Mark Bakker (M.M.)

Mark Bakker, PhD, is a public health lecturer and health literacy researcher, working as an Assistant Professor at the departments of International Health (UM) and Rheumatology (MUMC+). Through his work experience as a physiotherapist (focused on care for older adults) and subsequent public health education, Mark became passionate about improving health for all through transformation of healthcare organisations and systems. The focus of his mixed-methods research is to support (public) health professionals and organisations to become more responsive to their population's health literacy needs through co-creation efforts, primarily in but not limited to the context of care for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Further research interests include access to health care, health equity, long-term care, chronic illness, care for older adults, physiotherapy, LGBTQIA+ health & health communication. He regularly delivers lectures and workshops on health literacy responsiveness to healthcare professionals. Mark is an active member of IHLA, the EUPHA health literacy section, and the Dutch Health Literacy Alliance.