Public Health Research
“With its excellent research, Public Health Research makes a measurable contribution to knowledge gain and knowledge transfer in teaching, practice and politics. It anticipates socially relevant topics and needs and contributes to the health and empowerment of the population in Switzerland and beyond. It takes a life-span perspective in its projects and addresses (digital) change in society and the environment, as well as equal opportunities in health promotion, prevention and healthcare.”
Julia Dratva, Head of the Public Health Research
Public Health Research designs and conducts studies on population health, health promotion and prevention, and healthcare.
Public Health Research deals with:
- Issues relating to health promotion and prevention from a behavioural and situational perspective
- Monitoring and surveillance of health
- Health systems and healthcare in different contexts and stages of life
Research focus
Public Health Research is conducted by a multidisciplinary team, which is reflected in the diversity of the research topics and methodological approaches.
The main topics of Public Health Research are:
The main research topics are represented by the following topic areas:
Child and Adolescent Health (CAH) Children's and youth public health
How healthy are children and young people? What factors influence health and what (digital) measures can be used to promote health in this age group? We address these and similar questions in the 's research focus on child and youth public health. The main topics are mental health, the health literacy of children, parents and other key figures in childhood and adolescence, as well as the data situation and monitoring of health in this age group. Together with our colleagues from the ZHAW Child and Youth Public Health Research (CYPHER) competence network, we also conduct interdisciplinary research on various topics related to the health and well-being of this age group.
Education, Work, and Health
What health problems do working people experience? How high is the psychological stress on students? What legal and operational framework conditions are needed to protect and promote the health of working people and trainees? We address these and similar questions in the Education, Work and Health (BAUG) thematic group. As an interdisciplinary thematic group, we combine the perspectives of various social and health sciences.
Setting-oriented health promotion
Setting-oriented health promotion aims to create health-promoting structures in environments such as schools, workplaces (including healthcare) and communities. It considers not only the behaviour of individuals, but also the social and societal conditions that influence their health. Participatory approaches involve local actors in the development and implementation of health-promoting measures. The aim is to bring about sustainable changes that improve health for all and reduce social and health inequalities. Our research focuses on application-oriented research in this field, professional practices (professional conduct, methods, effectiveness) and aspects of professional ethics, equal opportunities and access to training and further education in health promotion. We work closely with other research groups both nationally and internationally.
- Study on suicide attempts among LGBTQ+ adolescents and young adults
Interprofessionality in teaching and practice
Interprofessional teaching and practical interdisciplinary collaboration are inseparable: on the one hand, our research efforts in this area focus on the targeted acquisition of skills by students, practitioners and teachers, both in schools/universities and in practical training. On the other hand, we examine the effects of interprofessional education and collaboration among health professions on the healthcare system. Our work is guided by the discussion paper «Guidance on Global Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice Research».
Projects and Publications
The Public Health Research Unit conducts its own research projects and contract research on its key topics and issues relevant to public health.
Our reference projects are current projects that demonstrate the methodological and thematic breadth of Public Health research. The ZHAW project and publication database also lists all Public Health research projects and publications by start date or publication date.
Research Partners and Clients
Together with colleagues from the ZHAW networks CYPHER, Applied Gerontology (AGE+) and Digital Health Lab, as well as various ZHAW departments, we conduct interdisciplinary research on a variety of topics.
Together with our national and international research partners, we develop research questions relevant to public health, conduct joint studies and disseminate the results at conferences and via scientific media. For clients and practice partners, we develop research designs, conduct studies and document the results as requested. We accompany and evaluate projects and development processes.
To this end, we have a wide range of quantitative and qualitative research methods at our disposal, as well as modern infrastructure and research tools. Our expertise in public health topics and methods is complemented by interdisciplinary networking within the ZHAW and our close collaboration with international experts in various fields.
Our Research Team
Public health research is multidisciplinary, involving qualified scientists from the social and health sciences, namely sociology, psychology, public health, medicine, physiotherapy and economics. It has broad expertise in both quantitative-statistical and qualitative research methods. Public Health research transfers new knowledge through collaboration with partners in the field, scientific conference contributions and publications, events and publications for the general public, and through teaching.