About
Kristian Heggebø holds a master’s degree in sociology (2012) from the University of Oslo and a PhD in social policy (2016) from Oslo and Akershus University College. Heggebø works as a Research Professor at NOVA, Oslo Metropolitan University, Health and Welfare Studies.
His research interests include health inequalities, social stratification, income maintenance schemes, labor market analyses, and statistical modeling.
Field of study
Stratification Labour market Security Unemployment Social inequalities and health Health inequalities
Research projects
Ongoing research projects
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A better start for vulnerable children: Can child abuse and neglect be prevented through broad social policy interventions (UPSTREAM)
The goal is to contribute new knowledge on whether child neglect and abuse can be prevented through broad social policy instruments.
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Children and Young People in Sport – Knowledge for a More Inclusive Sports Sector
What influences Norwegian children and young people's participation in organised sport – and who gets left behind?
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Marginalization among Young Adults: The Importance of Negative Life Events in Adolescence and Social Inequality (NEGLIEV)
NEGLIEV aims to investigate how negative life events, in combination with social inequality, contribute to marginalization among young adults.
Completed research projects
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Crisis Management in a Polycentric Nordic Local Democracy: Different Governance Structures – Different Results? (POLYGOV)
The overall goal of the project is to identify the differences in the Nordic countries’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the outcomes thereof and to relate these differences to policy, governance, organisation and management.
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Evaluation of Ritual Circumcision of Boys (RITOM)
This evaluation shall produce research-based knowledge on whether the Norwegian law on ritual circumcision of boys functions according to its purpose.
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From Boys to Men: Diverging Developments of Masculinity with Varying Consequences? (FRAGMEN)
What are the characteristics of masculinity and masculine practices in contemporary Norway?
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Solidarity in European Societies: Empowerment, Social Justice and Citizenship (SOLIDUS)
Overall, the project analyses the acts and policies of solidarity we see developing across Europe, the extent to which they involve dialogic and inclusive processes, and what outcomes and relevance for policy developments they have.
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Under Pressure? Migration and Labor Market Integration in Norway (UPMIN)
The overarching research question in the UPMIN project is: What institutional and contextual factors enhance immigrants’ and refugees’ employment participation?
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Welfare State Life Courses: Social Inequalities in the Co-evolution of Employment, Health and Critical Life Events (WELLIFE).
This project is a multidisciplinary Nordic collaboration researching inequalities in health and opportunities in the Nordic welfare states, and how they unfold over individuals life courses.
Publications and research
Scientific publications
Heggebø, Kristian
(2026).
Dødelighet i Oslo: Hvor betyr sosioøkonomiske ressurser mest?.
Ljunggren, Jørn (Ed.).
Oslo – samme by, ulike livssjanser. p. 349-382.
Cappelen Damm Forskning.
https://doi.org/10.23865/cdf.304
Heggebø, Kristian
;
Ljunggren, Jørn
(2025).
Are there gender differences in mental healthcare utilisation preceding deaths of despair? A retrospective cohort study of Norwegian register data (2008–2017).
BMJ Open.
Vol. 15.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-097184
Hoven, Hanno; Eikemo, Terje Andreas; Backhaus-Hoven, Insa Linnea; Riebler, Andrea Ingeborg; Fitzgerald, Rory; Martino, Sara; Huijts, Tim;
Heggebø, Kristian
; Texidó, Maria del Pilar Vidaurre i; Bambra, Clare; Balaj, Mirza
(2025).
The second Health Inequalities Module in the European Social Survey (ESS): Methodology and research opportunities.
Social Science and Medicine.
Vol. 380.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118228
Elstad, Jon Ivar
;
Heggebø, Kristian
;
Dahl, Espen
(2024).
Local economic inequality and mortality: Too little within-unit variation for fixed effects analysis?.
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14034948241259914
Heggebø, Kristian
;
Elstad, Jon Ivar
(2024).
Health-related exit from employment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway: Analysis of population-wide register data 2013–2021.
SSM - Population Health.
Vol. 25.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101598
Heggebø, Kristian
;
Pedersen, Axel West
(2024).
How severe was the COVID-19 pandemic in the Nordic countries?.
Haug, Are Vegard (Ed.).
Crisis Management, Governance and COVID-19 : Pandemic Policy and Local Government in the Nordic Countries. p. 17-27.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035336531.00012
Elstad, Jon Ivar
;
Heggebø, Kristian
(2024).
«Fattigdom går i arv» – treffende diagnose eller villedende slagord?.
Tidsskrift for velferdsforskning.
Vol. 27.
https://doi.org/10.18261/tfv.27.2.5
Metsä-Simola, Niina;
Heggebø, Kristian
; Urhoj, Stine Kjaer; Martikainen, Pekka; Einiö, Elina; Östergren, Olof
(2024).
Neurological conditions and subsequent divorce risk in the Nordic countries: The importance of gender and both spouses' education.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2023-221328
Frøyland, Lars Roar
;
Heggebø, Kristian
(2024).
Childhood Maltreatment and Revictimization in Young Adulthood: Is Problematic Substance Use a Mediator? A Linked Survey–Register Data Study.
Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605241301787
Elstad, Jon Ivar
;
Heggebø, Kristian
;
Pedersen, Axel West
(2023).
Lønner det seg å jobbe? Inntektsutvikling blant stønadsmottakere som øker sin arbeidsdeltakelse.
Søkelys på arbeidslivet.
https://doi.org/10.18261/spa.40.2.3
