Health in Early Life and Parenthood

Focus is to further explore the continuum from maternity care through labor and delivery to neonatal care to develop evidence for the best possible care for families. Aim is to identify barriers and facilitators to collaboration among families and health care professionals and develop interventions and implementation strategies to overcome identified barriers, using IT where appropriate.

The following research projects are part of this effort:

SCENE is a multi-disciplinary group of international professionals that aims to improve parents’ and infants’ experiences and outcomes of neonatal care. The focus of the SCENE collaboration is to undertake research into how and why parent-infant physical and emotional closeness varies in neonatal units, within and between countries; the short- and long-term effects of closeness and separation on infants, parents and the infant-parent dyad; as well as how to optimise parental and infant health and wellbeing.

A key goal of the SCENE collaboration is to identify, construct, implement and evaluate best practice to support physical and emotional parent-infant closeness during neonatal care

SCENE Research

The goal of the Close Collaboration with Parents Training Program is to develop family centered care culture on the unit level by training all of the nurses, doctors, and other staff of a neonatal intensive care unit. The research evaluates both immediate and long-term effect of the Close Collaboration with Parents Training Program from the perspectives of child, parents, and staff.

The Close Collaboration with Parents Training Program
Vanhemmat Vahvasti Mukaan koulutusohjelma

The aim of the COUSIN study is to identify and establish an internationally endorsed Core Outcome Set for family-centred care practices in neonatal care. The Core Outcome Set which will include a set of recommended outcome measures shall advance research in the field and optimise clinical practice. Through active engagement of all relevant stakeholders, including parents and former patients, as well as healthcare professionals, the inclusive nature of the proposed work will help ensure uptake of the Core Outcome Set and implementation of family-centred care practices in neonatal intensive care.

COUSIN study: developing a Core OUtcome Set and outcome measures of family-centred care In Neonatal care

The aim of this  project is to develop future solutions for assessing and monitoring family centered care related concepts and outcomes in research and knowledge translation. This work will involve systematic reviews of the currently used research measures, IT solutions and monitoring systems. These reviews and empirical evidence will provide the basis for the development of new innovative IT tools.

IOT4HEALTH

Health SciTech Group​

NewLife

Pain in Early Life (PEARL) is a group of researchers dedicated to better pain management for infants and children. More information from the websites

Pain in Early Life (PEARL)​ 

Parent-led pain management to optimize neonatal pain care (POP-project)

Research projects focusing on global health aim to find effective ways to implement evidence based practice in low- and middle income settings to improve the care of families. The main research areas are peripartum care, neonatal care, children’s pain management and adolescent’s mental health. Implmentation science is the methodological framework for the conducted studies. The research is done in collaboration with:

Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Uppsala, Sweden

Uppsala Global Health Research on Implementation and Sustainability

Golden Community, Nepal

Department of Nursing, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana

MEGA Building capacity by implementing mhGAP, mobile intervention in SADC countries

Tiina Putkuri, Healthy mind – Intervention improving competence of school nurses in mental health work

Jaana Lojander, Designing and developing a Baby-friendly and Mother-friendly intervention to improve breastfeeding support during the transition from birth hospital to home

Johanna Saarikko, RM, MNSc, Doctoral dissertation, The Implementation of a Weight-Management Intervention with the Help of Wearable IoT Technology for Obese Women during Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

Joonas Korhonen, RN, MNSc, Mental Health Literacy among Primary Health Care Workers in South Africa and Zambia

Heli Mäkelä, The significance of care practices supporting closeness and breastfeeding in neonatal care

Iina Ryhtä, physiotherapist, MNSc, Online therapeutic training program for postpartum mothers –Feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention

Emma Kainiemi, RM, MNSc, Enhancing Family Centered Care in NICUs

Carita Löfqvist

Hanna-Kaisa Pellikka, The parents’ and professionals’ shared responsibility for decision making for the care of infant in neonatal intensive care

Susanna Likitalo, Moving perinatal care from hospital to home with the help of remote technology

Yuning Wang, Mental Health Assessment using multi-modal sensing and Artificial Intelligence, Information and Communication Technology, Faculty of Technology, UTU, FIN & UCI, USA.

Ajdar Ullah, Doctor of Science (Technology), Major subject: Information and Communication Technology. Faculty of Technology, UTU, FIN

Abroad

Sofia Arwehed, Telemedicine based optimized Homecare, facilitating preterm Infants transition to home, Uppsala University, Sweden

Pyrola Bäcke, Cooled in a warmer sense? Wellbeing and closeness in infants treated with therapeutically hypothermed and the family around, Uppsala University, Sweden

Michella Runge Kjøbeløv Bjerregaard, Efficacy of a family centred care intervention based on zero separation and couplet care when both mother and infant are sick, Aarhus University, Denmark

Graduated

Mariaana Mäki-Asiala, Interprofessional collaboration: improving the quality of pain management for neonates, University of Oulu, Finland, 2024

Fatemeh Sarhaddi, Continuous IoT-based maternal monitoring: system design, evaluation, opportunities, Doctoral Programme in Mathematics and Computer Sciences, UTU, Finland, 2024

Jennifer Auxier, MNSc, Supporting patient engagement through IoT Technology in maternity care, 2023

Mirka Toivonen, RN,  PhD, Towards family-centered care in NICUs: Changing the care culture and unit design, 2021

Abigail Kusi Amponsah, RN, PhD, Development of a pediatric pain educational program for nurses in a resource-limited setting​, 2020

Simo Raiskila, MD, PhD, Parent-infant closeness and family centered care in neonatal intensive care, 2018

Supervision of Master thesis (ongoing)
1. Minna Österlund, NewLife project, 2023-
2. Katariina Nieminen, NewLife project, 2023-
3. Laura Rinne, Effective digital interventions for weight management of overweight and obese pregnant women, 2023-
4. Johanna Siivonen, Benefits of scheduled napping during night shifts among Finnish night nurses, 2022-
5. Iina Horn, 2022-
6. Noora Linnanjoki, The role of advance practice nursing in Finland, 2021-
7. Mirka Katajisto, The effect of SLIM – intervention on physical activity in pregnant women with overweight and obesity during perinatal period, 2021-

Supervision of Master thesis (graduated)
1. Senja Rautajuuri, Tieto, tuki ja toivo. Perheiden ja henkilökunnan kokemuksia neuvonnasta ja tuesta sikiön sydänvastaanotolta (Information, support and hope- familie`s and staff“s experiences of advice and support from the fetal heart clinic), 2024
2. Peninah Ahonen, A descriptive Qualitative Study on Understanding the Factors Influencing Acceptance of Wearable Device Integration in Prenatal Care, 2024
3. Hanna Koivikko, Terveysteknologiaa hyödyntävän painonhallintaintervention vaikutukset ylipainoisten odottajien syömiseen liittyvään minäpystyvyyteen sekä syömistottumuksiin (Effectiveness of a health technology-assisted weight management intervention on eating-related self-efficacy and eating habits of overweight expectant mothers), 2024
4. Wilhelmiina Hölttä, Transihmisten tarpeet perusterveydenhuollossa sukupuolen korjausprosessin eri vaiheissa (The needs of transgender individuals in primary healthcare at different stages of the gender), 2024
5. Parisa Farzanehkari, Feasibility Testing of an “IOT-based Multi-modal Personalized m-Health System (IMPMS) Used for Loneliness Detection” in Finnish immigrants, 2023
6. Mark Amayag, Finnish Immigrants’ Experiences and Acceptability of the IoT-based Multimodal Personalized mHealth System (IMPMS) for Loneliness Detection: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, 2023
7. Yan Sun, Feasibility study of wearable devices in predicting postpartum depressive symptoms during the puerperium, 2023
8. Susanna Likitalo, Lantionpohjan ja keskivartalon lihasten kuntoutumiseen keskittyvän verkkovalmennuksen vaikutus synnyttäneiden naisten virtsainkontinenssioireisiin ja elämänlaatuun (Association of online training focusing on rehabilitation of pelvic floor and mid-body muscles with urinary incontinence symptoms and quality of life among postpartum women), 2022
9. Anna Zadkova, Voimaperhe-intervention fideliteetti – Prosessianalyysi (Fidelity of the Strongest Families Smart Website (SFSW) intervention – Process analysis), 2022
10. Kaisu Savolainen, Odottajien sitoutuminen stressinhallinnan ja hyvinvoinnin edistämiseen Oura -älysormuksen avulla osana äitiysneuvolan ohjausta -laadullinen toteutettavuustutkimus (Engagement of pregnant women with stress management and wellbeing as part of maternity clinic’s counselling – a qualitative feasibility study), 2021
11. Marika Koivuluoma, Sairaiden vastasyntyneiden imetystä edistävät ja estävät tekijät vastasyntyneiden teho-osastolla Nepalissa (Sick newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Nepal – facilitators and barriers related to breastfeeding), 2021
12. Sini Poropudas, Vanhemmille merkityksellisten henkilöiden tuki vastasyntyneiden teho-osastohoidon aikana (Significant others in Neonatal Intensive Care Units), 2021
13. Niina Ekström, MD-student, Facilitators and barriers for implementing the helping babies breath program as a part of the SUSTAIN project in Nepal, Uppsala University, 2021
14. Mikaela Rönnbäck, MD-student, Evaluation of the implementation of Moyo continuous fetal heart rate monitoring in public hospitals in Nepal, Uppsala University, 2021
15. Elisa Lankinen, Stressi ja uni keski- ja loppuraskaudessa riskiryhmän odottajilla (Sleep and stress in middle and late pregnancy in risk group expectants), 2020
16. Henrika Merenlehto, Raskaudenaikainen fyysinen aktiivisuus ja koettu stressi
myöhäisen keskenmenon tai ennenaikaisen synnytyksen kokeneilla odottajilla (Physical activity and perceived stress among high-risk pregnancies), 2020
17. Maiju Riikonen, Sairaanhoitajien tiedon taso ja koulutuksen tarve lasten deliriumista lasten teho-osastoilla Suomessa (Nurses’ level of knowledge and need for education on paediatric delirium in paediatric intensive care units in Finland), 2020
18. Emma Kainiemi: The unit architecture and the quality of family-centered care from the perspective of NICU parents, 2020
19. Annika Heikkinen: Raudanpuuteanemiaa sairastavien fertiili-ikäisten naisten näkemyksiä kognitiivisen toimintakykynsä vaikeuksista (Views of Women of Reproductive Age Suffering from Iron Deficiency Anemia on Difficulties in Their Cognitive Functioning), 2020
20. Nazma Hamid, The Effect of Implementation of Skin Care Guidelines on Nurses Knowledge regarding Skin Care and Incidence of Skin Injuries among Neonates at a Private Tertiary Care Hospital, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2020
21. Kirsi Grym: Feasibility of smart wristbands for continuous monitoring during pregnancy and one month after birth, 2019
22. Annukka Tapiola: Terveysviestintä vastaanottokeskuksen terveysinfossa – turvapaikanhakijoille välitettyjen terveysviestien sisällön analyysi (Health communication in reception centres’ health lectures – An analysis of health messages conveyed to asylum seekers), 2018
23. Sini Manninen: Sairaalapäivystyksen hoitokulttuurin rakentumisen tarkastelua diskurssianalyysin keinoin (Reviewing the components of the nursing culture in the A & E unit through discourse analysis), 2018
24. Johanna Saarikko: Physical activity measured with smart wristband in pregnant women, 2018
25. Emilia Peltonen: Vastasyntyneiden kivun arvioinnin kehittäminen – the Premature Infant Pain Profile -Revised (PIPP-R) –kipumittarin muokkaaminen suomalaiseen hoitokulttuuriin (Developing infants’ pain assessment – translation and cultural adaptation of the Premature Infant Pain Profile -Revised (PIPP-R) to Finnish nursing culture), 2017
26. Johanna Nieminen, Vanhempien kokemus perhehuoneista vastasyntyneiden teho-osastolla (Parents’ Perceptions of Single-Family Rooms in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, 2017
27. Niina Alho: Isien kokemuksia keskoslapsen vanhemmuudesta ja saamastaan tuesta (Experience of being a father of a preterm infant and received support), 2016
28. Heli Mäkelä: ”RAKKAUTTA JA IKÄVÄÄ…” Vanhemman näkökulma vauvan kanssa koettuun läheisyyteen ja eroon vastasyntyneiden teho-osastolla (“LOVE AND YEARNING…” Parents’ perspectives on closeness and separation experiences with their baby in the NICU environment), 2016
29. Anne-Mari Uimonen: Nuorten osallisuus kouluterveydenhuollossa – 9. luokkalaisten ryhmähaastattelututkimus (Adolescents’ participation in school health care – 9th grades’ focus group interview study), 2016
30. Anu Piispanen: Vanhempien ja terveydenhoitajan kommunikaatio tupakoinnin lopettamisesta äitiyshuollossa (The communication between mother and public health nurse about smoking cessation during prenatal health check), 2016
31. Sari Huttunen, Mielenterveyspalvelujen piirissä olevien lasten ja nuorten elämänlaatu (The quality of life of children and adolescents in mental heath care outpatient clinic), 2016
32. Anneli Saarikoski: Leikkikouluikäisten pissakoulu intervention tehokkuus kastelun hoidossa (The efficacy and children’s experiences on voiding school intervention), 2016
33. Annika Björn: Tehohoitajien kivun arvioinnin osaaminen – Tehohoitopotilaille kehitetyn kivunarviointimittarin käytön oppiminen video-opetuksen avulla (Critical Care Nurses’ Pain Assessment Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes – Learning to use a behavioural pain assessment tool through video-education), 2016
34. Liisa Hämäläinen: Leikkauksen valmisteluyksikön toiminta – potilaiden, vanhempien ja henkilökunnan näkökulmasta (Changing childrensä surgical caring process – childrens’. adolescents’ and staffs’ perspectives), (with Maija Hupli), 2015
35. Mirka Toivonen: Perhehuoneiden vaikutus hoitajan perheiden kanssa viettämän ajan määrään ja sisältöön (The effect of single family rooms on the amount and content of time that nurses spend with families), 2015
36. Mia Keinänen, Käytösoireisen muistisairaan hoitotyö ja fyysisen rajoittaminen akuuttihoidossa (Nursing and physical restraining of older people with memory disorders and challenging behavior in acute care) (with Helena Leino-Kilpi), 2015
37. Anni Pakarinen, Fyysistä aktiivisuutta edistävä digitaalinen terveyspeli -varhaisnuorten näkemys terveyspelin sisällöstä (Physical activity promoting health videogame – Preadolescents’ perceptions on game-elements supporting the development of the game), (with Sanna Salanterä), 2015
38. Marianne Takatalo, Esikouluikäisten lasten näkemyksiä suun terveydestä ja siihen liittyvistä tekijöistä (Preschool children’s perceptions of oral health and associated factors), 2015
39. Hannele Koivula-Tynnilä: Potilaan tiedollinen yksityisyys heräämössä (Patients’ informational privacy in the recovery room), (with Helena Leino-Kilpi), 2015
40. Katrin Marfurt-Russenberger: Organisational factors influencing parent involvement in non-pharmacological pain care of premature infants in a NICU – a mixed method approach. Institut für Pflegewissenschaft, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Basel, Switzerland, (with Eva Cignacco), 2013
41. Noora Järvinen: Vanhempien kokema stressi vastasyntyneiden teho-osastolla (Parental stress in the neonatal intensive care unit), 2012
42. Eveliina Viikeri: Tutkimusmenetelmien kehittäminen leikki-ikäisen lapsen sairaalakokemuksen selvittämiseksi (Developing data collection methods to study hospital experiences of pre-school-aged children), (with Sanna Salanterä), 2011
43. Hannakaisa Niela: Äidin ja sairaan vastasyntyneen ensikontakti. (Early physical contact between the mother and her NICU-Infant in delivery room), (with Sanna Salanterä), 2010
44. Teija Yli-Hollo: Vanhemmat ja terveydenhoitajat puolivuotiaan lapsen sensomotorisen kehityksen kuvaajina. (Descriptions of the sensomotor development of a six-month-old child given by parents and public health nurses.), (with Sanna Salanterä), 2007
45. Elise Inberg: Keskosvauvan ja vanhempien varhaisen vuorovaikutuksen tukeminen hoitotyön menetelmin. (Supporting early interaction between preterm infant and parents with the help of nursing methods.), (with Sanna Salanterä), 2006

2020

Asgari Mehrabadi M, Azimi I, Sarhaddi F, Axelin A, Niela-Vilen H, Myllyntausta S, Stenholm S, Dutt N, Liljeberg P & Rahmani A. Sleep Validation of Commercially Available Smart Ring and Watch Against Medical-Grade Actigraphy in Everyday Settings. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2020 Sep 23.

Saarikko J, Ekholm E, Niela-Vilen H, Hamari L, Azimi I, Liljeberg P, Rahmani AM, Löyttyniemi E & Axelin A. Continuous 7-month Internet of Things -based monitoring of Health Parameters of Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Prospective Observational Feasibility Study, JMIR Form Res. 2020 Jul 24;4(7):e12417.

Niela-Vilén H, Axelin A & Flacking R. The golden hour in Finnish birthing units – an ethnographic study, Midwifery, 2020, vol 89, October

Niela-Vilén H, Rahmani A, Liljeberg P & Axelin A. Being ‘A Google Mom’ or Securely Monitored at Home – Perceptions of Remote Monitoring in Maternity Care, Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2020 Jan;76(1):243-252

2019

Azimi I, Liljeberg P, Niela-Vilén H, Axelin A, Rahmani A. Personalized Maternal Sleep Quality Assessment: An Objective IoT-based Longitudinal Study (Accepted, IEEE Access)

Azimi I, Pahikkala T, Rahmani AM, Niela-Vilén H, Axelin A & Liljeberg P. Missing Data Resilient Decision-making for Healthcare IoT through Personalization: A Case Study on Maternal Health. February 2019, Future Generation Computer Systems 96, July, 297-308

Grym K, Niela-Vilen H, Ekholm E, Hamari L, Azimi I, Rahmani AM, Liljeberg P, Löyttyniemi E & Axelin A. Feasibility of smart wristbands for continuous monitoring during pregnancy and one month after birth. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019 Jan 17;19(1):34.

Maastrup R, Haiek LN; Neo-BFHI Survey Group. Compliance with the “Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative for Neonatal Wards” in 36 countries. Matern Child Nutr. 2019 Apr;15(2):e12690.

Niela-Vilén H, Axelin A, Salanterä S & Melender H-L. A Typology of Breastfeeding Mothers of Preterm Infants: A Qualitative Analysis. Adv Neonatal Care. 2019 Feb;19(1):42-50.

Niela-Vilen H, Axelin A, Melender H-L, Löyttyniemi E & Salanterä S. Breastfeeding preterm infants – the effectiveness of an internet-based peer-support group. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2016;72(10):2495-507.

Niela-Vilen H, Melender H-L, Axelin A, Löyttyniemi E & Salanterä S. Predictors of Breastfeeding Initiation and Frequency of Infants in the NICU. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 2016;45(3):346-58.

Niela-Vilen H, Axelin A, Melender H-L & Salanterä S. Aiming to be a breastfeeding mother in a NICU and at home – a thematic analysis of peer- support group discussion in social media, Maternal & Child Nutrition 2015;11(4):712-26.

Niela-Vilén H, Axelin A, Salanterä S, Lehtonen L, Tammela O, Salmelin R & Latva R. Early physical contact between a mother and her preterm or sick infant. Midwifery 2013;29:1321-30.

2020

He F, Axelin A, Ahlqvist-Björkroth S, Raiskila S, Löyttyniemi E & Lehtonen L. Effectiveness of the Close Collaboration with Parents intervention on parent-infant closeness in NICU. (Accepted BMC Pediatrics)

Axelin A, Raiskila S & Lehtonen L. The development of data collection tools to measure parent–infant closeness and family-centered care in NICUs. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2020 Nov 19.

Toivonen M, Lehtonen L, Ahlqvist-Björkroth S & Axelin A. Close Collaboration with Parents training improves family centered care in different contexts – a pre-post study. Pediatr Res. 2020 May 7.

2019

Toivonen M, Lehtonen L, Ahlqvist-Björkroth S & Axelin A. Key factors supporting implementation of a training program for neonatal family centered care – a qualitative study, BMC Health Services Research 2019 Jun 19;19(1):394.

Aija A, Toome L, Axelin A, Raiskila S & Lehtonen L. Parents’ presence and participation in medical rounds in 11 European neonatal units. Early Human Development, 2019;130(3):10-16. (IF 2.025)

Ahlqvist-Björkroth S, Axelin A, Korja R & Lehtonen L. An educational intervention for NICU staff decreased maternal postpartum depression. Pediatr Res. 2019 Jan 23.

Liu LX, Mozafarinia SM, Axelin A & Feeley N. Parents’ Experience of Support in the Single-Family Rooms of a Combined Pod and Single-Family Room NICU. Parents’ Experiences of Support in NICU Single-Family Rooms. March 2019, Neonatal network: NN 38(2):88-97

2018

Bujold M, Feeley N, Axelin A & Cinquino C. Expressing Human Milk in the NICU – Coping Mechanisms and Challenges Shape the Complex Experience of Closeness and Separation. Adv Neonatal Care. 2018 Feb;18(1):38-48.

Mäkelä H, Axelin A, Feeley N & Niela-Vilén H. Clinging to closeness: The parental view on developing a close bond with their infant in the NICU, Midwifery. 2018 Jul;62:183-188.

Axelin A, Outinen J, Lainema K, Lehtonen L & Franck L. Neonatologists can impede or support parents’ participation in decision-making during medical rounds in neonatal intensive care units, Acta Paediatr. 2018 Dec;107(12):2100-2108.

2017

Toivonen M, Lehtonen L, Löyttyniemi E & Axelin A. Effects of Family-Room Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on Nurse-Parent and Nurse-Infant. Early Human Development 2017;(106–107):59–62.

Niela-Vilen H, Feeley N, Axelin A. Hospital routines promote parent-infant closeness and cause separation in the birthing unit in the first two hours after birth – a pilot study. Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care 2017 doi: 10.1111/birt.12279.

Raiskila S, Axelin A, Toome L, Caballero S, Silness Tandberg B, Montirosso R, Normann E, Hallberg B, Ewald U & Lehtonen L. Parents’ Presence and Parent–Infant Closeness in 11 NICUs in 6 European Countries, Acta Paediatrica 2017 Feb 24.

Treherne S, Feeley N, Charbonneau L & Axelin A. Closeness and Separation between Parent and Infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Parent Perspectives. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2017 Sep – Oct;46(5):737-747.

Uusitalo S & Axelin A. Opioid-dependent mothers in medical decision-making about the treatment of their infants. Who is vulnerable and why?, the Ethics Forum, Les ateliers de l’éthique, Volume 12, Issue 2–3, Automne, 2017, p. 221–242.

2016

Raiskila S, Axelin A, Rapeli S, Vasko I & Lehtonen L. Trends in care practices reflecting parental involvement in neonatal care. Early Human Development 2014;90(12):863-867.

Flacking R, Thomson G & Axelin A. Emotional closeness in neonatal units – a cross-national qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2016;19;16(1):170.

Feeley N, Genest C, Niela-Vilén H, Charbonneau L & Axelin A. Parents and nurses balancing parent-infant closeness and separation – A qualitative study of NICU nurses’ perceptions. BMC Pediatrics, 2016;20;16(1):134.

Raiskila S, Lehtonen L, Silnes Tandberg B, Nordmann E, Ewald U, Caballero S, Varendi H, Toome L, Nordhov M, Hallberg B, Montirosso R, Westrup B & Axelin A. Parent and Nurse Perceptions on the Quality of Family-Centered Care in 11 European NICUs. Australian Critical Care, 2016;29(4):201-209​.

Ahlqvist-Björkroth S, Boukydis Z, Axelin A & Lehtonen L. “Close Collaboration with ParentsTM Intervention to Improve Parents’ Psychological Well-being and Child Development: Description of the Intervention and Study Protocol. Behavioural Brain Research, 2016;S0166-4328(16)30810-5.

Older

Axelin A, Ahlqvist-Björkroth S, Kauppila W, Boukydis Z & Lehtonen L.  Nurses’ Perspectives on the Close Collaboration with Parents Training Program. The American Journal of Maternal and Child Nursing 2014:39;260-268.

Järvinen N, Niela-Vilén H & Axelin A. Vanhempien keskosvauvan syntymän jälkeen kokema stressi ja masennus vastasyntyneiden teho-osastolla. (Parents’ experience of stress and depression in the neonatal intensive care unit after preterm birth), Hoitotiede 2013;25:183-93.

Franck LS & Axelin A. Parents’, Nurses’ and Physicians’ Views of NICU Parent Support. Acta Paediatrica 2013;102:590-600.

Olsson E, Dovland Andersen R, Axelin A, Jonsdottir RB, Maastrup R & Eriksson M. Skin-to-skin care in the Nordic countries – A survey of attitudes and practices among NICU-staff. Acta Paediatrica 2012;101:1140-46.

Inberg E, Axelin A & Salanterä S. Keskosvauvan ja vanhempien varhaisen vuorovaikutuksen tukeminen hoitotyön menetelmin. (Supporting early interaction between premature baby and parents with the help of nursing methods) Hoitotiede 2008;20:192-202.

Olsson E, Anderzén-Carlsson A, Atladóttir SM, Axelin A, Campbell-Yeo M, Eriksson M, Peltonen E, Vederhus B, Dovland Andersen R. Cultural adaptation and harmonization of four Nordic translations of the revised Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP-R). BMC Pediatr. 2018 Nov 8;18(1):349.

Pölkki T, Korhonen A, Axelin A, Saarela T, Laukkala H, Palomaa A-K, Heikkinen U & Miettinen S. NIAPAS-kipumittari tehohoidossa oleville vastasyntyneille: mittarin kehittäminen ja luotettavuuden arviointi. Hoitotiede 2016.

Marfurt-Russenberger K, Axelin A, Kesselring A, Franck LS & Cignacco E. Talking about pain or keeping it silent – Professionals experiences involving parents in neonatal pain management Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing 2016;45(5):671-83.

Axelin A, Anderzén-Carlsson A, Eriksson M, Pölkki T, Korhonen A & Franck LS. Neonatal Intensive Care Nurses’ Perceptions of Parental Participation in Infant Pain Management – a comparative focus group study. Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing 2015;29(4):363-74.

Pölkki T, Korhonen A, Axelin A, Saarela T & Laukkala H. Development and preliminary validation of the Neonatal Infant Acute Pain Assessment Scale (NIAPAS). International Journal of Nursing Studies 2014;51(12):1585-94.

Axelin A, Cilio MR, Asunis M, Peloquin S & Franck LS. Sleep-Wake Cycling in a Neonate Admitted to the NICU. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing 2013;27:263-73.

Axelin A, Lehtonen L, Pelander T & Salanterä S. Äidit keskoslasten kivunlievittäjinä. (Mothers alleviating preterm infant pain) Tutkiva Hoitotyö 2012;10:32-9.

Axelin A, Lehtonen L, Pelander T & Salanterä S. Mothers’ different styles of involvement in preterm infants’ pain care. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing, 2010;39:415-24.

Axelin A, Kirjavainen J, Salanterä S, & Lehtonen L. Effects of Pain Management on Sleep in Preterm Infants. European Journal of Pain 2010;14:752-58.

Axelin A, Ojajärvi U, Viitanen J & Lehtonen L. Promoting Shorter Duration of Ventilator Treatment Decreases the Number of Painful Procedures in Preterm Infants. Acta Paediatrica, 2009;98:1751-55.

Axelin A, Salanterä S, Kirjavainen J & Lehtonen L. Oral glucose and parental holding preferable to opioid in pain management in preterm infants. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 2009;25:138–45.

Axelin A, Salanterä S, Lehtonen L. “Facilitated tucking by parents” in pain management of preterm infant – a randomized crossover trial. Early Human Development, 2006;82:241–47.

Hamari L, Lähteenmäki PM, Pukkila H, Arola M, Axelin A, Salanterä S & Järvelä L. Motor performance in children diagnosed with cancer: a longitudinal observational study, Children (Basel). 2020 Aug 15;7(8):98.

Hamari L, Järvelä LS, Lähteenmäki PM, Arola M, Axelin A, Lilius J, Vahlberg T & Salanterä S. The effect of an active video game intervention on physical activity, motor performance, and fatigue in children with cancer: A randomized controlled trial, BMC Res Notes. 2019 Nov 29;12(1):784

Saarikoski A, Koppeli R, Taskinen S & Axelin A. Voiding school as a treatment of functional incontinence: Assessing the effectiveness of intervention by measuring changes in wetting episodes, J Pediatr Urol. 2018 Jun;14(3):256.e1-256.e7.

Saarikoski A, Koppeli R, Salanterä S, Taskinen S & Axelin A. Voiding school as a treatment of functional incontinence: Children’s experiences of the intervention, J Pediatr Urol. 2018 Feb;14(1):56.e1-56.e7.

Takatalo M, Axelin A & Niela-Vilén H. Esikouluikäisten lasten käsityksiä suun terveydestä. Tutkiva Hoitotyö 2016;14:4:12-20.

Kusi Amponsah A, Oduro E, Bam V, Kyei-Dompim J, Kwadwo Ahoto C & Axelin A. “Dynamics on the field: A focused study on the culture and context of pediatric pain management at four Ghanaian hospitals.” (Accepted, BMC Pediatrics)

Kusi Amponsah A, Bam V, Stolt M, Korhonen J & Axelin A. Evaluating the content validity of two versions of an instrument used in measuring pediatric pain knowledge and attitudes in the Ghanaian context. PLoS One. 2020 Nov 6;15(11):e0241983.

Kusi Amponsah A, Kyei-Dompim J, Bam V, Kyei E, Oduro E, Kwadwo Ahoto C & Axelin A. Exploring the educational needs of nurses on children’s pain management: a descriptive qualitative study. Nurs Open. 2020 Feb 18;7(3):841-849.

Kc A, Axelin A, Litorp H, Singh Tinkari B, K Sunny A, Gurung R. Coverage, associated factors, and impact of companionship during labour: A large-scale observational study in six hospitals in Nepal. Birth. 2020 Mar;47(1):80-88.

Gurung R, Kumar Jha A, Nath Pyakurel S, Gurung A, Litorp H,, Wrammert J, Jha B, Paudel P, Rahman SM, Malla H, Sharma S, Gautam M, Erland Linde J, Moinuddin M, Ewald U, Malqvist M, Axelin A & KC A. Scaling Up Safer Birth Bundle Through Quality Improvement in Nepal (SUSTAIN) – A stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial in public hospitals. Implementation Science, 2019 Jun 19;14(1):65.

Kusi Amponsah A, Oduro E, Bam V, Kyei-Dompim J, Kwadwo Ahoto C & Axelin A. Nursing Students and Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Children’s Pain: A Comparative Cross-sectional study, PLoS One. 2019 Oct 10;14(10):e0223730.

Korhonen J, Axelin A, Grobler G & Lahti M. Content Validation of Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) for Primary Health Care Workers in South Africa and Zambia ─ A Heterogeneous Expert Panel Method. Global Health Action, Accepted

Kusi Amponsah A, Björn A, Bam V & Axelin A. The Effect of Educational Strategies targeted for Nurses on Pain Assessment and Management in Children: An Integrative Systematic Review, Pain Management Nursing 2019 May 15.

Niela-Vilen H, Axelin A, Salantera S & Melender H-L. Internet-based peer support for parents: a systematic integrative review. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2014;51:1524-1537.

Thomson G, Hall-Moran V, Axelin A, Dykes F & Flacking R. Integrating a Sense of Coherence into Neonatal Care. BMC Pediatrics 2013;13:84.

Flacking R, Lehtonen L, Thomson G, Axelin A, Ahlqvist S, Moran VH, Ewald U, Dykes F and SCENE group. Closeness and separation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Review. Acta Paediatrica 2012;101:1032-37.

Axelin A & Salanterä S. Ethics in neonatal pain research. Nursing Ethics, 2008;15:492-99.