Expertise

Professor dr Sibyl Anthierens is a social scientist. She is also the co-director of QUALUA (Qualitative Health Research University of Antwerp). Her research focuses on implementation science in primary care both for acute and chronic conditions. Her research reflects the complexity of the health care system and aims at understanding how it works taking context into account. It is clear that evidence alone is not enough to be implemented and that elements of context play a crucial role in translation and adoption of evidence, management strategies or the way that care is delivered. All her areas of application involve drawing together a set of qualitative research methodologies and the so called "mixed methods" where she has extensive expertise and experience in application, but also in development of the methodology itself.

Technique

qualitative research methods in health care

Users

government Domus Medica RIZIV VIVEL KCE

Keywords

Qualitative research, Primary health care, Implementation

Development of patient-centeredness and communication skills during medical education. Qualitative Research Methods.

Technique

Self-Report or Observational Measurement Scales Constructivistic grounded theory methods, thematic analysis Qualitative analysis of interview data, documents (Realist review) (Systematic review)

Users

Teachers and researchers in medical education

Keywords

Patient-centredness, Communication skills teaching and learning

Translational and interdisciplinary research of infectious diseases and antibiotic use in primary care, with particular focus on the management of respiratory tract infections in primary care in the context of antimicrobial resistance, and the etiology, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of bacterial and viral infections. Qualitative and quantitative research methods in health care.

Technique

- Methodology of scientic research - Qualitative research methods (focus groups, interviews) - Systematic literature review (meta-analysis) - Clinical epidemiological research - Etiologic - Diagnostic - Prognostic - Intervention (medical drugs (e.g. antibiotics, antivirals), quality of care improvement) - Implementation of guidelines (academic detailing, e-learning) - Pharmacoepidemiology of antimicrobial agents, antibiotics in particular (ATC/DDD) - Data management and analysis

Users

- Translational researchers (infectious diseases, microbiology) - Policy makers (outpatient antibiotic use, effect of interventions, e.g. academic detailing, communication skills training, point of care tests) - Professionals (Domus Medica, Farmaka vzw) - Medical students and general practitioners in professional training (ICHO) - Students in clinical epidemiology - Primary care researchers (universities)

Keywords

Antibiotic policies, Quality indicators, Flu-vaccine, Primary care, Respiratory infections, Pharmacoepidemiology, Qualitative research, Research methods, Diagnosis, Influenza, Antibiotics, Infectious diseases

The effect of immunosupression on the recvery after ischemia reperfusion injury of the kedney and the liver in mouse and rat. An observational, prospective study in humans on the liver function undergoing hepatectomy for malignancy. Prospective interventional study in humans: pt with a critical postop liver function will undergo an ablation prior to surgery

Technique

My basic training is surgery. My expertise lies mainly in surgical techniques on laboratory animals; nephrectomy, liver surgery, intestinal anastomoses, ... Blood tests in laboratory animals, .... Embedding and processing of tissue samples, fine-tuning of stains on tissue samples

Users

Scientists Medical docters

Keywords

Regeneration capacity, Liver steatosis, Liver disease, Renal injury, Hypoparathyroidism, Acute renal failure, Renal regeneration

- Vast scientific expertise across disciplines in a wide variety of local, national and international projects: o He is a Political Scientist (University of Amsterdam) with a PhD in Environmental Sciences (University of Antwerp). o Chair Care and the Natural Living Environment Faculty of medical and health science UoA o He works on critical complexity, inter- and transdisciplinarity, action research, expert elicitation, decision support methods and integrated approaches; environment & health, ecosystem services, biodiversity & health, One Health/EcoHealth o EU-projects:  Trustnet-in-action concerning public participation in risk management  HENVINET concerning a permanent inter-disciplinary network of professionals in the field of health and environment tasked to bridge the communication gap between science and society  SPIRAL concerning biodiversity related science – policy interfaces  OpenNESS concerning operationalization of ecosystem services  CITI-SENSE on citizen involvement and empowerment in monitoring environmental health quality of life in cities  GogreenRoutes which will implement nature-based solutions (e.g. improving urban green infrastructure, street trees), with a primary focus on creating green corridors to connect grey, built-environment public spaces with linear parks as a shared walkway/cycle way accompanied by four innovative components in six Cultivating Cities. - Vast experience in networking and science – policy – practice interfacing: o He has been member of Belgian IPBES delegations from the start of IPBES. Further, he has been member of the IPBES Expert Group on the ‘diverse conceptualizations of values of biodiversity and nature’s benefits to people including ecosystem services’ and Lead Author on the IPBES Regional Assessment Europe – Central Asia where he coordinated the work in relation to nature – health linkages. o He was member of the Belgian delegation to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SBSTTA) as pilot for Biodiversity & Health in 2016 and 2021. o He is founding member and member of the steering committee of the Paris Risk Group which focuses on the role of social sciences in the field of risk governance e.g. in the field of environmental health. o At the Ecosystem Services Partnership he co-coordinates the working group on Ecosystem services and Public health. o He is member of the Belgian Superior Health Council of Belgium as member of the permanent expert working group in chemical agents. He was member of the 2014 – 2016 temporary expert committee on the ‘Assessment of the effects of neonicotinoids and fipronil on biodiversity and health’. He currently chairs the committee on urban nature – human health linkages. o He is member of the EKLIPSE Expert Working Group Urban nature – mental health. o He was member of EU COST Action Network for Evaluation of One Health (NEOH) which has now become the Network for Ecohealth and One Health as European chapter of Ecohealth International; in NEOH he is part of the core coordination group. o He is co-coordinator of the Belgian One Health Network (launched in November 2019) o He is co-lead of the Flemish Green Deal Sustainable Healthcare which is in preparation since end of 2020. o He is member of the emerging Rethinking Biodiversity Governance network.

Technique

mixed methods, qualitative/quantitative, critical complexity, inter- and transdisciplinarity, action research, expert elicitation, decision support methods, knowledge integration and integrated system approaches

Users

science, policy, practice

Keywords

Focus group, Vulnerable groups, European cooperation, Postcolonialism, Mental care, Scientific communication

Disability studies. Use of ICF in mapping disability; in assessment of disability situation and planning intervention. Children and adults with developmental disabilities and/ or acquired brain damage; dynamic assessment of learning potential; conditions of inclusive education, cognitive learning enhancement Modifiability of cognitive functioning of individuals with cognitive developmental disabilities; ecology, modifiability and plasticity Ethical issues of prenatal diagnostics Down syndrome: health issues, follow up, cognitive development, inclusion

Technique

Qualitative research methodology dynamic assessment of cognitive functioning videoobservation studies

Users

School psychologists, developmental psychologists, medical doctors working in rehabilitation, disability and school sector; special needs & regular education staff, rehabilitation staff (speech tehrapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, neuropsychologists)

Keywords

Inclusive education, Assessment methods, Psychomotor retardation, Disability studies, Cognitive psychology, Cognitive education, Disability, Learning potential, Cognitive rehabilitation

Caroline Masquillier has been working as a sociologist at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, for several years in collaboration with African partners. Her main research interests are related to the sociology of health and illness and she is particularly interested in the social aspects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. For her PhD research she received the Prize of the Scientific Foundation of the Royal Flemish Academy of Science and Arts (http://www.kvab.be/prijzen/prijs-van-de-vlaamse-wetenschappelijke-stichting). During her PhD research, she conducted fieldwork in townships on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa, in order to shed light on the role of household dynamics in community-based HIV care. Furthermore, she conducted a Photovoice study on social inclusion of children with special needs in Uganda. Currently, she is a FWO post-doc fellow at the University of Antwerp (Center for Population, Family and Health). During this post-doc fellowship, she is performing a cluster randomized controlled trial on an HIV household Competent intervention for people living with HIV in South Africa together with partners of the University of the Western Cape. As a passion project, she is starting up Field. This creative science communication platform helps scientists of all domains to communicate their research results and the value of their work in an engaging and creative way. For her project Field., Caroline received a Vocatio prize in 2017 (http://www.vocatio.be/nl/laureats/caroline-masquillier/) and the year Prize for Science Communication of the Scientific Foundation of the Royal Flemish Academy of Science and Arts in 2018.

Technique

Qualitative research in difficult circumstances: in-depth interviews, participant observations and focus group discussions Quantitative research: Structural Equation Modelling

Users

Fellow researchers and the broad audience who would like to know more about science via creative science communication

Keywords

Community based care, South africa, Hiv

Research in Medical Education - PhD thesis: portfolio learning and assessing at the workplace: development, reliability and validity. Investigation of a competency-based portfolio that we use to coach and assess students of the medical school (2nd & 3rd master) during their full time internship. In addition we developed a validated and Flemish CanMEDS Competency Based Inventory (CCBI). - Research in order to obtain a better insight into Burnout/resilience of students at the medical school and in the postgraduate training of General Practice (mindfulness, resilience, vulnerability, learning goals, ...) - Development and investigation of a course where students learn to do a consultation (skills) (master) - International research of students career choices (general practice) and the shortage of general practitioners (Europe) - Educational training requirements for general practice/family medicine specialty training & undergraduate training: recommendations for trainees, trainers and training institutions - "Buen vivir" through integrated health care: optimizing intercultural collaboration in rural areas in Ecuador. - Hospital Training for general practice Trainees (national & international) - Peer Teaching - Migration of General Practitioners in Europe (international) - (New) Core Values of General Practice

Technique

Delphi methodology Systematic literature review Focus groups Interviews Surveys

Users

(Medical and other health care) schools working around workplace learning and competency-based learning, and thinking of investigating resilience by their students.

Keywords

Mental health, Medical education

Research on the quality of contraceptive consultations with GPs Developing guidelines on hormonal contraception, child abuse and sore throat. Research project for KCE on child abuse and the view of stakeholders Literature study and stakeholders research on healthcare manpower in Belgium Research on healthcare manpower in Europe (international studies) Research on abuse of older people

Technique

Systematic literature studies (guidelines development) Qualitative research: interview studies, research with standardised patients, Delphi techniques Quality improvement projects

Users

Doctoral students and researchers with questions on qualitative research Summer school participants

Keywords

Focus group, Vulnerable groups, Family matters, Contraception

Our research topics of interest are: - triagesystems in primary care - organisation and continuity of care - electronis patient records: use and re-use of data - research databases in primary and acute care settings - GDPR and scientific research - cardiovascular risk management Experience in the use of quantitative and qualitative analysis

Technique

Use and reuse of routine data in primary care.

Users

Academic researchers

Keywords

Health care organisation, Health care, Health care innovation, Health systems research, Triage, Health services, Health behaviour

My expertise covers qualitative and quantitative work in primary health care and medical education in various projects. The most important projects are: In the FAITH consortium (National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI)) we examine innovative and bottom up projects regarding chronic care in Belgium. In the SCUBY project (Horizon 2020) we study best avenues to scale up best evidence practice in Belgium, Slovenia and Cambodia. The Primary Care Academy (Chair of Fonds Dr. Daniël De Coninck) deals with new and innovative tools for patients, practitioners and teachers (goals oriented care, self management and interprofessional care) in Flanders. Capacity building for teaching and research are of majour importance. Two research chairs are supported by me: the Chair Public Mental Health (studying mental health care needs in Flanders and the Antwerp region in particular) and the Chair Care and the Natural Environment (with focus on the relation of the effects of green space and the natural world and build environment on health).

Technique

Quantitative Qualitative Triangulation

Users

My research activities are related to primary care and public health en medical education research. They involve quantitative, qualitative and triangulation methods. The results are of use of practitioners at the micro level, managers at the meso level and decision makers at the macro level.

Keywords

General practitioners, Primary care, Health care, Medical education reseach, Family medicine, General practice

Interprofessional Collaboration in health Care and Wellbeing.

Technique

Qualitative research methods, mixed methods, Systematic literature research.

Users

Health Care providers, curriculum developpers, Teachers, Policy makers, Other university departments

Keywords

Competence, Patient centered, Interprofessional

An international centre of experience for research in palliative care.

Technique

Conceptual analysis.

Users

- Students master in medicine - Nursing - Sociology e.a. students preparing a PhD and MD - Other national and international research groups about palliative care.

Keywords

Spiritual suffering, Pain and symptom control, End of life, Qualitative research, Depression, Palliative care

Anke Van Dijck finished her training for neurologist at the University of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2019. She started working at the Academic Center for Epileptology Kempenhaeghe, The Netherlands. Currently, she is working at the neurorehabilitation department 'De Mick', in AZ Klina Hospital, Brasschaat, Belgium. From 2013 till 2019, she combined her clinical work in neurology with a PhD about therapeutic strategies for neurodevelopmental disorders, at the Cognitive Genetics Group in the Center of Medical Genetics, Antwerp. The focus of her research was the treatment of the fragile X syndrome and the clinical characterisation of the Helsmoortel - Van der Aa syndrome. Since October 2019, she is a postdoctoral assistant at the research group Disability Studies, Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP) at the University of Antwerp. Her research interests are: - Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Intellectual disability - Cognitive genetics - International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) - Neurological rehabilitation

Technique

Quantitative and qualitative research. Clinical trials.

Users

Healthcare professionals, scientists, PhD/Master/Bachelor students

Keywords

Disability studies, Chronic care, Interprofessional, Neurology, Multidisciplinary approach

- methodologies of research on patient level - systematic literature reviex, meta-analysis - research with complex interventions - qualitative research (focus group research, interviews ) - intervention research on quality improvement - research with simulated/ standardised patients - academic detailing - guideline development/implementation

Technique

- Methodologies of research on patient level - Systematic literature reviex, meta-analysis - Research with complex interventions - Qualitative research (focus group research, interviews) - Intervention research on quality improvement - Research with simulated/ standardized patients - Academic detailing - Guideline development/implementation

Users

- Health care providers - Pharmaceutical industry - Policy makers - Other university (GP) departments - Other scientific institutes/organizations - Consumer organisations

Keywords

Patient centered, Family medicine, Quality assurance, Interventions, Clinical trial

Public mental health (prevalence); mental health promotion and selfcare (in primary care professionals); stigma on mental health pathology.

Technique

Quantitive methods, qualitative methods, mixed methods.

Users

General population, primary care professionals.

Keywords

Mental health services

Network consisting of the University Department of Geriatrics and the Nursing Homes (OCMW).

Technique

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment techniques and procedures.

Users

- University hospitals - Nursing homes

Keywords

Psychogeriatrics, Dementia, Behavioural observations, Geriatrics

research on triage: trying to get the right medical care (at the right time and at the right place) for each member of the public decision support systems to determine the most appropriate health care for people seeking medical advice in an out of hours setting

Technique

mixed methods research

Users

health policy makers, hospitals, GP cooperatives

Keywords

Triage, Out of hours, Continuity of care, Public health

Recent research activities are focused at: - research of medical education (examination bench marking, shared expertise) - palliative care - importance of early palliative care in people suffering from non-oncology conditions - surprise question - PICT - palliative care in vulnerable people - guideline development - communication: 'oncotalk' importance of an interpreter during oncology consultations - quality improvement in the chronic primary care field mainly focused on chronic care delivery (multi morbidity and polypharamcy, i.e. in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus) and palliative care

Technique

Systematic iterature searches Guideline development Clinical pathway development implementation research

Users

The administration and services supporting the administration Different partners as professional or patient organizations interested in developments of health services change Universities and High Schools

Keywords

Place of death, Elderly people, Pain and symptom control, End of life, Diabetes type 2, Chronic care management, Quality of care, Palliative care

Lander Willem holds a research professor position within the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP) to focus health economic evaluations in the domain of health care organisation and public health campaigns. This includes the extension and application of model-based health economic research to primary care practices, nursing teams, infectious disease management and multi-morbidity. He is also affiliated to the Centre for Health Economic Research and Modelling Infectious Diseases (CHERMID) at the University of Antwerp and member of the SIMID consortium (www.simid.be). In the philosophy of engaging in interdisciplinary research, his work has a particular focus on economic evaluations, mathematical modelling and public health care.

Technique

Health economics, Public Health, Health care system, Modelling, Transmission dynamics, Social contact analysis, Individual-based models, agent-based models, Active learning, Programming, Code optimisation, Cost-effectiveness analysis, Uncertainty analysis

Users

People who have an interest in health economic evaluations and quantitative research and infectious and chronic disease models.

Keywords

Chronic disease, Health care, Modelling, Health economics, Infectious diseases

Health systems research Implementation research, including intervention studies in the domain of health services and health systems multicountry studies Mixed methods design Research in low and middle income countries

Technique

- qualitative data collection and analysis - theory driven approaches, such as realist evaluation - quantitative techniquues, such as multi variate analysis and multi-level analysis

Users

PhD students, colleagues, collaborators

Keywords

Vulnerable groups, Elderly people, Health systems research, Noncommunicable diseases, Chronic care