Dr. sc. Erika Harju

Work at ZHAW

Position

Researcher & Lecturer

Focus

• Mental Health: Psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) across the lifespan.
• Female Health: Focus on the 4M framework (Menstruation, Motherhood, Menopause, Mental Health), addressing female-specific experiences and healthcare needs.
• Health & Social Behavior: Exploring behavior patterns that influence health outcomes, including lifestyle, psychosocial determinants, and healthcare engagement.
• Research with vulnerable populations: childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, neonatal care patients / Methods: Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, Systematic Reviews

Teaching

• Co-leader of the module "Research plan/Proposal and Evaluation" (MSc)
• Leader of the module "Health promotion and prevention" (BSc)
• Additional teaching responsibilities: Master colloquium quantitative methods, supervision of Master theses and mentoring of Master students

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Doctor of Science (PhD) in Health Sciences and Certificate of Public Health (SSPH+) / Health Sciences
  University of Lucerne
  2017 - 2020
• Master degree in Health Sciences / , specialization in Health Management and Social Behavior
  University of Lucerne
  2015 - 2017
• Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing
  Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2010 - 2013
• Registered Nurse, Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education
  College of Higher Education, Lindenhof Hospital Bern
  2003 - 2007

Continuing Education

• Women for Executive Positions (mentoring fff)
  Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland
  2025
• Good Clinical Practice Certificate: Investigator Level
  Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research
  2019
• Higher Education Teaching Certificate: Basic Training in Higher Education Teaching
  University of Lucerne
  2018

Network

Membership of networks

• Academic Society for Women's Health, Swiss Association for Nursing Science
• Public Health Switzerland
• Swiss School of Public Health SSPH+
• International Guideline Harmonization Group
• Pan-European Network for Care of Survivors after childhood and adolescent cancer

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0791-6997

Social media

LinkedIN

Projects

• Connect – Integrated care for the mental health of young women in Winterthur / Project leader / ongoing
• Challenges for families of longterm survivors of childhood cancer during transition from adolescence to young adulthood - phase 1 / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Kälin, S. et al. (2025) 'Health-related quality of life in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors : a report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study : parents', Quality of Life Research, 34(4), pp. 1079–1090. doi: 10.1007/s11136-025-03892-4.
• Huber, E. et al. (2024) 'A real-life laboratory setting for clinical practice, education, and research in family systems care : protocol for a transformational action research study', JMIR Research Protocols, 13(e53090). doi: 10.2196/53090.
• Tancredi, S. et al. (2024) 'Socioeconomic status and adherence to preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland : a population based digital cohort analysis', International Journal of Public Health, 69(1606861). doi: 10.3389/ijph.2024.1606861.
• Probst-Hensch, N. et al. (2024) 'Long-term trajectories of densely reported depressive symptoms during an extended period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland : social worries matter', Comprehensive Psychiatry, 130(152457). doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2024.152457.
• Schmid, S. V. et al. (2024) 'Parents" and neonatal healthcare professionals" views on barriers and facilitators to parental presence in the neonatal unit : a qualitative study', BMC Pediatrics, 24(268). doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-04758-3.
• Luedi, C. et al. (2023) 'Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic : changes over time and the effect of socioeconomic status', Swiss Medical Weekly, 153(9), p. 40111. doi: 10.57187/smw.2023.40111.
• Daniore, P. et al. (2023) 'Interplay of digital proximity app use and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine uptake in Switzerland : analysis of two population-based cohort studies', International Journal of Public Health, 68(1605812). doi: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1605812.
• Harju, E. et al. (2023) 'Changes in healthcare utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential causes : a cohort study from Switzerland', International Journal of Public Health, 68(1606010). doi: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1606010.
• Sabatini, S. et al. (2023) 'Factors associated with COVID-19 non-vaccination in Switzerland : a nationwide study', International Journal of Public Health, 68(1605852). doi: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1605852.
• Tancredi, S. et al. (2023) 'Changes in socioeconomic resources and mental health after the second COVID-19 wave (2020-2021) : a longitudinal study in Switzerland', International Journal for Equity in Health, 22(1), p. 51. doi: 10.1186/s12939-023-01853-2.

Other publications

• Zurkinden, J. et al. (2025) 'Menstrual distress and relationship satisfaction : a quantitative cross-sectional study', in Swiss Public Health Conference (SPHC), Lugano, Switzerland, 10-11 September 2025. ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-34697.
• Landert, M., Galatsch, M. and Harju, E. (2025) 'Burnout risk among oncology nurses in German-speaking university hospitals in Switzerland : a quantitative cross-sectional study', in Swiss Public Health Conference (SPHC), Lugano, Switzerland, 10-11 September 2025. ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-34642.
• Fischer, S. et al. (2024) Prävention für Young Carers : Praxisleitfaden für Spitex Mitarbeitende zur Vermittlung von Anlaufstellen und Angeboten an Eltern von Kleinkindern und Kindern im Alter von 0-6 Jahren. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-2519.
• Harju, E. et al. (2023) 'Changes in healthcare utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential causes : a cohort study from Switzerland', in 16th European Public Health Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 8-11 November 2023. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-29414.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Huber, E. et al. (2024) 'Generating knowledge while counseling families : case study research on therapeutic conversations in the Family Systems Care Unit in Switzerland', in 6th Nordic Conference in Family Health and Care, Odense, Denmark, 21-23 May 2024.
• Kälin, S. et al. (2024) 'Health-related quality of life in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors : a report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study – Parents', in 2. Forschungssymposium Gesundheit, Universität Luzern, Schweiz, 31. Januar 2024.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

• Tancredi S, Chiolero A, Wagner C, Haller ML, Chocano-Bedoya P, Ortega N, et al. Seroprevalence trends of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated risk factors: a population-based study. Infection. 2023. doi: 10.1007/s15010-023-02011-0.
• Harju E, Roser K, Eisenreich B, Scheinemann K, Michel G. Psychological distress in survivors of childhood cancer and their parents before and after a follow-up appointment: the need for screening and validation of the emotion thermometer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice. 2023;5(2). doi: 10.1097/or9.0000000000000097. PubMed PMID: 02091979-202304000-00001.
• Christen S, Roser K, Harju E, Gumy-Pause F, Mader L, Vetsch J, et al. Worries and anxiety in parents of adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study-Parents. Pediatric Blood & Cancer. 2023;70(5):e30246. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.30246.
• Speierer A, Chocano-Bedoya PO, Anker D, Schmid A, Keidel D, Vermes T, et al. The Corona Immunitas Digital Follow-Up eCohort to Monitor Impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland: Study Protocol and First Results. International Journal of Public Health. 2022;67. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1604506
• Hendriks MJ, Hartmann N, Harju E, Roser K, Michel G. “I don’t take for granted that I am doing well today”: a mixed methods study on well-being, impact of cancer, and supportive needs in long-term childhood cancer survivors. Quality of Life Research. 2022;31(5):1483-97. doi: 10.1007/s11136-021-03042-6.
• Devine KA, Christen S, Mulder RL, Brown MC, Ingerski LM, Mader L, et al. Recommendations for the surveillance of education and employment outcomes in survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer: A report from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. Cancer. 2022;128(13):2405-19. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34215.
• Blankenberger J, Kaufmann M, Albanese E, Amati R, Anker D, Camerini A-L, et al. Is living in a household with children associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in adults? Results from the Swiss national seroprevalence study Corona Immunitas. BMC Medicine. 2022;20(1):233. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02431-z.
• Hendriks MJ, Harju E, Roser K, Ienca M, Michel G. The long shadow of childhood cancer: a qualitative study on insurance hardship among survivors of childhood cancer. BMC Health Services Research. 2021;21(1):503. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06543-9.
• Hendriks MJ, Harju E, Michel G. The unmet needs of childhood cancer survivors in long-term follow-up care: A qualitative study. Psycho-Oncology. 2021;30(4):485-92. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5593.
• Harju E. From Care to Caring: Steps Towards Implementing Psychological Screening to Improve Follow-Up Care for Childhood Cancer Survivors. Zentral Bibliothek Luzern. 2020. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7863953
• Harju E, Hendriks MJ, Roser K, Michel G. Healthcare professionals’ opinions on psychological screening in follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors. Swiss Medical Weekly. 2020;150(3940):w20356. doi: 10.4414/smw.2020.20356
• Baenziger J, Roser K, Mader L, Harju E, Ansari M, Waespe N, et al. Post-traumatic stress in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors compared to parents of the Swiss general population. J Psychosoc Oncol Res Pract. 2020;2(3):e024. Epub 2020/08/25. doi: 10.1097/OR9.0000000000000024. PubMed PMID: 32832904; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC7411524
• Michel G, François C, Harju E, Dehler S, Roser K. The long-term impact of cancer: Evaluating psychological distress in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors in Switzerland. Psycho-Oncology. 2019;28(3):577-85. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4981.
• Harju E, Michel G, Roser K. A systematic review on the use of the emotion thermometer in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Psycho-Oncology. 2019;28(9):1803-18. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5172
• Harju E, Roser K, Dehler S, Michel G. Health-related quality of life in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer. 2018;26(9):3099-110. doi: 10.1007/s00520-018-4151-z. PubMed PMID: 29572734

Other publications

Harju E, Roser K, Michel G. A systematic review on the use of the emotion thermometer in individuals diagnosed with cancer. PROSPERO 2018 CRD42018084063. Available from: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42018084063

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