Mariam Kirvalidze

I am an MD and public health researcher, currently a final-year PhD student at the Aging Research Center. My work focuses on aging, informal caregiving, and health outcomes in older populations. I use epidemiological methods together with large population surveys and national register data to study how social conditions and caregiving roles shape health and well-being later in life.

During my PhD, I have designed and conducted several studies using different methodologies, including longitudinal cohort analyses, register-based studies, survey research, and systematic reviews. I have also led the development of a population-based national survey in collaboration with Statistics Sweden (SCB) and worked with national data linkage procedures and ethical approvals for large research projects. I completed an industry internship at Johnson & Johnson during the third year of doctoral training. I am a member of the Swedish National Graduate School on Aging and Health (SWEAH) and have received grants from Stiftelsen Ragnhild och Einar Lundströms Minne and Karolinska Institutet.

Before starting my doctoral training, I worked in global health and health policy, including roles at the World Health Organization in Georgia where I supported work on universal health coverage and health system policy. I hold a Master of Public Health degree from City St George’s, University of London and a Medical Doctor degree from Tbilisi State Medical University.

My research focuses on aging, caregiving, and the health and social consequences of providing informal care. I am particularly interested in how caregiving context can affect the health, quality of life, and long-term trajectories of older caregivers. I study these topics using population-based surveys, longitudinal cohort data, and nationwide register data.

More broadly, my interests include the epidemiology of aging, health services research, and policies that support person-centred and integrated care for older adults. I am also interested in translating research findings into actionable insights for policymakers and health systems, with the goal of improving support for caregivers and promoting healthier aging in the population.