Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40501179›Full record

ArticleGlobal health action2025

Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries.

Jennifer J Infanti, Jessica Omija Korpela, Chloe Maria Stephenson, Astrid Blystad, Jane Brandt Sørensen, Jónína Einarsdóttir, Mekdes Kebede Gebremariam, Geir Gunnlaugsson, Tobias Herder, Meri Koivusalo and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Global health action, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Jennifer J InfantiDepartment of Public Health and Nursing, NTNU-Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-8772-026X
Jessica Omija KorpelaFaculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.ORCID 0009-0007-2825-2057
Chloe Maria StephensonFaculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.ORCID 0009-0005-6698-3833
Astrid BlystadCentre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Jane Brandt SørensenDepartment of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-1702-280X
Jónína EinarsdóttirFaculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, School of Social Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.ORCID 0000-0002-5868-4615
Mekdes Kebede GebremariamDepartment of Community Medicine and Global Health, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-2626-2346
Geir GunnlaugssonFaculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, School of Social Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.ORCID 0000-0002-6674-2862
Tobias HerderSocial Medicine and Global Health, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-8504-4031
Meri KoivusaloFaculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-5365-5372
Jesper LöveSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-3184-6730
Karima LundinDepartment of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mikko PerkiöFaculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.ORCID 0000-0003-1891-070X
Soorej Jose PuthoopparambilGlobal Health and Migration Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-9113-9259
Klas-Göran SahlenDepartment of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-3975-4868
Marte Emilie Sandvik HaalandCentre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-8253-2841
Jon Petter StoorDepartment of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-1580-8307
Salla AtkinsFaculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-4116-893X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDecolonisation has become a global health priority, addressing inequities rooted in colonial histories that continue to shape power dynamics and knowledge systems. Nordic global health programmes bring together students and faculty from diverse backgrounds in a region defined by inclusive ideals but shaped by underexamined colonial legacies. This context offers a valuable setting to examine how decolonial perspectives are integrated or overlooked in global health education.

objectiveTo explore students' perspectives on decolonisation in global health education, focusing on their understanding, experiences, and views on potential pedagogical change.

methodsA qualitative study involving 72 students from Nordic countries and other world regions, enrolled in global health programmes at 11 academic institutions across five Nordic countries. Fourteen focus group discussions were conducted, and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis principles.

resultsStudents shared nuanced understandings of systemic power imbalances in global health practice and education and expressed the need for structural changes. They identified gaps in curricula and pedagogy, including limited integration of decolonial perspectives and inequities in knowledge production. Students called for more inclusive and culturally relevant curricula that reflect diverse contexts. They emphasised student agency in shaping education while acknowledging barriers such as institutional biases and inconsistent faculty engagement.

conclusionsDecolonising Nordic global health education is a long-term process requiring sustained institutional commitment. Student-informed strategies include embedding reflexivity into curricula, engaging with Nordic colonial histories, and designing reciprocal international learning arrangements. While context-specific, these findings may inform broader efforts to decolonise global health educational practices.

Indexed as

ColonialismGlobal HealthStudentsCurriculumFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleQualitative ResearchScandinavian and Nordic CountriesCurricula reformglobal health equitypedagogical reformpower dynamicsstudent perspectives

Identifiers

PMID40501179
PMCPMC12164382

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.