Anni Pakarinen
Docent, PhD, MHSc, RN
ankorh@utu.fi +358 29 450 4711 +358 50 440 9740 Kiinamyllynkatu 10 Turku ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9077-1663 |
Health promotion, Digital health, Digital interventions, Gamification, health games, Wellbeing of children, adolescents and families, Case management, Design Thinking
I am a registered nurse specialized in medical-surgical nursing, holding a Master of Health Sciences (MHSc) and a PhD in Nursing Science. Since 2025, I have held the title of Docent in Nursing Science at the University of Turku. Currently, I serve as a Senior Researcher at the Department of Nursing Science, where my work focuses on health promotion, interdisciplinary research, and the development of innovative healthcare solutions.
My research focuses on health promotion and digital interventions, particularly on serious games and gamified applications, as well as sensor technlogy and wearables. My research approaches the topic from many perspectives; development through user-centered design process, evaluation of the usability, feasibility and effectiveness of the intervention, as well as the implementation process of digital interventions. The research aims to provide both the knowledge and methods to support the work of professionals, to promote the health of individuals and to support the use of high-quality and evidence-based digital interventions in health and social care for disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. The aim is also to provide information that can be used in the design and development of new digital interventions for health promotion purposes.
PI in Gamification for Health reseaech programme: https://sites.utu.fi/nursingscienceresearchprogrammes/intelligent-health/gamification-for-health/
I have experience in teaching and planning of teaching in following courses: Design thinking for health- and social care, Health Innovations- from ideas to impact in device development, Digital culture and health (Asklepios), Research and reportage in Nursing Science, Evidence based practice, Design Thinking in healthcare innovation, Case management (continuing education) and Digitalisation supporting Clinical Nursing. I also supervise students in Bachelor, Master and Doctoral level.
- Integrating Remote Monitoring Into the Pregnancy Care (2025)
- CIN: Computers Informatics Nursing
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Lapsen arki ei odota – neljä estettä, jotka hidastavat monitoimijaista työtä perheiden parhaaksi (2025)
- THL blogi
(E1 Popularised blog post) - A gamified virtual environment intervention for gait rehabilitation in Parkinson's Disease : co-creation and feasibility study (2024)
- Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - A treadmill training program in a gamified virtual reality environment combined with transcranial direct current stimulation in Parkinson's Disease : Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (2024)
- PLoS ONE
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Etäseuranta osaksi vastasyntyneen hoitoa (2024)
- Kätilölehti
(D1 Article in a professional journal) - Gamified Intervention for Health Promotion of Families in Child Health Clinics: A Cluster Randomised Trial (2024)
- Simulation and Gaming
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Gamified Interventions for Promoting the Psychosocial Well-Being of School-Aged Children : A Scoping Review (2024)
- Games for Health
(A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal ) - Improving hand hygiene of young children with a digital intervention: a cluster-randomised controlled field trial (2024)
- Scientific Reports
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Laadullinen vignette tutkimusmenetelmänä monialaisen yhteistyöosaamisen arvioimisessa sote-alan monialaisessa koulutuksessa (2024)
- Hoitotiede
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Design Thinking in Healthcare: From Problem to Innovative Solutions (2023) Pakarinen Anni, Lemström Thomas, Rainio Eeva, Siirala Eriikka
(D6 Editorial work for a professional compilation book) - Hand hygiene of kindergarten children—Understanding the effect of live feedback on handwashing behaviour, self-efficacy, and motivation of young children: Protocol for a multi-arm cluster randomized controlled trial (2023)
- PLoS ONE
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Instruments assessing nurse educator's competence: A scoping review (2023)
- Nursing Open
(A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal ) - Why Design Thinking Matters in Healthcare (2023) Design Thinking in Healthcare Pakarinen Anni
(B2 Non-refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - Developing a Health Game to Prepare Preschool Children for Anesthesia: Formative Study Using a Child-Centered Approach (2022)
- JMIR serious games
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Mobiiliavusteinen ja ammatillisesti ohjattu uusperheinterventio - Intervention soveltuvuus uusperheiden ja sote-ammattilaisten näkökulmasta (2022)
- Hoitotiede
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - No Longer Without a Reward: Do Digital Rewards Crowd Out Intrinsic Motivation of Young Children? (2022)
- International conference on information systems
(A4 Refereed article in a conference publication ) - Pilot Study and Gamification Analysis of a Theory-based Exergame (2022)
- International Journal of Serious Games
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Potilasohjauksen vaikuttavuuden arviointi (2022) Professori Helena Leino-Kilven juhlakirja Rosio Riitta, Salanterä Sanna, Pakarinen Anni
(B2 Non-refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - Promoting the health and wellbeing of children: A feasibility study of a digital tool among professionals (2022)
- PLoS ONE
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Protokolla satunnaistetun kontrolloidun tutkimuksen suunnittelussa – esimerkkinä pellillinen mobiilisovellusinterventio lasten päiväkirurgisella hoitopolulla (2022)
- Hoitotiede
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)