Background
The psychosocial work environment is getting ever more attention in the public and among occupational health professionals. At the same time an increasing number of somatic and psychatric diseases and conditions are attributed to psychosocial stressors and compensation claims are increasing dramatically in some of the Nordic countries. This development calls for high quality research and evidence-based counselling.

Objectives
To provide a critical review of research and design options in the field, to provide an update on current knowledge on health effects of psychosocial stressors and to train the participants in evidence-based counselling of workplaces, labour-market organisations and health authorities.

Main topics
Main topics are methodological issues related to design, analysis and interpretation of observational research on health impact of psychosocial stressors including stress models and mechanisms, exposure assessment, biological indicators of stress, measures of occurrence and state-of-the-art on health effects and study designs and caveats in observational epidemiology

Target groups
Researchers, PhD students and professionals in occupational health psychology, medicine and related disciplines

Course structure and learning methodology
Lectures alternating with group and training sessions based upon scientific papers and real life case stories. Moreover , review of participant’s protocols of ongoing or new research projects.

Lecturers
Professor Jens Peter Bonde, MD, PhD, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor Holger Ursin, University of Bergen, Norway
Senior lecturer Birgit Greiner, PhD, M.P.H., University College of Cork, Ireland
Professor Jussi Vahtera, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Turku, Finland
Adjunct professor Gunnar Ahlborg, Institute of Stress Medicine, Västra Frölunda, Sweden Professor Ole Mors, Århus University Hospital, Denmark
Senior researcher Reiner Rugulies, PhD, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
Senior researcher Åse Marie Hansen, PhD, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
Henrik Kolstad, PhD, Århus University Hospital, Denmark
Sigurd Mikkelsen, MD, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark

Location and accommodation
The course will be held in Gentofte, about 10 km north of the city centre of Copenhagen. From the airport there is a direct train service to Copenhagen central railway station. Schæffergården conference centre can be reached by S-train from Copenhagen central station to Lyngby station, and from there further by bus.
Schæffergården's history goes all the way back to 1755. Besides being a conference centre, Schæffergården is also a hotel. For furher details please visit www.schaeffergaarden.dk.

Accommodation has been reserved for the participants. The total price of a single room with full board amounts to DKK 8312 (EUR 1115), starting Monday, and closing with lunch on Friday. The price includes accommodation at Schæffergården, lunch, dinner and conference coffees according to the course programme. The price of an additional night in case of arrival before course start is DKK 995 (EUR 135).
Participants who need no accommodation may choose a day meeting incl.
lunch and coffees, DKK 3392 for all the course days.
Minor changes in the prices might be possible.

Deadline for registration
30 July 2009

Registration fee
EUR 550 (accommodation and meals are not included in this price).
When paying the registration fee, please indicate:
 
1. Your name, 2. registration fee, 3. course code 4909. 

The participants are requested to pay the registration fee by 24 July to:
NIVA
Nordea Bank Finland Plc
Meilahti Branch, Tukholmankatu 2
FI-00250 Helsinki , Finland
Account no: 226238-2043
IBAN: FI79 2262 3800 0020 43
Swift code: NDEAFIHH

Please, note that if you cancel your participation later than four weeks before the start of the course, without an acceptable reason (e.g. illness) the organiser is obliged to charge a cancellation fee of EUR 270.

Course Leader
Professor Jens Peter Bonde, MD, PhD
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Bispebjerg University Hospital
Bispebjerg Bakke 23
2400 Copenhagen NV
Denmark
Mobile +45 40341522
E-mail: jpb@bbh.regionh.dk

Course coordinator
Annika Bärlund, NIVA
Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A
00250 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358 30 474 2333
E-mail: annika.barlund@ttl.fi

Yes I want to register to the course