Specialization
Risk communication, Health Literacy, Risk visualizations, Shared/Informed Decision Making, population screening
Focus of research
I am interested in supporting citizens and patients to better understand health-related information so that they can make informed health-related decisions. I am particularly interested in people with lower health literacy, numeracy, graph literacy, and/or a migration background. Information that is understood by everyone promotes equality and will therefore contribute to reducing health disparities.
My PhD research is about breast cancer screening and breast cancer treatment. How can we inform women about -possibly implemented in the future- risk-based breast cancer screening? Can visualizations support this? And what information and visualizations can support patients in their decision-making process when choosing a treatment? My current research project focuses on the population cancer screening programs and how people from more vulnerable groups can be supported and empowered in making informed decisions about participation.
To get insight into these questions I am using both quantitative and qualitative methods, like co-creation sessions.
Section and research group
I am a member of member of the section Quality and Organization of Care, Department of Public and Occupational Health. QOC is a multidisciplinary section that aims to improve the quality and organization of public, curative, and palliative health care for citizens, patients and health care professionals, organizations and health care systems by performing research and translating scientific knowledge into practice, policy and education.
Within this section my research falls within the research group RISC Amsterdam. In the RISC expert centre, we perform interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research on health risk communication and individual and shared decision making, and integrate scientific knowledge with policy and practice. We work closely with The National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and health care professionals.