Specialization
Focus of research
Natasja van Schoor works as an assistant professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Data Science (former Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics), Amsterdam UMC.
In the last 10 years, her research focused on the prevention of functional decline, falls and fractures in older person as these may lead to loss of independence and wellbeing in older adults. In 2020, she extended her research line with research on healthy ageing. In that year, the World Health organization (WHO) announced the decade of healthy ageing and they stated that healthy ageing research should focus on maintaining and enhancing the functional ability of older adults.
Other research interests are:
* Vitamin D deficiency in different risk groups
* Burden of osteoarthritis and its determinants
Natasja is involved in research of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) and the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA). LASA is an ongoing population-based cohort study that started in 1992 and which is performed in a representative sample of the Dutch older population. The aim of LASA is to determine predictors and consequences of ageing (www.lasa-vu.nl). EPOSA is a collaborative study in six European countries which focuses on the personal and societal burden of osteoarthritis (www.eposa.org). Natasja is chair of the LASA physical functioning group and biobank coordinator of LASA. In addition, she is involved in the coordination of EPOSA.
Natasja has initiated and supervised several randomized controlled trials, part of them translating research findings from LASA to interventions. Randomized controlled trials include:
* Alerting on adverse Drug reactions: Falls prevention Improvement through developing a Computerized clinical support system: Effectiveness of Individualized medication withdrawal (Adfice_it)
* Vitamin D Supplementation for the Prevention of Depression and Poor Physical Function in Older Persons: the D-Vitaal Study
* SALT Osteoporosis Study
* B-vitamins for the PRevention Of Osteoporotic Fractures (B-PROOF) study
* The effect of vitamin D-supplementation on insulin sensitivity in non-western immigrants in the Netherlands
* Prevention of hip fractures by external hip protectors (PhD-project Natasja)
Teaching:
Natasja teaches epidemiology and is course coordinator of a first year course for Medicine students: Medical Scientific Research 1 (Medisch Wetenschappelijk onderzoek 1, MWO1). In addition, she gives invited lectures about falls and fractures.
Natasja closely works together with the Departments of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics.