OzgeKaradag

I earned my M.D. degree at Istanbul University, and my M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Public Health at Hacettepe University in Türkiye. I also completed a postgraduate program in health promotion at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. My main research interests are migration and health, health promotion and health education among vulnerable/ disadvantaged populations (with a special focus on youth), health inequalities, prevention of stigma and discrimination, community mental health, community participation and empowerment, as well as sustainable development.

I currently work as a Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Sustainable Development of Columbia University and I’m a member of Columbia University`s Committee on Forced Migration and the Earth Network on Climate Mobility. I also hold an Associate Professor of Public Health title in Türkiye with more than 20 years of experience working in multidisciplinary teams on public health policies and programs for different vulnerable/disadvantaged populations, 15 years of research and teaching experience in different higher education settings, and 5 years of clinical experience. I’ve been working as a consultant for different international organizations including IOM, WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNHCR, UNDP, European Commission, and the World Bank since 2003. In healthcare, social care, and community settings, I’ve directly worked with refugee and orphaned children and youth, other migrant, refugee and stateless people, women, survivors of domestic violence, people living with HIV, people living with chronic conditions and disabilities, people living with mental disorders, intravenous drug users, sexual and gender minorities, sex workers, and elderly.

My current work focuses on the use digital technologies to increase access to health information and care among refugee youth in Türkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan, and pandemic related research and health policies regarding the most vulnerable populations. I worked as a member of The Lancet COVID-19 Commission Scientific Secretariat and one of the experts of the Global Happiness Council, where I co-chaired the Vulnerable Populations Thematic Group.

Although I currently work at an academic institution in a high-income country, I continue to work closely with public, academic, civil society institutions in LMICs. My experience working with migrant and refugees dates back to 2006 and I have quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research experience with refugees and asylum seekers in Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan, as well as with migrant workers in European countries. My research experience also includes community participatory action research approach with a special focus on photovoice methodology to advocate for healthcare rights of refugees and asylum seekers. I also worked as the co-PI of several studies focusing on mental health of refugees, which showed a significant mental healthcare gap when compared to the needs of refugees and that language, cultural differences, socioeconomic problems and stigma were important barriers in accessing mental healthcare. In parallel, I was the leading author in several publications focusing on stigma towards migrants and how public health professionals and training of health care workers can help reduce stigma in healthcare settings.

It may be worth mentioning that my experience in the area of migrant/ refugee health is not only based on research, but also on training of health profession students and health professionals on migrant/ refugee health and migration research, capacity building of humanitarian workers by delivering in-service trainings, and developing guidelines and training materials on migrant-friendly and youth-friendly health services. I also have experience in using community-based co-design approaches in developing public awareness campaigns, and digital health interventions for refugee youth, developing and evaluating youth peer education programs and outreach activities for refugees, and working with UN agencies, European Union, NGOs and public institutions to develop health policies and services for migrants and refugees.