What does SEHPO stand for?
The Social Epidemiology and Health Policy (SEHPO) research group aims to conduct research in the areas of social epidemiology, environmental epidemiology and preventive health care with a focus on policy support. The interdisciplinary nature of SEHPO allows us to provide valuable insights into societal health issues and evidence-based policy support.
For example, staff at SEHPO have expertise in conducting large-scale observational studies, evaluating cancer screening programs, and investigating environmental epidemiological issues. Within SEHPO, this expertise is combined to apply research to a wide range of populations (e.g., children, students, older adults, sex workers, etc.). Staff from SEHPO also regularly conduct policy support research on demand, such as on informed choice in the detection of congenital disorders (question from the Flemish Agency for Care and Health) or around electronic cigarettes for the Superior Health Council.
It is the explicit intention of SEHPO to conduct research at the international level as well. This is currently already done extensively. The main themes are substance abuse, cancer screening and the health effects of air pollution, climate change and green spaces. A detailed description of SEHPO researchers' projects can be found under 'projects’.
Research
Regarding social epidemiology, research on substance use is conducted within SEHPO. The research on legal and illegal substance use is done both at the local level (city, province), and at the Flemish, federal and also international level. This research is done in various groups of society (minors, students, the elderly, sex workers, verbalized people). At the Flemish level, for example, a large-scale survey of substance use among Flemish students is conducted every four years in collaboration with the Association for Alcohol and Other Drugs (VAD). Internationally, the research group was involved in the large-scale research on the 'Social Norms Approach' to drug use within the 'SNIPE' project (Social Norms Intervention for the Prevention of substancE use in students). Since January 1, 2021, there is also a Reinier de Graaf Youth & Alcohol Chair within SEHPO.
In terms of environmental epidemiology, research focuses on the health effects of air pollution, climate change, green spaces and the environmental microbiome. The group was, and still is, involved in international studies of geographic variance, time trends and risk factors for allergic diseases in children and adults. The group was involved in the "International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children" (ISAAC) and leads the Antwerp centers of the "European Community Respiratory Health Survey" (ECRHS). In 1997-2001, the group initiated the PIPO birth cohort ("Prospective project on the Influence of Perinatal factors on the Occurrence of asthma and allergies"). SEHPO is also involved in several other projects on environmental epidemiology in collaboration with research centers in and outside Belgium.
In terms of health policy, much research is conducted within SEHPO on cancer screening, as mentioned above. These include breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer screening. We have also conducted studies on informed choice in screening for congenital diseases and evaluated the impact of electronic cigarettes, working closely with organizations such as the Flemish Agency for Care and Health and the Superior Health Council. At the request of the city of Antwerp, we are currently evaluating the impact of interventions on healthy eating in elementary schools in Antwerp.