IMVAHA - The impact of menstrual health management on the vaginal microbiome: Linking transdisciplinary health science and policy to improve safety and hygiene for the benefit of women’s health

At least one out of three to four women experiences vaginal health issues due to an unbalance of beneficial and harmful microbes. These microbes live in each vagina and are known as the vaginal microbiome. However, most women fear asking for help and are not aware of the army of microbes that…

01.01.2024 - 31.12.2024
Research project
Swiss Network for international Studies (SNIS)
Society, Gender and Health
Sonja Merten
HPV Vaccination, Vaccine Awareness, Knowledge and Information Sources among Young Adults in Military Service in Switzerland

Since January 2023, HPV vaccination is being offered to recruits in the recruit schools of the Swiss military.

The research project investigates how recruits feel about the topic and whether the offer is also taken up. Specifically, the study has the following objectives:
- To examine awareness,…

28.06.2023 - 30.06.2024
Evaluation project
MSD Merck Sharp & Dohme AG
Swiss Centre for International Health
Kaspar Wyss
Boosting Public Discourse: Towards a Targeted, Evidence-Based Strategy to Improve Moral Reasoning

The public discourses on Covid-19 during the pandemic years have highlighted the importance of a common understanding of key moral terms such as ‘autonomy’,  ‘solidarity, or ‘proportionality’ for a successful communication between autorities, the media, or the health system, and the general public.…

01.01.2023 - 31.12.2025
Research project
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) / Programme NRP
Society, Gender and Health
Sonja Merten
TRACCTION - Towards the elimination of cervical cancer: transdisciplinary science for smarter implementation strategies

Towards the elimination of cervical cancer in Tanzania: Transdisciplinary science for smarter implementation strategies (TRACCTION) is a mixed methods study using a transdisciplinary approach to explore women’s perceptions of cervical cancer care, document the cervical cancer care cascade from…

01.10.2022 - 30.09.2025
Research project
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) / Programme SPIRIT
Gender and Inequities
Sonja Merten , Julia Bohlius
VIA-H - Violence against health care workers: understanding context through citizen science and measuring a de-escalation training intervention effectiveness in Eastern DRC and Iraq

This study investigates the effectiveness of a tailored violence de-escalation training for health professionals in combination with a set of publicly displayed violence-prevention rules at the health facility (e.g. posters with Code of Conduct for both health professionals and clients) on the…

01.11.2021 - 31.10.2024
Research project
Elrha
Society, Gender and Health
Sonja Merten
PubliCo - PubliCo - an experimental online platform for COVID-19 related public perception

Effective public health measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic require cooperation between governments and society. For this to happen, political decision-makers must be aware of how the population perceives the Corona crisis, and the political decisions taken must be comprehensible to the public…

01.06.2020 - 31.05.2022
Research project
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Society, Gender and Health
Sonja Merten
Jeune S3 - Santé, Sexualité, Sécurité

Background
The ‘JeuneS3 – Santé, Sexualité, Sécurité’ Programme (2016-2020) focuses on improving adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health in DRC (South and North Kivus), Cameroon, Central African Republic and Benin. It is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by a…

01.01.2016 - 31.12.2020
Long term service project
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) , Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid)
Swiss Centre for International Health
Adriane Martin Hilber
Connecting the Dots. Teaching, Research and Services in the Great Lakes Region

The aim of the project “Connecting the Dots: Teaching, Research and Services in the Great Lakes Region” was to complement the portfolio of the Swiss TPH office opened in Bukavu with a strong capacity building component in implementation research of young researchers through a joint…

01.04.2015 - 31.03.2018
Research project
Rudolf Geigy Foundation / Rudolf Geigy-Stiftung (RGS)
01.11.2013 - 31.10.2017
Research project
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Society, Gender and Health
Sonja Merten
Monitoring of Baby Friendly Hospitals in Switzerland

Since the launch of the Baby Friendly Hospitals Initiative (BHFI) of WHO and UNICEF in 1991, the Baby Friendly Hospitals (BHF) help towards a goof start in life worldwide. In Switzerland, BFH accredited hospitals implemented the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and adhere to the Code of…

01.01.2006 -
Research project
United Nations Children Fund International (UNICEF)