Canton of Basel-Stadt Supports Long-Term Study to Improve Health of Population

Today, the Canton of Basel-Stadt announced that it will continue its investment for COVCO+. The project builds on the research infrastructure and insights established through COVCO-Basel, which was initially launched to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the beginning, however, the study also pursued a longer-term goal: to monitor the health of the adult population in the Basel region over time and in relation to a wide range of factors.

In the medium term, the cohort aims to become part of a larger, Switzerland-wide initiative with over 100,000 participants, enabling national and international comparisons and supporting broader research through an integrated biobank.

COVCO+ focuses on understanding how biological, environmental and urban living conditions affect population health – particularly the development of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, but also mental health conditions.

“In international comparison, Switzerland is still in its early stages when it comes to large-scale, integrated population cohorts. This makes it even more important for Basel-Stadt to take a pioneering role, especially given its strategic location in the life sciences cluster,” said Nicole Probst-Hensch, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Swiss TPH and project leader of COVCO-Basel. “Swiss TPH has been conducting cohorts with biobanks for more than 30 many years, pioneering this approach in Switzerland.”

Importance of cohort studies

Long-term cohort studies are fundamental to public health research, as they provide valuable insights into the causes, progression and risk factors of diseases. By observing large population groups over long periods, correlations between lifestyle, environmental factors, genetics and other biological characteristics, and health outcomes can be identified. Such studies are essential for evidence-based disease prevention, the development of novel biomarkers for early disease detection and as target molecules for new therapies. The findings are also vital for improving medical care and developing effective health policies.

Joining forces between public and private sectors

COVCO+ will be funded by the Canton of Basel-Stadt and the University of Basel and developed in collaboration with the Novartis Foundation. Drawing on their long-standing experience in environmental research and cardiovascular disease epidemiology, Swiss TPH and the Novartis Foundation will partner with the COVCO-Basel Cohort and the AI4Healthy Cities initiative – which uses artificial intelligence to link health data with various influencing factors in cities – with the aim of improving the health of the population in the Basel region.

Planned activities include identifying which areas and population groups in the Basel region are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated blood lipids, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as determining which socio-economic factors contribute to differences in the risk of these health outcomes. COVCO+ will provide policymakers and relevant health and urban planning stakeholders with evidence on how to design environments that promote healthier lifestyles – particularly for cardiovascular health – across the Basel region.