Social Science Seminar - From Individual Care to Family Systems: Lessons from Sweden’s Approach to Parental Mental Health
Supporting the below United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:支持以下聯合國可持續發展目標：支持以下联合国可持续发展目标：
This talk explores how parental mental health in Sweden is shaped not only by healthcare, but by broader social systems. Drawing on research into parents’ mental health, coparenting, and early family relationships, it highlights how policies such as parental leave, child health services, and family-centered care create conditions that can either support or undermine wellbeing during the transition to parenthood. Moving beyond an individual medical perspective, the talk presents mental health as a relational and socially embedded process, and reflects on what other contexts can learn from the Swedish model in addressing the needs of both mothers and fathers.
Michael Wells is an Associate Professor at Karolinska Institute and leads the Global Reproductive Outreach & Wellness (GROW) research group, where he advances maternal, paternal, and child health through applied, system-level innovation. His research focuses on the transition to parenthood, with particular emphasis on parents’ mental health, coparenting relationships, and how healthcare systems and social policies shape family wellbeing. He works across multiple clinical domains, disciplines, and international contexts—including large-scale quality improvement and mental health initiatives —aiming to prevent depression through evidence-based, real-world interventions. He has contributed to the development of father-inclusive care models, including Sweden’s 3–5 month child health visit, and his current work focuses on strengthening coparenting relationships during pregnancy to promote mental health and healthier outcomes for families.
Host: Prof Jingyi WANG, Assistant Professor, Division of Social Science, HKUST