Group | Household Health Systems
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Household Economics and Health Systems Research
- Health Systems and Policy
- Household Health Systems
The Household Health Systems research group focuses on in environmental health and health systems research. We consider the perspective of the household at the interface to the health and social system in socio-ecological environments in the global South and North. The intention is to discover how household health practices and behaviours can be better integrated with formal public services and become integral and supported parts of the health system and programme.
Research in the South
In the context of the South, the purpose of our research in two South American and five African countries is to link marginalised and rural (high altitude) communities with an effective higher-level health system by improved engagement of householders and community level health workers. The intention is to discover how household health practices and behaviours but also environmental and health intervention can be better integrated with formal public services and become integral and supported parts of the health system and programmes.
Research in Switzerland
In the Swiss context, we investigate processes that link human behaviour, illness experience, and health seeking on the one hand and the physicians’ behaviour, case management, and diagnostic and treatment strategies as well as the diagnostic practices of laboratories on the other hand; all those factors are influencing disease reporting and shape the so-called “burden of illness pyramid”. Our research on food- and waterborne disease epidemiology and control including on acute gastroenteritis, campylobacteriosis and Legionnaires’ disease fosters the understanding of the aforementioned processes.
Daniel Mäusezahl
PD, PhD, Prof. Dr.
Group Leader
+41612848178
daniel.maeusezahl@swisstph.ch
Patient Pyramid
We apply this model to depict our multiple research projects in the field health systems research on infectious diseases in Switzerland.
Epidemiology of Legionella in Switzerland
Legionnaires’ disease/legionellosis is a severe form of pneumonia. The disease is notifiable to the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health. Over the past ten years, annual reported incidence rates of Legionnaires’ disease in Switzerland increased continuously. The reason for this increase and the main sources of infection remain unknown. Since 2015, our research group is investigating the trajectory from exposure to Legionella spp. to final and mandatory reporting of Legionnaires’ disease cases to the Swiss notification system for infectious diseases. So far, several studies investigating trends in disease notification rates, diagnostic testing behaviour, and physicians’ disease perception and treatment strategies were conducted. These studies informed the design of a prospective, national case-control study for which recruitment is planned to start in spring 2022. Read more about the Study and our research work here.
Global Burden of Disease
WHO and 14 collaborating research institutions have estimated that 842,000 diarrhoea deaths in low- and middle- income countries can be attributed to poor water, sanitation and hygiene. This amounts to 1.5% of the total disease burden and 58% of diarrhoeal diseases. The Household Health Systems group has contributed substantially to this series. For more information please consult WHO Programme "Water Sanitation Health"