Roosa Sofia Tikkanen

About

I'm a PhD candidate (2021-25) at the Center for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), where I study working conditions of community health workers (CHWs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). As front-line primary health care workers, they play a key role in addressing socioeconomic inequalities in health, particularly for maternal and child health outcomes. My research focuses on working conditions of CHWs, examined through feminist political economy theory, as these workers are often female, have a relatively low socioeconomic status, and unpaid workers lacking traditional labor protections. I study movements by CHWs to advocate for stronger labor rights through strikes, protests and unionization. I'm a member of the Norwegian Research School for Global Health (NRSGH), Women in Global Health Norway and Health Systems Global.

Before joining CHAIN, I worked at the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based philanthrophy where I conducted comparative health policy research including on primary care performance, income-based inequalities, health systems and universal coverage, social spending, and maternal care. Prior to this, I was a Policy Analyst at the Center for Health Law and Policy, University of Massachusetts Medical School in Boston, where I consulted on state-based projects on health services financing and delivery, including community health worker programs in the U.S. My research has also documented racial inequalities in access to and public funding of hospitals in New York. I hold a Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, and a Masters in Research (MRes) in Integrative Biology and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Neuroscience from the University of Manchester, England. See full CV for further details on my professional background.

Research

Publications

Breaking the silence on gendered harassment and assault of community health workers: an analysis of ethnographic studies

This paper explores violence and harassment faced by community health workers, an exceptionally vulnerable cadre that often lacks institutional, physical, financial and social protection. The paper includes suggestions from CHWs on addressing the problem

An anthropological history of Nepal's Female Community Health Volunteer program: gender, policy, and social change

Our analysis highlights how issues of gender, workload, and pay have persisted in Nepal's Female Community Health Volunteer Program during the 35-year history of the program.

Recognizing the Labour Behind Care—The Fight for Dignity and Rights Among South Asia’s Community Healthcare Workers

In this Labor Day blog post published in PLoS Global Health's Speaking of Medicine and Health blog, Vaishnavi Mangal, Deepika Saluja and I summarize labor movements of South Asia's all-female community health worker cadres in India, Nepal and Pakistan

2026

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Pokhrel, Sushmita; Ghimire, Usha; Neupane, Biraj; Closser, Svea; Kumar, Bernadette. N. (2026) Assessment of community health workforce governance in federal Nepal. Health Policy and Planning
Academic article
Lin, Jialing; Knighton, Alexandra; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Paschoalotto, Marco Antonio Catussi; Berman, Matthew E; Christy, Heshmiha; Turk, Amadea; Roberts, Nia; Kidd, Michael; Allen, Luke N. (2026) Policies and interventions aiming to improve equitable access to primary care: a scoping review. The Lancet Primary Care
Academic article
Kavitha, A K; Adair, Timothy; Fazaeli, Ali Akbar; Aronsson, Emma Amanda; Ashaba, Maggie; Backhaus-Hoven, Insa Linnea; Bakhtiari, Ahad; Balaj, Mirza; Barnes, Tasha; Barouni, Mohsen. (2026) WHO launches global network of institutes to strengthen capacity for health inequality monitoring. International Journal for Equity in Health
Academic article

2025

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Pokhrel, Sushmita; Ghimire, Usha; Neupane, Biraj; Closser, Svea; Kumar, Bernadette. N. (2025) Feminist political economy analysis of labor rights and protections of Nepal’s community health workers. SSM - Health Systems
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Eikemo, Terje Andreas; Closser, Svea; Kumar, Bernadette. N. (2025) Professional or Precarious? The Political Economy of Community Health Workforce Labor Policy and Outcomes. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2025) Professionalisation of Community Health Workers: Formalisation as a Second Pillar of Job Security. International Journal of Health Planning and Management
Commentary
Sultan, Marium; Miller, Emily; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Singh, Shalini; Kullu, Arpana; Cometto, Giorgio; Fitzpatrick, Siobhan; Ajuebor, Onyema; Gillon, Nicholas; Edward, Anbrasi. (2025) Competency-based Education and Training for Community Health Workers: A Scoping Review. BMC Health Services Research
Academic literature review
Mangal, Vaishnavi; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Saluja, Deepika. (2025) Recognizing the Labour Behind Care—The Fight for Dignity and Rights Among South Asia’s Community Healthcare Workers. PLOS Global Public Health
Popular science article

2024

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Closser, Svea; Prince, Justine; Chand, Priyankar; Justice, Judith. (2024) An anthropological history of Nepal's Female Community Health Volunteer program: gender, policy, and social change. International Journal for Equity in Health
Academic article

2023

Closser, Svea; Sultan, Marium; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Singh, Shalini; Majidulla, Arman; Maes, Kenneth; Gerber, Sue; Rosenthal, Anat; Palazuelos, Daniel; Tesfaye, Yihenew. (2023) Breaking the silence on gendered harassment and assault of community health workers: An analysis of ethnographic studies. BMJ Global Health
Academic article

2022

FitzGerald, Molly; Gunja, Munira; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2022) Primary Care in High-Income Countries: How the United States Compares. The Commonwealth Fund Washington, DC
Academic article

2021

Doty, Michelle M; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; FitzGerald, Molly; Fields, Katharine; Williams, Reginald D. (2021) Income-Related Inequality In Affordability And Access To Primary Care In Eleven High-Income Countries. Health Affairs
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Osborn, Robin. (2021) International Lessons for the United States on Population Health, Health Care, and Health Policy.
Non-fiction chapter

2020

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Schneider, Eric C. (2020) Social Spending to Improve Population Health — Does the United States Spend as Wisely as Other Countries?. New England Journal of Medicine
Academic article
Doty, Michelle M; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Shah, Arnav; Schneider, Eric C. (2020) Primary Care Physicians’ Role In Coordinating Medical And Health-Related Social Needs In Eleven Countries. Health Affairs
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Shah, Arnav; Schneider, Eric C. (2020) The Role of Primary Care Practices in Screening for Patient Social Needs in the United States and Other High-Income Countries. Health Services Research (HSR)
Conference abstract
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Robin, Osborn; Elias, Mossialos; Ana, Djordjevic; George, Wharton. (2020) 2020 International Profiles of Health Care Systems. The Commonwealth Fund
Research report

2017

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Woolhandler, Steffie; Himmelstein, David U; Kressin, Nancy R; Hanchate, Amresh; Lin, Meng-Yun; McCormick, Danny; Lasser, Karen E. (2017) Hospital Payer and Racial/Ethnic Mix at Private Academic Medical Centers in Boston and New York City. International Journal of Health Services
Academic article
Katharine, London; Kelly, Love; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2017) Sustainable Financing Models for Community Health Worker Services in Connecticut: Translating Science into Practice. Connecticut Health Foundation
Research report
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Steffie, Woolhandler; David, Himmelstein. (2017) FUNDING CHARITY CARE IN NEW YORK: An Examination of Indigent Care Pool Allocations. New York State Health Foundation
Research report

2016

Katharine, London; Kelly, Love; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2016) Sustainable Financing Models for Community Health Worker Services in Maine. Commonwealth Medicine Publications
Research report

Journal publications

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Pokhrel, Sushmita; Ghimire, Usha; Neupane, Biraj; Closser, Svea; Kumar, Bernadette. N. (2026) Assessment of community health workforce governance in federal Nepal. Health Policy and Planning
Academic article
Lin, Jialing; Knighton, Alexandra; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Paschoalotto, Marco Antonio Catussi; Berman, Matthew E; Christy, Heshmiha; Turk, Amadea; Roberts, Nia; Kidd, Michael; Allen, Luke N. (2026) Policies and interventions aiming to improve equitable access to primary care: a scoping review. The Lancet Primary Care
Academic article
Kavitha, A K; Adair, Timothy; Fazaeli, Ali Akbar; Aronsson, Emma Amanda; Ashaba, Maggie; Backhaus-Hoven, Insa Linnea; Bakhtiari, Ahad; Balaj, Mirza; Barnes, Tasha; Barouni, Mohsen. (2026) WHO launches global network of institutes to strengthen capacity for health inequality monitoring. International Journal for Equity in Health
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Pokhrel, Sushmita; Ghimire, Usha; Neupane, Biraj; Closser, Svea; Kumar, Bernadette. N. (2025) Feminist political economy analysis of labor rights and protections of Nepal’s community health workers. SSM - Health Systems
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Schneider, Eric C. (2020) Social Spending to Improve Population Health — Does the United States Spend as Wisely as Other Countries?. New England Journal of Medicine
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Woolhandler, Steffie; Himmelstein, David U; Kressin, Nancy R; Hanchate, Amresh; Lin, Meng-Yun; McCormick, Danny; Lasser, Karen E. (2017) Hospital Payer and Racial/Ethnic Mix at Private Academic Medical Centers in Boston and New York City. International Journal of Health Services
Academic article
Doty, Michelle M; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Shah, Arnav; Schneider, Eric C. (2020) Primary Care Physicians’ Role In Coordinating Medical And Health-Related Social Needs In Eleven Countries. Health Affairs
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Shah, Arnav; Schneider, Eric C. (2020) The Role of Primary Care Practices in Screening for Patient Social Needs in the United States and Other High-Income Countries. Health Services Research (HSR)
Conference abstract
Doty, Michelle M; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; FitzGerald, Molly; Fields, Katharine; Williams, Reginald D. (2021) Income-Related Inequality In Affordability And Access To Primary Care In Eleven High-Income Countries. Health Affairs
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Closser, Svea; Prince, Justine; Chand, Priyankar; Justice, Judith. (2024) An anthropological history of Nepal's Female Community Health Volunteer program: gender, policy, and social change. International Journal for Equity in Health
Academic article
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2025) Professionalisation of Community Health Workers: Formalisation as a Second Pillar of Job Security. International Journal of Health Planning and Management
Commentary
Sultan, Marium; Miller, Emily; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Singh, Shalini; Kullu, Arpana; Cometto, Giorgio; Fitzpatrick, Siobhan; Ajuebor, Onyema; Gillon, Nicholas; Edward, Anbrasi. (2025) Competency-based Education and Training for Community Health Workers: A Scoping Review. BMC Health Services Research
Academic literature review
Mangal, Vaishnavi; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Saluja, Deepika. (2025) Recognizing the Labour Behind Care—The Fight for Dignity and Rights Among South Asia’s Community Healthcare Workers. PLOS Global Public Health
Popular science article
FitzGerald, Molly; Gunja, Munira; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2022) Primary Care in High-Income Countries: How the United States Compares. The Commonwealth Fund Washington, DC
Academic article
Closser, Svea; Sultan, Marium; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Singh, Shalini; Majidulla, Arman; Maes, Kenneth; Gerber, Sue; Rosenthal, Anat; Palazuelos, Daniel; Tesfaye, Yihenew. (2023) Breaking the silence on gendered harassment and assault of community health workers: An analysis of ethnographic studies. BMJ Global Health
Academic article

Part of book/report

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Osborn, Robin. (2021) International Lessons for the United States on Population Health, Health Care, and Health Policy.
Non-fiction chapter

Report

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Robin, Osborn; Elias, Mossialos; Ana, Djordjevic; George, Wharton. (2020) 2020 International Profiles of Health Care Systems. The Commonwealth Fund
Research report
Katharine, London; Kelly, Love; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2017) Sustainable Financing Models for Community Health Worker Services in Connecticut: Translating Science into Practice. Connecticut Health Foundation
Research report
Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Steffie, Woolhandler; David, Himmelstein. (2017) FUNDING CHARITY CARE IN NEW YORK: An Examination of Indigent Care Pool Allocations. New York State Health Foundation
Research report
Katharine, London; Kelly, Love; Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia. (2016) Sustainable Financing Models for Community Health Worker Services in Maine. Commonwealth Medicine Publications
Research report

Student thesis or dissertation

Tikkanen, Roosa Sofia; Eikemo, Terje Andreas; Closser, Svea; Kumar, Bernadette. N. (2025) Professional or Precarious? The Political Economy of Community Health Workforce Labor Policy and Outcomes. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis

Teaching

Guest Lecturer

2024

NTNU SOS2501 - Norwegian Society (Kevin B Hall), Bachelor level

NYU Wagner School of Public Service, NYC, NY - Comparative Analysis of Health Systems (Victor G Rodwin), Master level (virtual)

2023

NTNU POL3523 - Velferdsstat og helsepolitikk / Welfare State and Health Policy: Challenges, Reforms and New Priorities (Pål Martinussen), Master level

Princeton University, NJ - Social Determinants of Health (Sanyu Mojola), Master level (virtual)

2022
NTNU POL3523 - Velferdsstat og helsepolitikk / Welfare State and Health Policy: Challenges, Reforms and New Priorities (Pål Martinussen), Master level
NTNU SOS2501 - Norwegian Society (Stefan Geiss), Bachelor level

Paris School of International Affairs / SciencesPo - Health Systems Strengthening and Global Health (Guillaume Dedet), Master level (virtual)

2021
Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA - Health Systems, Policy, and Management (J Leeman) (virtual)

2020
State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury, NY - Health and Human Rights (Ana Djordjevic)

2018
City University of New York Hunter College, New York, NY - Urban Studies, Healthcare Systems and Health Policy (S Woolhandler, D Himmelstein)

New York University (NYU) Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York, NY - Comparative Analysis of Health Systems (Victor G Rodwin)

American Medical Student Association - Healthcare For All Scholars Program, online/virtual

2017
Weill Cornell Medical School, Cornell University, New York, NY - David Rogers Health Policy Colloquium

Supervision

Supervision

2022

NTNU SOS3003 vår 2023, Anvendt statistisk dataanalyse i Samfunnsvitenskap / Applied Social Statistics (Zan Strabac), Master-level, ESS survey data regression analyses

Outreach