Hedera - Health and Demographic Research

During the past few days, Katrijn D. participated in the SLLS conference in Fribourg. She presented her work on the role of partners’, parents’, and parents-in-law’s education in shaping older men’s and women’s use of preventive healthcare. This work is part of the broader PreventToo project, updates on which can be followed here: https://lnkd.in/eWY7xCyM A big thanks to the #PopHealthLab for organizing this!

📢 New Publication Alert! We’re proud to share the latest work by Rizwan Abbas: This study investigates how Pakistani adolescents and young adults attribute causes to mental health issues, how these attributions shape their help-seeking care recommendations, and the mediating role of perceived public stigma. Theoretically, the paper draws on causal attribution theory and stigma scholarship to examine how cultural, social, and institutional factors influence mental health responses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1328 college students aged 15–24 in Layyah, Pakistan, using vignettes and validated scales on causal beliefs, help-seeking recommendations, and perceived stigma. The findings reveal three main patterns: (a) psychosocial causes (e.g., loneliness, depression, life stress) are the most frequently endorsed explanations for mental health problems (98% of participants); (b) adolescents overwhelmingly recommend self-care (97.8%) and informal social support (97.7%) over professional help; and (c) religious and supernatural attributions are strongly linked to seeking care from religious healers. Perceived public stigma was found to partially mediate the relationship between causal attributions and help-seeking recommendations, reinforcing reliance on informal and religious pathways rather than biomedical care. Ultimately, this study underscores how cultural beliefs and stigma operate together to shape mental health help-seeking behaviors among Pakistani youth. By highlighting the interplay of psychosocial, religious, and stigma-related explanations, the study calls for culturally sensitive interventions that both acknowledge existing practices (such as reliance on religious healers) and work to reduce stigma, thereby strengthening pathways to professional mental health care. 📝 To cite this publication: Abbas R, Bracke P, Delaruelle K. Navigating mental health issues: exploring cultural causal attribution, stigmatization, and care recommendation behavior in Pakistani adolescents and young adults. BMC Psychology. 2025;13:976. doi:10.1186/s40359-025-03337-0 📖 To read this article: https://lnkd.in/gVKcKb98

🔎 Gezocht: Twee enthousiaste collega's voor interdisciplinair onderzoek (bursaal) rond geïntegreerd transitiezorg voor jongeren en jongvolwassenen met een zeldzame aandoening! - kwalitatief profiel: https://lnkd.in/eQYV5Fpq - kwantitatief profiel: https://lnkd.in/ePmeS7hr

🔎 ALERT: niet één, maar VIER VACATURES! 🔎 Ben jij enthousiast, ondernemend én impactgericht? Wil je écht het verschil maken voor jongeren met een zeldzame aandoening? Wij zoeken vier doctoraatsbursalen voor een interdisciplinair project op het snijvlak van sociologisch onderzoek, integrale zorg, praktijkgericht onderzoek en service design. 💡 Jouw opdracht? Meebouwen aan innovatieve en inclusieve oplossingen in de zorg en zo een tastbaar verschil maken voor jongeren met een zeldzame aandoening. Bekijk onze vacatures: 👉 #Vacature 1 – Focus op etnografisch onderzoek https://lnkd.in/d4xjQjs9 👉 #Vacature 2 – Focus op kwantitatief sociologisch en kosten-effectiviteitsonderzoek https://lnkd.in/dda8a4TB 👉 #Vacature 3 – Focus op praktijkgericht onderzoek https://lnkd.in/dRwyRPK7 👉 #Vacature 4 – Focus op service design https://lnkd.in/debz5e38 👩⚕️ De overgang van kinder- naar volwassenenzorg verloopt vandaag vaak moeizaam door gebrekkige afstemming tussen zorgverleners, fragmentatie in zorg en sociale sectoren, en een tekort aan leeftijdsspecifieke begeleiding. Binnen het #DITHARD-project werk jij mee aan een geïntegreerd transitiezorgmodel dat klinische, psychosociale én maatschappelijke barrières wil doorbreken. 📩 Solliciteer vandaag nog, start binnenkort je #doctoraat en draag bij aan betere zorg en ondersteuning voor jongeren met een zeldzame aandoening. Tot binnenkort, collega? #vacature #transitiezorg #IntegraleZorg #zorginnovatie #PhDposition Veerle Duprez; Ann De Guchtenaere; @Helene Verhelst; @Sabine Van Daele; Ruth De Bruyne; Carine Poppe; Marjolijn Renard; @Bruce Poppe; Eva Goossens; Dominique Van de Velde; Katrien Vermeulen; Delphine De Smedt; @Wim Van Biesen; Paul Gemmel; Katrien Verleye; Kaat De Pourcq; Melissa Ceuterick; Katrijn D.; Joni Gilissen; Mieke Embo; Peter Pype; Kristof Vandekerckhove; @Vanessa Smith; Jente Bontinck; Jorn Ockerman; Sabrina Nachtergaele; Chloë De Witte; Annelies De Maré; Simon Malfait UZ Gent; Universiteit Gent; GUARD Ghent University Action on Rare Diseases; Universiteit Antwerpen; Karel de Grote Hogeschool; Onderzoekscentrum Zorg in Connectie; Arteveldehogeschool; Vakgroep Inwendige ziekten en Pediatrie UGent; Vakgroep Revalidatiewetenschappen UGent; Hedera - Health and Demographic Research; Centre for Research and Innovation in Care (CRIC); Center For Service Intelligence - Ghent University; Vakgroep Volksgezondheid en Eerstelijnszorg Universiteit Gent; Centrum medische genetica Gent

Two posts today celebrate Sarah’s remarkable work. 📖✨ Together with Katrijn, Sarah created a graphic novel on loneliness among newly arrived minors, based on data from her PhD research. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘍𝘭𝘺: 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 follows the journeys of three characters as they navigate departure, travel, arrival, and the search for connection in a new environment. By telling the story visually and without words, we aim to create space for recognition, connection, and dialogue — both in classrooms and beyond. 𝗔𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: The stunning illustrations were created by the exceptionally talented artist Rocio Forero Bogdanovich. This project was made possible with generous financial support from the Ghent University Societal Value Creation Fund. We are also grateful to Benedicte and Piet for their valuable support in developing this novel. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆? If you would like to receive a copy or learn more, please reach out to Katrijn (Katrijn.Delaruelle@UGent.be)

Last Monday, our colleague Sarah Devos successfully defended her PhD "Experiences of Loneliness amongst Newly-Arrived Migrant Adolescents in Reception Education." The jury praised both the strong empirical foundation and the societal relevance of her work. Sarah was co-supervised by Prof. Benedicte Deforche, Prof. Piet Bracke, and Dr. Katrijn D., and was awarded the degree of Doctor in Health Sciences and Sociology. Congratulations, Dr. Devos! 🎓👏

We are extremely proud to share that yesterday, our colleague Esther Lermytte successfully defended her PhD thesis titled: "Childhood Vaccines, Parental Hesitancy: A Sociological Inquiry into the Relational and Socio-Cultural Dynamics Shaping Vaccine Hesitancy." Esther’s work was co-supervised by Prof. Piet Bracke, Dr. Melissa Ceuterick, and Dr. Katrijn D..   Congratulations, Dr. Lermytte! 🎓👏

We zijn trots om te delen dat Maaike Paredis en Melissa Ceuterick bekroond werden met de Artikelprijs 2025 van de Nederlandse Sociologische Vereniging voor hun artikel in Tijdschrift Sociologie over de discursieve positionering van bewoners in woonzorgcentra ten opzichte van personeel met een migratieachtergrond. Commentaar van de jury: “Dit is een urgent en origineel onderzoek, en de inzet van participerende observatie en diepte-interviews in een moeilijk toegankelijk veld is zeer geslaagd. Het theoretisch kader is sterk en de resultaten worden overtuigend verbonden aan bredere maatschappelijke discussies over racisme, zorg en vergrijzing.” 📖 Lees het volledige artikel hier: https://lnkd.in/gSzd8mZq

🌿 Yesterday, current and former members of the Hedera research group came together for a memorable reunion hosted by Professor Piet Bracke at his home in Bruges. It was a wonderful occasion to (re)connect across generations, from the founding members to the newest faces in our team. We enjoyed delicious food, including appetisers, pastas, drinks, and an unforgettable dessert buffet. But even more meaningful were the conversations: we shared stories, updates, and reflections on our time within the group and beyond. A special highlight of the day was the tour of the impressive cohousing project Prof. Bracke is part of: a living example of the kinds of social relationships we’re often curious about in our research. 💛 Grateful for the warmth, the laughter, and the sense of continuity that this reunion brought to us all. Here's to the Hedera spirit: past, present, and future!

📖 Last week, Hedera was represented at the ESA RN16 Mid-Term Conference 2025 in Évora, Portugal. 💭 This year’s theme, Health in the Anthropocene: Sociological Analysis, Reflections, and Implications, sparked thought-provoking discussions and meaningful exchanges. We had the pleasure of presenting our work, connecting with fellow researchers, and engaging in inspiring conversations throughout the sessions and activities. 🙏 A big thank you to the local organising committee for the excellent coordination and warm welcome. We’re grateful to have participated in this vibrant conference at the beautiful University of Évora. #ESARN16 #SociologyOfHealth #Anthropocene #AcademicLife #ConferencePresentation #Grateful