencing variation in provision of depression care in general practice in Norway; a registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP study). (external link)

Research report

• Nils Magerøy; Valborg Baste; Kristin Bondevik et al. (2004). En spørreundersøkelse om arbeid og helse blant ansatte i Sjøforsvaret. (external link)
• Bente Elisabeth Moen; Valborg Baste; Kristin Bondevik et al. (2007). Sluttrapport fra prosjektet HMS Sjø. (external link)

Conference poster

• Sharline Riiser; Inger Haukenes; Valborg Baste et al. (2019). The impact of GPs’ depression care on future work participation: A register-based cohort study. (external link)
• Anneli Borge Hansen; Øystein Hetlevik; Valborg Baste et al. (2021). Comparison of GP depression care in Norway and the Netherlands: registry-based study. (external link)
• Sharline Riiser; Inger Haukenes; Valborg Baste et al. (2021). The impact of organisational framework on GP depression care; registry-based study. (external link)

Lecture

• Inger Haukenes (2010). Yrkesklasse og uføretrygd - et kjønnet problem?. (external link)

Media feature article

• Inger Haukenes; Jens Christoffer Skogen; Ann Kristin Knudsen (2015). Sykefravær handler ikke om folkehelse. Den norske folkehelsen, målt som sykdomsbyrde, er ikke bedre enn i land vi ofte sammenligner oss med.. (external link)

Doctoral thesis (PhD)

• Inger Haukenes (2013). Predictors of disability pension: the role of class, work and gender. (external link)

Master’s thesis

• Erlend Hoftun Farbu; Grethe S Tell; Inger Haukenes (2012). Kan helse-relatert livskvalitet predikere uførhet på grunn av muskel-skjelettlidelser? Helseundersøkelsen i Hordaland (HUSK). (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

Publications last three years

1. Valborg Baste, Inger Haukenes, Tone Morken, Bente Moen, Kjersti Alsaker. Utilisation of Norwegian crisis shelters before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women’s Health (Lond) 2023. doi: 10.1177/17455057231202405. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10559705/
2. Meling HM, Anderssen N, Ruths S, Hjörleifsson S, Haukenes I. Stakeholder views on work participation for workers with depression and intersectoral collaboration in depression care: a focus group study with a salutogenic perspective. Scand J Prim Health Care 2023 Aug 1;1-10.doi: 10.1080/02813432.2023.2238019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10478590/
3. Meling HM, Ruths S, Baste V, Hensing G, Haukenes I. Level of education and sustainable return to work among long-term sick-listed workers with depression: a register-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP Study). BMJ Open 2023 Jul 27;13(7):e072051. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072051. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/7/e072051.long
4. Theodorsen NM, Moe-Nilssen R, Bø K, Haukenes I. Effect of exercise on the inter-rectus distance in pregnant women with diastasis recti abdominis: an experimental longitudinal study. Physiotherapy. 2023 Aug 23;121:13-20. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2023.08.001. Online ahead of print. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031940623000512?via%3Dihub
5. Haukenes I, Hammarström A. Workplace gender composition and sickness absence: A register-based study from Sweden. Scand J Public Health 2023 Jun 2;14034948231176108. doi: 10.1177/14034948231176108. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/14034948231176108
6. Øystein Hetlevik, Tone Smith-Sivertsen, Inger Haukenes, Sabine Ruths, Valborg Baste. Young adults with depression: A registry-based longitudinal study of work-life marginalisation. The Norwegian GP-DEP study. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2023, 1–8 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/14034948231165089
7. Samulowitz A, Haukenes I, Bergman S, Grimby-Ekman A, Hensing G,. Psychosocial resources predict frequent pain differently for men and women: a prospective cohort study. PLOS ONE 2023 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0283222
8. Samulowitz A, Hensing G, Haukenes I, Bergman S, Grimby-Ekman A. General self-efficacy and social support in men and women with pain – irregular sex patterns of cross-sectional and longitudinal associations in a general population sample. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2022. Nov 29. doi:10.1186/s12891-022-05992-5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9707264/
9. Anneli B Hansen, Valborg Baste, Øystein Hetlevik, Tone Smith-Sivertsen, Inger Haukenes, Derek de Beurs, Mark Nielen, Sabine Ruths. Comparison of depression care provided in general practice in Norway and the Netherlands: registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP Study). BMC Health Services Research. 2022 https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-022-08793-7
10. Sharline Riiser, Valborg Baste, Inger Haukenes, Tone Smith-Sivertsen, Øystein Hetlevik, Sabine Ruths. Practice characteristics influencing variation in provision of depression care in general practice in Norway; a registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP study). BMC Health Services Research 2022 Sep 26;22(1):1201. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08579-x. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9707264/
11. Grung I, Anderssen N, Haukenes I, Ruths S, Smith-Sivertsen T, Hetlevik Ø, Hjørleifsson S. Patient experiences with depression care in general practice: a qualitative questionnaire study. Scand J Prim Health Care. 2022 May 23:1-8. doi: 10.1080/02813432.2022.2074069. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9397414/
12. Theodorsen NM, Fersum KV, Moe-Nilssen R, Bo K, Haukenes I. Effect of a specific exercise programme during pregnancy on diastasis recti abdominis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2022 Feb 4;12(2):e056558. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056558 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8819813/
13. Ruths S, Haukenes I, Hetlevik Ø, Smith-Sivertsen T, Hjørleifsson S, Hansen AB, Riiser S, Meling HM, Baste V. Trends in treatment for patients with depression in general practice in Norway, 2009-2015: nationwide registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP Study). BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Jul 15;21(1):697. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06712-w https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8283991/
14. D. Skovgaard, V. Siersma, SB. Klausen, H. Visnes, I. Haukenes, CW. Bang, P. Bager, KG. Silbernagel, J. Gaida, SP. Magnusson, M. Kjær, C. Couppé. Chronic hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia and metabolic syndrome are associated with risk of tendon injury. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. First published: 08 May 2021. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.13984
15. Dasa MS, Kristoffersen M, Ersvær E, Bovim LP, Bjørkhaug L, Moe-Nilssen R, Sagen JV, Haukenes I. The Female Menstrual Cycles Effect on Strength and Power Parameters in High-Level Female Team Athletes. Front Physiol. 2021 Feb 22;12:600668. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.600668. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7937612/
16. Hansen, A. B., Baste, V., Hetlevik, O., Haukenes, I., Smith-Sivertsen, T., Sabine, R. (2020). "General practitioners' drug treatment for depression by patients' educational level: registry-based study." BJGP Open. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8170601/
17. Riiser, S., Haukenes, I., Baste, V., Smith-Sivertsen, T., Hetlevik, Ø, Ruths, S. (2020). "Variation in general practitioners' depression care following certification of sickness absence: a registry-based cohort study." Fam Pract. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8211146/
18. Triliva, S., Ntani, S., Giovazolias, T., Kafetsios, K., Axelsson, M., Bockting, C., Buysse, A., Desmet, M., Dewaele, A., Hannon, D., Haukenes, I., Hensing, G., Meganck,. R, Rutten, K., Schønning, V.,Van Beveren, L., Vandamme, J., and Øverland, Ø.,11, (2020). Healthcare professionals' perspectives on mental health service provision: a pilot focus group study in six European countries. Int J Ment Health Syst 14: 16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7060571/
19. Øyeflaten, I., Mæland, S., Haukenes, I. (2020) Independent medical evaluation of General practitioners´ follow-up of sick-listed patients: A cross sectional study in Norway. BMJ Open2020;10:e032776. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032776 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7202711/

WOMEN'S HEALTH

PI. MenoWork - Women's health, Menopause and Work life 

PI. Prevention and reduction of Diastasis Rectus Abdominis during pregnancy and the postpartum period. PhD candidate Nina Theodorsen

 

THE NORWEGIAN GP-DEP STUDY

PI/PP. The regular general practitioner scheme: integrated and equitable pathways of depression care, facilitating work participation. Research Unit for General practice, NORCE - Norwegian Research Centre

PI. Collaborative depression care: aspects fasilitating and hindering sustaiable work participation. PhD candidate Heidi Marie Kirkeng Meling