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Maria Bjerk

Maria Bjerk

Job title
  • Postdoctoral Fellow
Visiting address
  • Pilestredet 44, 0167 Oslo
  • Office number: V317
Phone
  • Mobile: +47 416 46 900
  • Office: +47 672 37 814
E-mail
  • maria.bjerk@oslomet.no
Affiliation

About

The PhD research project examines how a falls prevention programme affects health-related quality of life, fear of falling and physical measures. The programme is conducted among older people with home help services who have experienced at least one fall. Six municipalities in Akershus participate in the project and over 150 older people have been included from these municipalities.

Before becoming a PhD research fellow, I have worked several years as a physiotherapist and managed an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team in community health service. In 2011-13, I took an MSc in Neurological Rehabilitation at the University of Plymouth, UK.

Field of study

Rehabilitation   Gerontology   Disease prevention   Fysioterapi   Health Related Quality of Life   Primary health care services   Implementation Science   Aging and health   Home care services   Fallforbygging   Implementation

Research groups

Research projects

Ongoing research projects

Publications and research

Scientific publications

Bjerk, Maria ; Pripp, Are Hugo ; Skyrud, Katrine Damgaard; Foy, Robbie; Helbostad, Jorunn Hege Lægdheim; Skelton, Dawn A; Close, J C; Øien, Henning; Linnerud, Siv; Brovold, Therese ; Flottorp, Signe Agnes; Taraldsen, Kristin (2025). Tailored implementation of national recommendations on falls prevention amongst older adults in municipalities in Norway—FALLPREVENT—a hybrid type 3 cluster-randomised trial. Age and Ageing. Vol. 54.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaf312

Linnerud, Siv; Kvæl, Linda Aimee Hartford ; Graverholt, Birgitte; Bjerk, Maria ; Taraldsen, Kristin ; Brovold, Therese (2025). Effectiveness of implementation strategies for uptake of fall prevention interventions in community care: A systematic review. PLOS ONE. Vol. 20.

Linnerud, Siv; Kvæl, Linda Aimee Hartford ; Bjerk, Maria ; Taraldsen, Kristin ; Skelton, Dawn A.; Brovold, Therese (2024). Feasibility of an implementation strategy for preventing falls in homecare services. Implementation Science Communications. Vol. 5.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-024-00615-7

Linnerud, Siv; Bjerk, Maria ; Olsen, Nina Rydland; Taraldsen, Kristin ; Brovold, Therese ; Kvæl, Linda Aimee Hartford (2024). Managers’ perspectives on their role in implementing fall prevention interventions: a qualitative interview study in Norwegian homecare services. Frontiers in Health Services. Vol. 4.
https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2024.1456028

Tingulstad, Alexander; Echavez, Jose Francisco Meneses; Evensen, Line Holtet; Bjerk, Maria ; Berg, Rigmor (2022). Effectiveness of work-related interventions for return to work in people on sick leave: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Systematic Reviews. Vol. 11.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-022-02055-7

Lærum-Onsager, Ellisiv; Molin, Marianne; Olsen, Cecilie Fromholt ; Bye, Asta ; Debesay, Jonas ; Hestevik, Christine Hillestad; Bjerk, Maria ; Pripp, Are Hugo (2021). Effect of nutritional and physical exercise intervention on hospital readmission for patients aged 65 or older: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Vol. 18.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-021-01123-w

Cederbom, Sara; Bjerk, Maria ; Bergland, Astrid (2020). A qualitative study exploring physical therapists’ views on the Otago Exercise Programme for fall prevention: a stepping stone to “age in place” and to give faith in the future. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2020.1731895

Cederbom, Sara; Bjerk, Maria ; Bergland, Astrid (2020). The tensions between micro-, meso- and macro-levels: physiotherapists’ views of their role towards fall prevention in the community – a qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research. Vol. 20.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-4940-1

Bjerk, Maria ; Brovold, Therese ; Davis, Jennifer C; Bergland, Astrid (2019). Evaluating a falls prevention intervention in older home care recipients: a comparison of SF-6D and EQ-5D. Quality of Life Research.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-019-02258-x

Bjerk, Maria ; Brovold, Therese ; Davis, Jennifer C; Skelton, Dawn A; Bergland, Astrid (2019). Health-related quality of life in home care recipients after a falls prevention intervention: a 6-month follow-up. European Journal of Public Health.
https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz106



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These publications are obtained from Norwegian Research Information Repository. The list may be incomplete.

Research reports

Bjornes, Solveig Skjeggedal; Bjerk, Maria ; Kirkehei, Ingvild (2025). Er tiltak for å redusere ensomhet og sosial isolasjon hos personer over 65 år effektive? - Forskningsomtale. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://doi.org/https://www.fhi.no/contentassets/c

Arentz-Hansen, Eva Helene; Bjerk, Maria ; Stoinska-Schneider, Anna Karina; Midlang, Anita Foss; Tryti, Jan Ove; Augland, Linda Nilsen; Hagen, Kåre Birger; Kirkehei, Ingvild (2023). Bruk av digital samkonsultasjon i voksenpsykiatriske tjenester i Sogndal kommune: Mini-metodevurdering for kommuner. ISBN: 9788284063522. 17 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3059106

Bjerk, Maria ; Arentz-Hansen, Eva Helene; Stoinska-Schneider, Anna Karina; Barmen, Hilde; Augland, Linda Nilsen; Hagen, Kåre Birger; Kirkehei, Ingvild (2023). Bruk av digital hjemmeoppfølging i hjemmetjenesten i Stad kommune: Mini-metodevurdering for kommuner. ISBN: 9788284063782. 24 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3099066

Bjerk, Maria ; Langøien, Lars Jørun; Førland, Oddvar; Sevild, Cille Hagland; Moldøen, Herdis Instefjord (2023). «Mot et kunnskapsstøttesystem for kommunene» - Beskrivelse og erfaringer med modellutprøvninger. ISBN: 9788284063867. 98 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3099398

Hestevik, Christine Hillestad; Nygård, Henriette Tyse; Bjerk, Maria ; Klem, Hanna Eikås; Hval, Gyri; Kleven, Linn (2022). Digital hjemmeoppfølging og ressursbruk i primær- og spesialisthelsetjenesten: en systematisk oversikt. ISBN: 9788284063126. 73 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3015648

Ames, Heather Melanie R; Nygård, Henriette Tyse; Bjerk, Maria (2022). Et forskningskart over randomiserte studier og systematiske oversikter for selvhjelpsapper. ISBN: 9788284062839. 103 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2995164

Bjerk, Maria ; Langøien, Lars Jørun; Kirkehei, Ingvild (2022). Intensive familieverntiltak i hjemmet. 2 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.

Bjerk, Maria ; Langøien, Lars Jørun (2022). Elementer i skolerettede tiltak utenfor skolen for å hindre frafall og underprestasjon. 2 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.

Hestevik, Christine Hillestad; Rosness, Tor Atle; Holte, Hilde H; Bjerk, Maria (2022). Demenslandsbyer og andre moderne boformer for personer med demens: en systematisk oversikt. ISBN: 9788284062655. 71 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2838575

Tingulstad, Alexander; Echavez, Jose Francisco Meneses; Evensen, Line; Bjerk, Maria ; Holte, Hilde H (2021). Arbeidsrettede rehabiliteringstiltak ved langtidssykmelding: en systematisk oversikt. ISBN: 9788284061726. 102 p. Folkehelseinstituttet.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2732459



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These publications are obtained from Norwegian Research Information Repository. The list may be incomplete.

Dissemination

Sjule, Hanna Meidell; Bjerk, Maria ; Kirkehei, Ingvild (2025). Kommunale tverrfaglige team med allmennlege: Hvilken effekt har de på eldre hjemmeboendes helse? Forskningsomtale.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3189681

Sjule, Hanna Meidell; Bjerk, Maria ; Kirkehei, Ingvild (2025). Er integrerte helsetjenestemodeller effektive for eldre brukere med store behov? Forskningsomtale.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3196654

Bjerk, Maria ; Flottorp, Signe A.; Pripp, Are Hugo ; Øien, Henning; Hansen, Tonya Moen; Foy, Robbie; Close, Jacqueline; Linnerud, Siv; Brovold, Therese ; Solli, Rune; Olsen, Nina Rydland; Skelton, Dawn A.; Rydwik, Elisabeth; Helbostad, Jorunn L.; Idland, Gro; Kvæl, Linda ; Vieira, Edgar; Taraldsen, Kristin (2024). Tailored implementation of national recommendations on fall prevention among older adults in municipalities in Norway (FALLPREVENT trial): a study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial. Implementation Science. Vol. 19.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-024-01334-2

Kirkehei, Ingvild; Arentz-Hansen, Eva Helene; Bjerk, Maria (2024). Digital hjemmeoppfølging av pasienter med diabetes og/eller høyt blodtrykk. Forskningsomtale.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3185253

Kirkehei, Ingvild; Bjerk, Maria ; Arentz-Hansen, Eva Helene (2024). Avstandsmonitorering for personer med KOLS.
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3173100

Bjerk, Maria ; Taraldsen, Kristin ; Flottorp, Signe Agnes (2024). FALLPREVENT – Implementing national recommendations on fall prevention in municipalities in Norway – an ongoing cluster-randomised trial. MobEx conference. MobEx.

Linnerud, Siv; Bjerk, Maria ; Olsen, Nina Rydland; Taraldsen, Kristin ; Brovold, Therese ; Kvæl, Linda Aimee Hartford (2024). Managers' perspectives on their role in implementing fall prevention interventions in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative interview study. Knowledge Utilization Colloquia 2024. Uppsala University.

Taraldsen, Kristin ; Bjerk, Maria ; Linnerud, Siv; Solli, Rune; Brovold, Therese ; Olsen, Nina Rydland; Pripp, Are Hugo ; Øien, Henning; Hansen, Tonya Moen; Hagen, Gunnhild; Helbostad, Jorunn Hege Lægdheim; Flottorp, Signe Agnes (2023). Implementation of National Advice on Falls Prevention in Municipalities in Norway – The FALLPREVENT Research Project. 19th EuGMS. European Geriatric Medicine Society.

Bjerk, Maria ; Linnerud, Siv (2023). An implementation plan to improve falls prevention services in primary health care - a feasibility study in two city districts of Oslo. European implementation Event. European implementation Collaborative.

Bjerk, Maria (2023). FALLPREVENT - Implementering av skreddersydde fallforebyggende tiltak i kommuner i Norge. Den 8. nasjonale kongress i aldersforskning. OsloMet, NOVA, Aldring og helse, Folkehelseinstituttet, Helsedirektoratet, Senteret for et aldersvennlig Norge, Norsk selskap for aldersforskning, OUS og UiO.



See all publications


These publications are obtained from Norwegian Research Information Repository. The list may be incomplete.
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