Directors of CHESS

Origins and inspiration

The Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS) was founded in 2000 with the ambition of becoming an interdisciplinary research centre focused on systematic differences in health and survival between individuals and socially defined groups. While much has changed since its inception, this mission has remained steadfast. But how did CHESS come into being?

The origins of CHESS can be traced back to well before the centre itself was established, beginning with the publication of the influential Black Report in the United Kingdom in 1980. The report highlighted health inequalities between social groups and explored possible explanations for their persistence. Despite — or perhaps because of — the Conservative government’s dismissal of its conclusions, the report attracted widespread attention and helped ignite a new wave of research into health disparities.

This growing field of inquiry centred on debates around social causation (where social factors influence health) versus health selection (where health influences social position), and on material as opposed to behavioural causes of ill health. In Sweden, medical sociologist Denny Vågerö played an active role in these discussions. Drawing inspiration from Geoffrey Rose’s population perspective and David Barker’s hypothesis on the importance of foetal development for long-term health, Vågerö—together with British professor Raymond Illsley—developed a theory on how health and social conditions co-evolve throughout the life course.

A national response to health inequality

By the late 1990s, concern was growing in Sweden over widening health inequalities. In 1997, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS)—now known as Forte—convened an expert meeting at Rosenbad to consider potential solutions. One proposal was the creation of a new research centre to bring together leading scholars and to push forward the national research agenda.

The following year, a national call for applications was announced. At the Rosenbad meeting, the idea of a joint proposal was initiated by Denny Vågerö at Stockholm University (SU) and Finn Diderichsen at Karolinska Institutet (KI). They invited Ulf Lundberg, Professor of Psychology at SU, to join this effort. The joint application, formally endorsed by the presidents of both universities in May 1999, proposed the establishment of CHESS – Centre for Health Equity Studies. Its aim was to foster a vibrant interdisciplinary environment for research on the unequal distribution of health, with particular focus on social policy, childhood conditions, and participation in key social arenas such as work, family, and education.

Founding and early development

CHESS was granted funding following an international review, which concluded that the centre had the potential to become a national and international hub for research on health inequalities. At the same time, a parallel application from SU and KI to establish the Aging Research Center (ARC) was also approved. CHESS was hosted by SU but received financial support from KI, which appointed the chair of the board—an arrangement that was reversed for ARC.

The centre was formally established on 1 July 2000, with Denny Vågerö as its first director. Six months later, he and a small research team moved into premises at Sveaplan. While initially envisioned as a kind of “research hotel” for visiting scholars, CHESS quickly became much more—thanks to sizeable research grants and an inspiring and dynamic work environment.

Several important initiatives were launched during these early years. In 2004, two unique longitudinal datasets were established: the Uppsala Birth Cohort Multigenerational Study (UBCoS Multigen) and the Stockholm Birth Cohort Multigenerational Study (SBC Multigen). The following year, Vågerö was appointed to the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH). In 2008, CHESS launched a new Master’s programme in public health.

However, concerns over long-term funding persisted. The initial agreements expired in 2005, creating uncertainty about the centre’s future. Securing strategic funding was essential, and CHESS’s continued existence was ensured when it successfully obtained a new 10-year grant from Forte, co-financed by SU and KI, covering the period 2007–2016.

A period of growth and recognition

In 2009, Olle Lundberg succeeded Vågerö as director. His research group placed particular emphasis on the role of welfare policy, most notably through the internationally recognised project “The Nordic Experience: Welfare States and Public Health” (NEWS). Lundberg also contributed to the WHO European Review of Health Inequalities.

A major milestone came in 2013, when public health science was recognised as an independent academic discipline at Stockholm University. This allowed CHESS to launch its own doctoral programme, further strengthening its academic foundation.

Interdisciplinary collaboration remained a defining feature of the centre, spanning sociology, political science, medicine, and psychology. CHESS research addressed both macro-level structures and individual determinants of health. Access to exceptional datasets also enabled investigations into health inequalities across multiple generations.

Over time, four central research themes emerged within CHESS: the relationships between family, school, and youth health; the links between health and working life; life-course and epigenetic perspectives; and the interplay between migration and health inequality.

Organisational transition and renewal

As the long-term funding period came to a close, discussions turned to the centre’s future. A proposed merger with the Stress Research Institute was considered, but ultimately not realised. Instead, CHESS merged with SoRAD – Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs. This merger was led by Mikael Rostila, who became director in 2016.

In 2018, the Department of Public Health Sciences was established at Stockholm University. With this re-organisation, CHESS lost its status as an independent organisational entity but continued as a distinct research environment within the department.

A new agreement between SU and KI was also required, particularly due to their joint responsibility for CHESS and ARC. It was agreed that KI would fund a professorship in social paediatrics and two doctoral positions based at CHESS.

Navigating uncertainty

Bitte Modin assumed the directorship in 2019, during a particularly turbulent period characterised by organisational restructuring, expanded educational responsibilities, a relocation to Campus Albano, and the outbreak of a global pandemic. A new agreement with KI was signed, but it extended only to 2026 and included reduced funding in the final year.

As questions arose about the future of CHESS, some wondered whether the centre would continue to exist only in name or as a memory. The response to such concerns was unequivocal: CHESS was far from finished.

Confidence in the centre’s future has endured—among the leadership, the researchers, and the board. There remains a shared belief that CHESS still has much to contribute to the field of public health and health inequalities research. Under the leadership of current director Ylva B Almquist, CHESS is spearheading new research infrastructure initiatives that will facilitate the centre’s research collaborations and allow the expansion of education and public outreach efforts.

Recognition of a CHESS founder

At a ceremony in Stockholm City Hall on September 29, 2022, the Chancellor of Stockholm University awarded the 2021 Gold Medal of the 8th size with ribbon to Professor Emeritus Denny Vågerö from CHESS, Department of Public Health Sciences. Stockholm University’s Gold Medal of the 8th size is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to strengthening the university, its research, or its teaching.

Denny Vågerö was one of the founders of CHESS. His research has primarily focused on how social conditions affect population health, with particular attention to health inequalities. In 1995, he was appointed Professor of Medical Sociology at Stockholm University.