Scholars@Duke
Truls Ostbye

Truls Ostbye

Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health
Family Medicine and Community Health
truls.ostbye@duke.edu
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
Vice Chair, Research in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health · 2024 - Present Family Medicine and Community Health, Clinical Science Departments
Research Professor of Global Health · 2011 - 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

Physical Activity Versus Exercise: Patient Perspectives on Word Choice in Clinic-Based Physical Activity Screening Questionnaire Prompts.

Journal Article J Phys Act Health · March 10, 2026 PURPOSE: Physical activity (PA) is an important component of health, yet PA screening is not broadly adopted in clinical practice. Screening tools present trade-offs between efficiency and comprehensiveness, and patient understanding and interpretation of ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of remote biometric sensing on readmission risk and mortality after hospital discharge: Insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Journal Article J Hosp Med · March 2026 INTRODUCTION: Unplanned hospital readmissions are associated with higher morbidity, mortality, and financial burden. This study evaluated the association between the use of remote biometric sensing devices (RBS) and all-cause readmission and mortality rate ... Full text Link to item Cite

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
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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

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