Josefine Östh's doctoral research focuses on mobile solutions for alcohol reduction
Meet Josefine Östh, PhD, at GPH, who recently defended her Doctoral thesis on Mobile phone technology for reduced drinking. Read more about her experience and insights from being a PhD student at GPH.
Josefine Östh, PhD
Research group: Epidemiology of Psychiatric Conditions, Substance use and Social Environment (EPiCSS)
Supervisor: Anna-Karin Danielsson
Thesis title: Mobile phone technology for reduced drinking: novel methods for measuring alcohol consumption and treating alcohol dependence
Congratulations on successfully defending your thesis in April – how was the day?
Thank you so much! It was a great day! Although I woke up at 3.30 in the morning feeling quite nervous, the support from my colleagues, family and friends who stayed by my side almost all day made a huge difference. The opponent was excellent, and we had a rewarding discussion that felt more like an opportunity to demonstrate what I have learned over the past few years, rather than an examination. I was quite exhausted afterwards, but still very grateful for the experience.
Tell us about your doctoral project. What was the focus of your research?
My project focused on using smartphone-based interventions within treatment for alcohol dependence. We examined the effectiveness of two different app-based tools provided as adjuncts to standard treatment, the patient and clinician experiences of using the tools, and further contrasted app reports with traditional methods for reporting consumption. Our study participants were recruited at the Clinic for Alcohol and Health (Riddargatan 1) here in Stockholm.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of being a doctoral student at GPH?
A difficult question, but I would say the opportunity to conduct research and grow as a researcher alongside skilled colleagues with diverse skills and expertise was invaluable. At GPH, there is a supportive atmosphere where you can always seek advice, and people are happy to help and provide feedback even if they are not directly involved in your project.
You defended your thesis in April. What are you hoping to do next?
I hope to continue doing research while balancing my work in academia and clinical care.
Your best advice to new doctoral students at KI and GPH?
No matter how overwhelming the journey may feel at the start, things will eventually fall into place. Conducting an RCT as my main study was particularly challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic; after one year, we had recruited only 50 patients of the intended 375. By prioritising taking courses and doing patient interviews early on, I managed to allocate more time for analyses once recruitment ended. Collecting the data further had additional benefits as it provided deeper insights into the procedures and allowed me to connect with the patients. So, prioritise your work given the specific circumstances, collect the data carefully, and trust and feel reassured by your supervisors' advice - they are most likely familiar with many of the challenges you may face.