Dr. Szilvia Altwicker-Hámori

Work at ZHAW

Position

Lecturer

Focus

health services research, work and health, social security, empirical legal research, access to healthcare, policy and impact evaluations, statistical data analysis

Teaching

• Evidence-based Healthcare, MSc in Health Economics and Healthcare Management
• Health Economics and Law, MSc in Health Economics and Healthcare Management

Experience

• senior researcher and lecturer
  Health Services Research, WIG, ZHAW School of Management and Law
  09 / 2023 - today
• researcher
  Public Health Research, Institute of Public Health, ZHAW School of Health Sciences
  07 / 2012 - 08 / 2023
• researcher
  Labor Economics Unit, Institute of Economics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
  11 / 2007 - 07 / 2011

Education and Continuing education

Education

• CAS Higher & Professional Education / Hochschuldidaktik und Erwachsenenbildung
  ZHAW School of Management and Law
  09 / 2024 - 12 / 2025
• Ph.D. Program “International Doctoral Courses in Health Economics and Policy” / Health Economics
  Swiss Society of Health Economics (SGGÖ) | Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+)
  06 / 2014 - 07 / 2021
• Ph.D. in Economics / Economics
  University of Mannheim
  03 / 2004 - 05 / 2008
• CDSE P.hD. Program in Economics / Economics
  Center for Doctoral Studies in Economics (CDSE), University of Mannheim
  10 / 2001 - 02 / 2004
• M.Sc. in Economics / Economics
  London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
  10 / 2000 - 07 / 2001
• Diploma in Economics / Economics
  London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
  10 / 1999 - 07 / 2000
• B.A. in German with French (European Studies) / German, French
  Queen Mary University of London
  10 / 1995 - 07 / 1999
• exchange program / German, French, Economics
  Ruprecht Karls University of Heidelberg
  10 / 1997 - 07 / 1998

Continuing Education

• Machine Learning in Health Economics
  Swiss Society of Health Economics (SGGÖ) | Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+)
  09 / 2022
• Resource Allocation and Cost-effectiveness Analysis
  London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
  08 / 2013
• Regression Methods for Health Economic Evaluation
  University of York
  04 / 2013

Network

Membership of networks

• European Society for Empirical Legal Studies (ESELS)
• Swiss Society of Health Economics (SGGÖ)
• Public Health Schweiz
• CDSE Alumni

Projects

• Quality indicators of polydisciplinary medical expert reports from the perspective of social security studies / law and empirical legal studies / Project leader / ongoing
• Why do some older workers with adverse health conditions remain in the labor force while others exit early? / Team member / completed
• Profiles of young recipients of disability pensions due to mental disorders / Team member / completed
• Diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in children and adolescents / Team member / completed
• Treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents in the Swiss canton of Zurich / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Heiniger, S. and Höglinger, M. (2026) 'Shaping workspaces, shaping lives : health implications of working from home for employees with tertiary education in Switzerland', International Journal of Public Health, 71(1608002). doi: 10.3389/ijph.2026.1608002.
• Dey, M. et al. (2025) 'Did the COVID-19 pandemic impact pediatric health service utilization in Switzerland? : interrupted time series models of health insurance data', Swiss Medical Weekly, 155(3899). doi: 10.57187/s.3899.
• von Rhein, M. et al. (2024) 'The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric emergency department utilization in three regions in Switzerland', International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 17(64). doi: 10.1186/s12245-024-00640-2.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. et al. (2024) 'Risk factors for smoking in adolescence : evidence from a cross-sectional survey in Switzerland', BMC Public Health, 24(1), p. 1165. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-18695-4.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2023) 'Labour market integration of disability insurance benefit applicants in Switzerland : evidence from linked survey and administrative data', Alter : European Journal of Disability Research, 17(1), pp. 69–86. Available at: https://journals.openedition.org/alterjdr/1829.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Stucki, M. (2023) 'Factors associated with the choice of supplementary hospital insurance in Switzerland : an analysis of the Swiss Health Survey', BMC Health Services Research, 23(246). doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-09221-0.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Altwicker, T. and Gerber, D. (2022) 'Measuring outcomes in disability pension judgments : evidence from the social security court of the canton of Zurich', Journal of Social Security Law, 2022(2), pp. 105–119.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2021) 'Disability insurance benefit application in Switzerland : an analysis of linked administrative and survey data', BMC Health Services Research, 21(982). doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06992-2.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. et al. (2020) 'Risikofaktoren für eine IV-Berentung junger Erwachsener : empirische Erkenntnisse und die Weiterentwicklung der Invalidenversicherung', Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Sozialversicherung und berufliche Vorsorge, 64(4), pp. 167–180.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Dratva, J. (2019) 'Disability pension receipt in young adults : an analysis of the Swiss social protection and labour market (SESAM) data', BMC Public Health, 19(831). doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-7098-1.
• Baumann, I. et al. (2018) 'Employment prospects of young adults with mental disorders', Swiss Journal of Sociology, 44(2), pp. 259–280. doi: 10.1515/sjs-2018-0012.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Altwicker, T. and Peters, A. (2016) 'Measuring violations of human rights : an empirical analysis of awards in respect of non-pecuniary damage under the European Convention on Human Rights', Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht, 76, pp. 1–52.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Lovász, A. (2013) 'A köz- és a magánszféra kereseti különbségei Magyarországon, 2002-2008 : javíthat-e hosszú távon a közalkalmazottak relatív helyzetén egy 50 százalékos béremelés?', Közgazdasági Szemle, 2013(Mai), pp. 500–522. Available at: http://www.kszemle.hu/tartalom/cikk.php?id=1385.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Köllő, J. (2012) 'Whose children gain from starting school later? – evidence from Hungary', Educational Research and Evaluation, 18(5), pp. 459–488. doi: 10.1080/13803611.2012.695142.
• Hámori, S. and Köllő, J. (2011) 'Kinek használ az évvesztés? Iskolakezdési kor és tanulói teljesítmények Magyarországon', Közgazdasági Szemle, 58, pp. 133–157.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2024) 'Qualitätsindikatoren von polydisziplinären medizinischen Gutachten aus der Perspektive der Sozialwissenschaft und der empirischen Rechtsforschung', in SML Open Day, Winterthur, Schweiz, 26. Oktober 2024. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-34236.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Altwicker, T. and Gerber, D. (2023) 'Measuring outcomes in disability pension judgments : evidence from the social security court of the canton of Zurich', in 20th Annual Conference of the German Law and Economics Association (GLEA), Budapest, Hungary, 6-7 July 2023.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Altwicker, T. and Gerber, D. (2023) 'Measuring outcomes in disability pension jdugments : evidence from the social security court of the canton of Zurich', in 20th Annual Conference of the German Law and Economics Association (GLEA), Budapest, Hungary, 6-7 July 2023.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. et al. (2021) 'Beliefs about medicines in patients with multiple myeloma in Switzerland', in Swiss Medical Weekly. EMH Swiss Medical Publishers, pp. 28–29. doi: 10.4414/smw.2021.w30107.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2021) 'Disability benefit application in Switzerland : an analysis of linked administrative and survey data', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. 457. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab165.313.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Dratva, J. (2018) 'Factors associated with disability pension in young adults in Switzerland', in Swiss Public Health Conference 2018, Neuchâtel, 7-8 November 2018. Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+).
• Baumann, I. et al. (2016) 'Labor market integration of adolescents with mental disorders', in LacOSA International Conference on Sequence Analysis and Related Method,s Lausanne, 8-10 June 2016.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Altwicker, T. and Peters, A. (2016) 'Measuring violations of human rights : an empirical analysis of awards in respect of non-pecuniary damage under the ECHR', in 14th Annual Meeting of the German Law and Economics Association (GLEA), Budapest, Hungary, 21-22 July 2016.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Altwicker, T. and Peters, A. (2016) 'Measuring violations of human rights : an empirical analysis of awards in respect of non-pecuniary damage under the ECHR', in 11th Annual Conference on Empirical Legal Studies (CELS), Durham, USA, 18-19 November 2016.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S., Altwicker, T. and Peters, A. (2016) 'Measuring violations of human rights : an empirical analysis of awards in respect of non-pecuniary damage under the ECHR', in First Conference on Empirical Legal Studies in Europe (CELSE), Amsterdam, Netherlands, 21-22 June 2016.

Other publications

• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2025) 'Neue Publikation zu den Auswirkungen der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die pädiatrische Gesundheitsversorgung in der Schweiz', Gesundheitsökonomie @ ZHAW. Available at: https://blog.zhaw.ch/gesundheitsoekonomie/2025/06/12/neue-publikation-zu-den-auswirkungen-der-covid-19-pandemie-auf-die-paediatrische-gesundheitsversorgung-in-der-schweiz/.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Whittlestone, L. (2024) 'Neue Publikation zu den Risikofaktoren von Zigarettenkonsum bei Schweizer Jugendlichen', Gesundheitsökonomie @ ZHAW. Available at: https://blog.zhaw.ch/gesundheitsoekonomie/2024/08/29/neue-publikation-zu-den-risikofaktoren-von-zigarettenkonsum-bei-schweizer-jugendlichen/.
• Dey, M. et al. (2024) Pediatric health service utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic (PedCov). Bundesamt für Gesundheit BAG. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-33359.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2023) 'Qualität medizinischer Gutachten : Einblicke in das neue SNF-BRIDGE-Discovery Forschungsprojekt', Gesundheitsökonomie @ ZHAW. Available at: https://blog.zhaw.ch/gesundheitsoekonomie/2023/11/23/qualitaet-medizinischer-gutachten-einblicke-in-das-neue-snf-bridge-discovery-forschungsprojekt/.
• Baer, N. et al. (2016) 'Jung, psychisch krank und invalidisiert', Soziale Sicherheit: CHSS, 2016(1), pp. 49–54. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-1780.
• Baer, N. et al. (2015) Profile von jungen IV-Neurentenbeziehenden mit psychischen Krankheiten. Bern: Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen BSV. Available at: https://forschung.soziale-sicherheit-chss.ch/wp-content/uploads/12033_de.pdf.
• Rüesch, P., Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Bührlen, B. (2014) 'Versorgungssituation von Versicherten mit psychischen Problemen : Terra incognita?', Soziale Sicherheit: CHSS, 2014(2), pp. 86–90. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-1781.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Lovász, A. (2014) 'Wage differential between the public and private sector in Hungary between 2002 and 2008 : the long term effect of wage increase', in Fazekas, K. and Neumann, L. (eds) The Hungarian labour market 2014. Budapest: Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, pp. 59–66. Available at: http://econ.core.hu/file/download/HLM2014/TheHungarianLabourMarket_2014_onefile.pdf.
• Rüesch, P. et al. (2014) Behandlung von ADHS bei Kindern und Jugendlichen im Kanton Zürich : Forschungsbericht. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-1778.
• Rüesch, P., Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Juvalta, S. (2014) Diagnose und Behandlung junger Menschen mit psychischen Krankheiten : Literaturstudie zu evidenzbasierten, internationalen Leitlinien zur Diagnostik und Behandlung von psychischen Krankheiten bei Minderjährigen und jungen Erwachsenen. Bern: Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen BSV. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-1779.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Köllő, J. (2013) 'The public sector labor market from crisis to crisis in Hungary', in Vaughan-Whitehead, D. (ed.) The public sector shock : the impact of policy retrenchment in Europe. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 300–336.
• Rüesch, P. et al. (2013) Die Behandlung von Personen mit psychischen Krankheiten - Bestandsaufnahme der Behandlungssituation vor und während eines Rentenbezugs der Invalidenversicherung : Machbarkeitsstudie - Schlussbericht. Bern: Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen BSV. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-1783.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Lovász, A. (2011) Can a fifty percent increase in public sector wages improve the position of public sector employees in the long run? An assessment of the public-private income gap in Hungary, Budapest Working Papers on the Labour Market. Budapest: Corvinius University of Budapest. Available at: http://www.econ.core.hu/file/download/bwp/bwp1106.pdf.
• Bajnai, B., Hámori, S. and Köllő, J. (2009) 'The Hungarian labour market : a European perspective', in Fazekas, K. and Köllő, J. (eds) The Hungarian labour market 2009. Budapest: Institute of Economics, pp. 44–93. Available at: http://econ.core.hu/file/download/mt09/infocus.pdf.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2026) 'From medical evaluation to legal evidence : measuring the quality of medical expert reports using Swiss court data', in European Society for Empirical Legal Studies (ESELS) Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia, 18-19 June 2026.
• Altwicker-Hámori, S. (2025) 'Die Annotation komplexer Rechtsdaten am Beispiel des SNFBridge-Discovery-Projekts «Qualitätsindikatoren polydisziplinärer medizinischer Gutachten»', in Kolloquium Sprache und Recht, Winterthur, Schweiz, 5. Juni 2025.
• Heiniger, S., Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Höglinger, M. (2024) 'Health effects of working from home for employees with tertiary education in Switzerland', in Swiss Public Health Conference (SPHC), Fribourg, Switzerland, 3-4 September 2024.
• Heiniger, S., Altwicker-Hámori, S. and Höglinger, M. (2024) 'Shaping workspaces, shaping lives : health implications of working from home for employees with tertiary education in Switzerland', in EuHEA Conference, Vienna, Austria, 30 June - 3 July 2024.
• Dratva, J. et al. (2023) 'Effekte der COVID-19-Pandemie auf die Inanspruchnahme von primär pädiatrischen Gesundheitsdienstleitungen in der Schweiz', in Deutscher Kongress für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin (DGKJ), Hamburg, Deutschland, 20.-23. September 2023.
• Altwicker, T. et al. (2018) 'Pain and suffering damages in complex human rights cases : an empirical analysis under the European Convention of Human Rights', in 16th Annual Conference of the German Law and Economics Association (GLEA), Ljubljana, 5-6 July 2018.
• Altwicker, T. et al. (2018) 'Pain and suffering damages in complex human rights cases : an empirical analysis under the European Convention of Human Rights', in Second Conference on Empirical Legal Studies in Europe (CELSE) 2018, Leuven, Belgium, 31 May - 1 June 2018.

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