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Truls Ostbye

Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health
Family Medicine and Community Health
Duke Box 104006, Durham, NC 27710
2200 W. Main Street (Old Wachovia Bldg) Room 622, Durham, NC 27710

Overview


Chronic disease epidemiology; obesity; health services research; population health; public health; social medicine; health information systems; health surveys; programme evaluation; clinical trials; aging; nutrition; dementia; Global Health

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health · 2000 - Present Family Medicine and Community Health, Clinical Science Departments
Research Professor of Global Health · 2016 - Present Duke Global Health Institute, University Institutes and Centers
Professor in Population Health Sciences · 2021 - Present Population Health Sciences, Basic Science Departments
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute · 2002 - Present Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published December 20, 2013
As body weight rises, so do health costs, study finds
Published December 17, 2013
Health Care Costs Steadily Increase With Body Mass
Published July 31, 2013
Female Migrant Domestic Workers Experience Poor Health, Work Conditions

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Recent Publications


Adolescents' Experience of Domestic Violence in Rural South Sri Lanka.

Journal Article J Interpers Violence · December 12, 2025 Domestic violence (DV) is acknowledged globally as a significant public health problem, with high prevalence reported in low- and middle-income countries. While DV exposure is widely investigated, there remains a notable gap in knowledge regarding adolesce ... Full text Link to item Cite

All-cause and cause-specific mortality in older people with and without diabetes in Norwegian home care services: a nationwide registry study.

Journal Article BMC Geriatr · December 5, 2025 BACKGROUND: As the number of older people living at home increases, the role of home care services (HCS) becomes more important. Diabetes is associated with premature mortality and is common among older people in HCS, yet mortality patterns among HCS recip ... Full text Link to item Cite

Academic global health collaboration: the Ruhuna-Duke partnership.

Journal Article Glob Health Action · December 2025 The role of institutional partnerships is increasingly recognized as a means of advancing our collective efficacy in improving public health. Shared challenges related to infectious and chronic diseases, as well as social determinants of health including e ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Characterizing Family Structure, Care Utilization, and Well-Being among Persons with ADRD in the Asian Region

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2025 - 2030

Occupational Medicine Program Area of the NC OSHERC

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEKey Faculty · Awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill · 2017 - 2027

Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health - BIRCWH

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases · 2002 - 2027

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Education, Training & Certifications


Harvard University · 1983 M.P.H.
University of Bergen (Norway) · 1979 M.D.