Alexandra Vermandel associate professor

Research Alexandra Vermandel

Research team

Sexual well-being of young people in times of widespread pornography use (SWYPPE). 01/10/2024 - 30/09/2028

Abstract

Since the rise of freely accessible pornographic streaming websites, porn consumption (PC) has become normative and widespread across most parts of the world. The rate of teenagers being exposed to pornography before the age of 13 has tripled over the last decade. The majority of young men masturbate several times a week (and even daily) with the help of pornography. PC can have a positive impact on body satisfaction, self- exploration and self-esteem but little evidence about the effects of PC on sexual development and later wellbeing is available. However, some negative (not necessarily proven ) information about pornography created a moral panic in several societies. The Flemish child help line receives regular calls of young people having difficulty to deal with pornrelated issues. Flemish students expressed the need for information and education about pornography related matters as early as possible. Care-providers see an important increase in young people consulting with (self-perceived porn induced) sexual dysfunctions. Our discussions with young people of diverse backgrounds made clear they need and want help in navigating the sexual explicit media they consume, especially in contexts where teachers and parents find it difficult to communicate about this. Further, in order to understand why some AYA's struggle, we further want to understand the impact of pornography consumption (or sudden abstinence from) in relation to young peoples' SWb in health care contexts. Our multidisciplinary multistakeholder project on sexual wellbeing (SWb) of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) in the ethnically and sexually diverse society of Flanders will advance the knowledge in this polarized field. Given the increasing uptake of PC in our diverse society it's time that these issues are studied thoroughly and results implemented in lesson plans and applications in order to improve the SWb of AYA.

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  • Research Project

An aid for defecation in perineal descent. 01/05/2024 - 30/04/2025

Abstract

The planned project is a continuation to the thesis project of Kaat Robberechts (academic year 2022-2023), in which a tool (Femiset) was developed to alleviate defecation difficulties in women suffering from Descending Perineum Syndrome (DPS). Perineal descent is the medical term for excessive descent of the perineum when subjected to pressure from above, such as when making bowel movements. This can lead to symptoms of obstructive defecation, including a sensation of incomplete evacuation, tenesmus, fragmentation of stool, faecal urgency and faecal incontinence. This issue was brought to our attention by specialists at the Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), with whom close collaboration took place throughout the thesis. The designed solution includes a tool that allows the patient to apply mechanical counterpressure to the site of prolapse during defecation, offering a discrete, hygienic and non-invasive way to control the complications associated with the syndrome. Femiset is available in two different models: a static model, where a constant pressure is applied, and a dynamic model where the pressure can be varied manually during defecation. In a first phase of the project, the models will be fine-tuned for use in a clinical trial. In a second phase, both models will be tested in a clinical trial on 20 patients. The results of this study will be used in a third phase to optimise the product and further strengthen the patent application. This optimisation phase will result in three high-end prototypes of each model, closely resembling series products. During the course of the project, different valorisation routes (licensing/sale/spin-off) will be evaluated so that steps can be taken towards commercialisation by the end of the project.

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  • Research Project

Personalized urotherapy at home to improve the care pathway of children with Lower Urinary Tract (LUT) dysfunctions. 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2025

Abstract

The products and services supporting urotherapy play a crucial role in the effectiveness of therapy. The traditional urotherapy products are often paper-based solutions and the little technology used, can be perceived as outdated. For example, traditional paper-based bladder diaries are described by patients as cumbersome and inconvenient, resulting in low patient compliance. Several innovations have been introduced to overcome these obstacles, such as digital bladder diaries and a urotherapy gaming application. However, all had limited or no effect. A potential reason is the design methodology behind these innovations, which focuses on scientific evidence to make sure the design complies with evidencebased guidelines. In contrast, user needs are not or insufficiently investigated during the design process, resulting in innovations that do not fulfill users' expectations. We believe the design of effective healthcare innovations requires a new approach that combines objective knowledge (Evidence Based Design) with subjective user experience (User Experience Design). It is our hypothesis that the combination of both design methodologies will lead to stronger design propositions, enhancing treatment outcomes and patient experience. In this research project we will investigate the impact of this integrated approach by applying it to the design of an ecosystem of interlinked products and services to offer personalized urotherapy at home.

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  • Research Project

Price of the BFVUG 2008. 29/09/2007 - 30/09/2007

Abstract

Researcher(s)

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  • Research Project