Studying the relationship between social conditions and mental ill-health
Richard Bränström researches why minority and other marginalised groups are often affected by mental ill-health, and how it can be prevented. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 8 October.
Text: Karin Tideström, for KI’s installation ceremony booklet 2026
Why do some groups in society have a higher risk of mental ill-health than others? This is the main thrust of Richard Bränström’s research.
“My research focuses on how social conditions such as stigma, discrimination, and exclusion affect mental health and well-being,” he says.
Using a combination of large population studies, health registries, surveys and interviews, he maps the mental health of different marginalised groups. His studies have shown that sexual minorities, such as gay and bisexual individuals, have higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidality than others. One important explanatory factor is the stress caused by stigma and discrimination.
At the same time, Richard Bränström’s research shows that targeted psychological interventions and supportive social environments can reduce levels of mental ill-health in these groups. It is hoped that the results of his research will help to create more inclusive care that better responds to the needs of minority populations.
About Richard Bränström
Professor of Health Psychology at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience from 1 January 2026
Richard Bränström was born in Stockholm in 1971. He received his clinical psychology degree from Uppsala University in 1998 and earned his PhD from Karolinska Institutet in 2003. He completed his postdoc training at the University of California San Francisco. He has also undertaken several extended exchange visits at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania, USA.