My UM
My UM
Search

Prof Dr Hans Bosma (J.H.A.)

Research profile

Prof. dr. Hans Bosma is professor in the field of socioeconomic and psychosocial determinants of poor health outcomes. With a background in sociology and methodology, Hans Bosma has a longtime interest in social inequalities. He has an advanced experience in and knowledge of large-scale longitudinal research with sophisticated, state-of-the-art methodologies.

His PhD thesis (1994), using data from one of the first large-scale epidemiological studies in both The Netherlands and Lithuania (then under Soviet reign), reports on socioeconomic and psychosocial risk factors of coronary heart disease. He broadened his experience with longitudinal research at Statistics Netherlands.

Between 1995 and 1999, he worked at the two top prestigious research institutes in the field of socioeconomic inequalities in health: Professor Marmot’s group in London and Professor Mackenbach’s group in Rotterdam. In London, Hans Bosma required a strong international research network in his field and contributed to the further development of research in the field of job stress and psychosocial work environment.

Working at the Neuropsychology department at the Maastricht Unviersity, he extended his experiences by studying cognitive and successful aging, with a particular focus on social determinants.

In 2001, he joined the group of Medical Sociology (later Social Medicine), where he is involved in both supervision of PhD students in the field of public health and education (social medicine internships and public health).

He published several times in The Lancet and the British Medical Journal, as well as in top journals in the field of public health and social medicine (e.g. American Journal of Public Health and American Journal of Epidemiology).

Recent publications
  • Steens, I. L. M., Ji, Y., Sedaghat, S., Pankow, J., Klein, B. E. K., Cotch, M. F., Mcclelland, R. L., Hayden, K. M., Hughes, T. M., Bancks, M. P., Houben, A. J. H. M., Kroon, A. A., Koster, A., Bosma, H., Berendschot, T. T. J. M., de Galan, B. E., & van Sloten, T. T. (2025). Diabetes and incident stroke and mediation by microvascular dysfunction: Pooled analysis of three population-based studies. Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism, 27(4), 2299-2304. Article 16217. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.16217
    More information about this publication
  • Chan, J. A., Meisters, R., Lakerveld, J., Schram, M. T., Bosma, H., & Koster, A. (2025). The association of neighborhood walkability and food environment with incident cardiovascular disease in The Maastricht Study. Health & Place, 92, Article 103432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103432
    More information about this publication
  • Albers, J., Koster, A., Sezer, B., Meisters, R., Chan, J., Wesselius, A., Schram, M., de Galan, B., Lakerveld, J., & Bosma, H. (2025). Socioeconomic position and type 2 diabetes: Examining the mediating role of social cohesion—The Maastricht Study. Social Science & Medicine, 376, Article 118046. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118046
    More information about this publication
  • Beuken, M. J., Kleynen, M., Braun, S., Van Berkel, K., van der Kallen, C., Koster, A., Bosma, H., Berendschot, T. T., Houben, A. J., Dukers-Muijrers, N., van den Bergh, J. P., Kroon, A. A., Kanera, I. M., & Maastricht Study Management (2025). Identification of Clusters in a Population With Obesity Using Machine Learning: Secondary Analysis of The Maastricht Study. JMIR Medical Informatics, 13, Article e64479. https://doi.org/10.2196/64479
    More information about this publication
  • Hazelzet, E., Bosma, H., de Rijk, A., & Houkes, I. (2024). Giving voice to employees in low-skilled jobs works: Effect and process evaluation of a participatory sustainable employability intervention. WORK-A Journal of Prevention Assessment & Rehabilitation, 79(4), 1851-1866. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-230507
    More information about this publication
  • Sezer, B., Albers, J., Meisters, R., Schram, M. T., Köhler, S., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Koster, A., & Bosma, H. (2024). Do poor psychosocial resources mediate health inequalities in type 2 diabetes mellitus? Findings from the Maastricht study. European Journal of Public Health, 34(6), 1029-1035. Article ckae139. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckae139
    More information about this publication
  • Mokhtar, S. B. A., Viljoen, J., van der Kallen, C. J. H., Berendschot, T. T. J. M., Dagnelie, P. C., Albers, J. D., Soeterboek, J., Scarpa, F., Colonna, A., van der Heide, F. C. T., van Greevenbroek, M. M. J., Bosm, H., Kroon, A. A., Nuijts, R. M. M. A., Gijs, M., Lakerveld, J., Malik, R. A., Webers, C. A. B., Stehouwer, C. D. A., & Koster, A. (2024). Greater exposure to PM<inf>2.5</inf> and PM<inf>10</inf> was associated with lower corneal nerve measures: the Maastricht study - a cross-sectional study. Environmental Health, 23(1), Article 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01110-1
    More information about this publication
  • Chung, G. K.-K., Liu, X., Massar, K., Schelleman-Offermans, K., Bosma, H., Chan, Y.-H., Chan, S.-M., Chen, J.-K., Wong, H., & Chung, R. Y.-N. (2024). Socioeconomic inequalities in psychosocial well-being among adolescents under the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-regional comparative analysis in Hong Kong, mainland China, and the Netherlands. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 59(12), 2189-2201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-024-02649-7
    More information about this publication
  • Albers, J. D., Koster, A., Sezer, B., Meisters, R., Schram, M. T., Eussen, S. J. P. M., Dukers, N. H. T. M., Jansen, M. W. J., Stehouwer, C. D. A., Lakerveld, J., & Bosma, H. (2024). The mediating role of the food environment, greenspace, and walkability in the association between socioeconomic position and type 2 diabetes — The Maastricht Study. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, 18(11-12), Article 103155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2024.103155
    More information about this publication
  • Meisters, R., Koster, A., Albers, J., Sezer, B., van Greevenbroek, M., de Galan, B., & Bosma, H. (2024). Early life socioeconomic inequalities and type 2 diabetes incidence: Longitudinal analyses in the Maastricht study. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 217, Article 111855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2024.111855
    More information about this publication
Go to all publications
Other publications

2014
 

Berg, J.D. van der, Bosma, H., Caserotti, P., Eiriksdottir, G., Arnadottir, N.Y., Martin, K.R., Brychta, C.D., Chen, K.Y., Johannsson, E., Launer, L.J., Gudnason, V., Jonsson, P.V., Stehouwer, C.D.A., Harris, T.B. & Koster, A. (2014). Midlife determinants associated with sedentary behavior in old age. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 46 (7), 1359-1365. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000246   

 

Bosma, H. (2014). Sociale Epidemiologie: schipperen tussen upstream en downstream. Inaugurale rede (2014, december 19). Maastricht: Maastricht University.   

 

Bosma, H., Theunissen, M.J., Verdonk, P. & Feron, F. (2014). Low control beliefs in relation to school dropout and poor health: findings from the SIODO case-control study. BMC Public Health, 14:1237. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-1237   

 

Crutzen, R., Bosma, H., Havas, J. & Feron, F. (2014). What can we learn from a failed trial: insight into non-participation in a chat-based intervention trial for adolescents with psychosicoal problems. BMC Research Notes, 7 (1):824. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-824   

 

Heetman, I., Bosma, H., Kuiper, G. & Feron, F. (2015). Preventive healthcare surveillance can detect emerging behavioural problems that are related to later school dropouts. Acta Paediatrica, 104 (1), 27-31.   

 

Klabbers, G., Bosma, H., Kempen, G.I.J.M., Benzeval, M., Akker, M. van den & Eijk, J.T.M. van (2014). Do psychosocial profiles predict self-rated health, morbidity and mortality in late middle-aged and older people? Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 37 (3), 357-368. doi: 10.1007/s10865-013-9493-x   

 

Theunissen, M.J., Man, I. de, Verdonk, P., Bosma, H. & Feron, F. (2015). Are Barbie and Ken too cool for school? A case-control study on the relation between gender and dropout. European Journal of Public Health. 1, 57-62. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/cku097   


2013

Aelfers, E., Bosma, H., Houkes, I. & van Eijk, J.Th.M. (2013). Effectiveness of a minimal psychological intervention to reduce mild to moderate depression and chronic fatigue in a working population: the design of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 13, 129.

Bosma, H., Jansen, M.E., Groffen, D.A.I., Mujakovic, S. & Feron, F.J.M. (2013). Een nadere analyse van de gezondheidsachterstand in stadsregio Parkstad. Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidswetenschappen, 91, 318-323.

Groffen, D.A.I., Koster, A., Bosma, H., Akker, M. van den, Aspelund, T., Siggeirsdóttir, K., Kempen, G.I.J.M., Eijk, J.T.M. van, Eiriksdottir, G., Jónsson, P.V., Launer, L.J., Gudnason, V. & Harris, T.B. (2013) Socioeconomic factors from midlife predict mobility limitation and depressed mood three decades later: findings from the AGES Reykjavik study. BMC Public Health, 13, 101.

Groffen, D.A., Koster, A., Bosma, H., Akker, M. van den, Kempen, G.I.J.M., van Eijk, J.T.h.M., Gool, C.H. van, Penninx, B.W.J.H., Harris, T.B., Rubin, S.M., Pahor, M., Schultz, R., Simonsick, E.M, Perry, S., Ayonayon, H.N & Kritchevsky, S.B. (2013). Unhealthy lifestyles do not mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and incident depressive symptoms: the Health ABC study. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(7), 664-674.   

Klabbers, G, Bosma, J.H.A., Akker, M. van den, Kempen, G.I.J.M. & Eijk, J.T.M. van (2013). Cognitive hostility predicts all-cause mortality irrespective of behavioural risk at late middle and older age. European Journal of Public Health, 23(4), 701-705.   

Simons, A.M.W., Groffen, D.A.I. & Bosma, J.H.A. (2013). Income-related health inequalities: does perceived discrimination matter? International Journal of Public Health, 58, 513-520.

Simons, A.M.W., Groffen, D.A.I. & Bosma, H. (2013). Socio-economic inequalities in all-cause mortality in Europe: an exploration of the role of heightened social mobility. European Journal of Public Health, 23(6), 1010.   

Vermeiren, A. P., Bosma, H., Visser, P.J., Zeegers, M.P. & Graff, C. (2013). The association between APOE ε4 and Alzheimer-type dementia among memory clinic patients is confined to those with a higher education. The DESCRIPA Study. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 35, 241-246.   

Vermeiren, A.P.A., Bosma, H., Gielen, M.J.F., Lindsey, P., Derom, C., Vlietinck, R., Loos, R.J.F. & Zeegers, M.P.A. (2013). Do genetic factors contribute to the relation between eduction and metabolic risk factors in young adults? A twin study. European Journal of Public Health, 23(6), 986-991.   

2012

Groffen, D.A.I., Bosma, J.H.A., Tan, F.E.S., Akker, M. van den, Kempen, G.I.J.M. & Eijk, J.T.M. van (2012). Material vs psychosocial explanations of old-age educational differences in physical and mental functioning: findings from the longitudinal SMILE study. European Journal of Public Health, 22, 4, 587-592.

Jonkers, C.C., Lamers, F., Bosma, H., Metsemakers, J.F. & Eijk, J.T. van (2012). The effectiveness of a minimal psychological intervention on self-management beliefs and behaviors in depressed chronically ill elderly persons: a randomized trial. International Psychogeriatrics, 24(2), 288-297.

Mertens, VC, Bosma, H., Groffen, D.A.I. & Eijk, J.T. van (2012). Good friends, high income or resilience? What matters most for elderly patients? European Journal of Public Health, 22, 5, 666-671.

Thorpe, R.J., Koster, A., Bosma, H., Harris, T.B., Simonsick, E.M, Eijk, J.T. van, Kempen, G.I.J.M., Newman, A.B., Satterfield, S., Rubin, S.M. & Kritchevsky, S.B. (2012). Racial differences in mortality in older adults: factors beyond socioeconomic status. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 43(1), 29-38.

van Heesch MM, Bosma H, Traag T, Otten F. (2012). Hospital admissions and school dropout: a retrospective cohort study of the 'selection hypothesis'. European Journal of Public Health, 22, 4, 550-555.

2011

Bosma, H., Groffen, D.A.I., Akker, M. van den, Kempen, G.I.J.M. & Eijk, J.T.M. van (2011). Better health reports when the grass is greener on your side of the fence?: a cross-sectional study in older persons. International Journal of Public Health, 56(4), 449-453.

Bosma, J.H.A. & van Poppel, F. (2011). Begraafklasse en overlijdensleeftijd : een onderzoek op een oude Roermondse begraafplaats. TSG : Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidswetenschappen, 89(2), 96-100.

Bosma, J.H.A., Lamers, F., Jonkers, C.C.M. & Eijk, J.T. van (2011). Disparities by education level in outcomes of a self-management intervention: the DELTA trial in the Netherlands. Psychiatric Services, 62(7), 793-795.

Esser, P. & Bosma, J.H.A. (2011). Het effect van de GGD brochure GSM- en UMTS antennes: wat betekenen ze voor uw gezondheid?" op de risicoperceptie van GSM- en UMTS-antennes? TSG : Tijdschrift voor Gezondheidswetenschappen, 89(4), 229-235.

Lamers, F., Jonkers, C.C.M., Bosma, J.H.A. & Eijk, J.T. van (2011). Treating depression in diabetes patients: does a nurse-administered minimal psychological intervention affect diabetes-specific quality of life and glycaemic control? A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 67, 788-799.


Further publications
Further publications are available upon request or can be found by going to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=bosma%20h