CAPHRI Case Studies

The promotion of public health is challenged by a complex interplay of socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental disparities. Ensuring equity in prevention is essential to achieve health and well-being for all.

When it comes to trustworthy research, the outcomes tell only a part of the story. In CAPHRI, focus lies on how those results are achieved, and help is offered along the way. 

Within CAPHRI, there is a longstanding tradition in which Living Labs have been developed as a structural response to complex health challenges like ageing populations and staff shortages. These sustainable partnerships continuously bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practical expertise.

Public involvement in research, also known as citizen science, is a very common form of research at CAPHRI.

Supporting researchers in conducting ethical and high-quality research - that is the power of the CAPHRI Quality Assurance system, say Laure Wynants and David Shaw enthusiastically.

Demographic shifts force a rethink on aging. Many stay active, yet health changes can impact autonomy and purpose, values central to older adults.

At the start of COVID-19, the Dutch Ministry of Health asked Professor Jan Hamers’ Living Labs in Ageing and Long-Term Care to help design nursing home visiting guidelines after full lockdowns hit. “Thanks in part to our research, they reopened their doors to visitors earlier,” Hamers says.

How can we accurately describe the experienced quality of care in nursing homes from the resident’s perspective? Six years ago, the healthcare organisations that are part of the Living Lab in Ageing and Long-Term Care Limburg (AWO-L) were in need of an answer to this question. 

I-HARP is a tool to help healthcare providers timely identify and address the palliative care needs of people with heart failure. CAPHRI conducts research aimed at adapting I-HARP to a similar tool for people with COPD.

Palliative care is a vital part of treating life-threatening or chronic illnesses, yet tailoring end-of-life care to a patient's exact needs remains a challenge. Facilitating shared decision-making and maintaining clear communication are essential, but often difficult, parts of the process.

Bathing, dressing, and helping patients eat are key nursing activities. "Surprisingly, they were supported by little evidence," says Professor Sandra Zwakhalen. "Fortunately, researchers pay more attention to basic care now. It's essential to quality of life, and there's still work to be done."

Imagine solving the future of healthcare over a serving of fries. It might sound unconventional, but sitting down together in a local neighbourhood setting is exactly where the solution begins.

The World Health Organisation has officially designated two research hubs within the CAPHRI as WHO Collaborating Centres. This recognition underscores their crucial role in supporting the WHO European Region.

CAPHRI researchers are redefining how we assess the true workforce impact of new healthcare technologies, moving beyond simple time measurements to ensure innovations genuinely support a sustainable workforce.

Demographic shifts force a rethink on aging. Many stay active, yet health changes can impact autonomy and purpose, values central to older adults.

Health economists from various European countries are working closely together on three-year EU project PECUNIA to arrive at a standardised method for the economic assessment of health and health care interventions. 

General practice must change due to an ageing population, staff shortages and growing GP workloads, says researcher Arianne Elissen. Rowan Smeets' PhD research suggests solutions: an innovative data tool, person-centred conversations and targetted follow-up actions.

Digitisation in healthcare has led to an increase in health data. Electronic patient records, billing data, data from administrative and regulatory agencies, and data collected by medical devices and wearables provide a wealth of information.

There is a persistent health gap between South Limburg and the rest of the Netherlands. By 2030, the region aims to have reduced this gap by 25 per cent.

A major reduction in health care costs per patient and shorter waiting lists, plus an increase in patient satisfaction with no detrimental effects on health outcomes. These are the key results of a multi-year trial of an alternative to regular hospital care dubbed 'primary care plus'. 

Despite medical advances, a persistent gap remains between work participation rates for people with chronic conditions and the general population.This enduring disparity signals an urgent need for targeted support to enable healthy, sustained employment.

Dr. Chris Arts is leading a major international study into alternatives to antibiotics, technological solutions and increased awareness of antimicrobial resistance.

The 360°CHILDoc dashboard presents a complete picture of a child’s health situation at a glance. The tool can be accessed by healthcare professionals, parents and young people themselves. 

Chronic pain affects two million people in the Netherlands. Most of them suffer from chronic musculoskeletal pain, with back pain being the most common complaint. These are serious numbers and yet the impact of chronic pain is somewhat overlooked. 

In Limburg, about 200,000 peopleare sitting on the sidelines of the labour market. “Given the labour shortage, this is not good for society and individuals. Working provides structure and social contact, which benefits health.”

Enabling a higher degree of self-management, better control of your disease and a deeper understanding of your symptoms – that, in essence, is the goal of the digital application Myra (My RA) for people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 

The World Health Organisation has officially designated two research hubs within the CAPHRI as WHO Collaborating Centres. This recognition underscores their crucial role in supporting the WHO European Region.

CAPHRI researchers are redefining how we assess the true workforce impact of new healthcare technologies, moving beyond simple time measurements to ensure innovations genuinely support a sustainable workforce.

Despite medical advances, a persistent gap remains between work participation rates for people with chronic conditions and the general population. This enduring disparity signals an urgent need for targeted support to enable healthy, sustained employment.

No, you certainly can’t call the COVID-19 pandemic a gift. “But”, says Christian Hoebe, “the pandemic did confirm to us that we at CAPHRI are on the right track with our transdisciplinary research on viruses and borders.

People with less education and in lower socioeconomic positions have a worse health status than their better-of counterparts.

Programmes to improve employee health often fail to have the desired effect, particularly for workers in manual occupations. Agnes Meershoek and Inge Houkes conduct research on participatory approaches to promoting employee health.

The 360°CHILDoc dashboard presents a complete picture of a child’s health situation at a glance. The tool can be accessed by healthcare professionals, parents and young people themselves. 

Public involvement in research, also known as citizen science, is a very common form of research at CAPHRI. “Citizen science comes in many shapes and forms. We use the term to refer to a form of research in which we really work together with citizens."

There is a persistent health gap between South Limburg and the rest of the Netherlands. By 2030, the region aims to have reduced this gap by 25 per cent.

People who live in the neighbourhood Maastricht-Noordwest tend to be less healthy than average. Researchers at Maastricht University are talking with them about their lives and ways for them to feel healthier.​

Since 2006, CAPHRI and Ethiopian researchers have partnered to boost local research capacity and tackle the nation’s most pressing health goals.

For years, children’s healthcare centres in the Netherlands advised young parents to feed their baby only breast milk for the first six months of life. The reality is a bit more nuanced, according to Carel Thijs.

In 2015, four primary schools in the Parkstad Limburg region embarked on the Healthy Primary School of the Future programme. Their goal was to become schools that don’t just educate children, but also teach them how to live healthy lives.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic plunged the world into turmoil. Which patients were at risk of severe illness? Laure Wynants immediately realised that she, as a statistician, could help them find the answers by identifying accurate prediction models.

There is a persistent health gap between South Limburg and the rest of the Netherlands. By 2030, the region aims to have reduced this gap by 25 per cent.

A major reduction in health care costs per patient and shorter waiting lists, plus an increase in patient satisfaction with no detrimental effects on health outcomes. These are the key results of a multi-year trial of an alternative to regular hospital care dubbed 'primary care plus'. 

CAPHRI’s CHILI study has shown that the amount of unnecessary antibiotic prescribing for children can be reduced. Parents who took their child to a GP out-of-hours centre because of a fever were given an interactive information booklet. 

Making a meaningful contribution to people’s health is what drives researchers at the research school CAPHRI at Maastricht University. But it usually takes some time for research to have a real-world effect. Two CAPHRI studies on smoking cessation are an exception to this rule. 

Technology-assisted health interventions are gaining global traction, yet a critical challenge remains: why do many fail to deliver sustained behaviour change?

Dr. Chris Arts is leading a major international study into alternatives to antibiotics, technological solutions and increased awareness of antimicrobial resistance.

From 1 July 2020, all patients in the Netherlands have the right to access their medical information online through their primary care physician. But it will be quite a task for general practices to meet the legal and social requirements. To help GPs with this, a 4-year programme was launched.

Talking about alcohol use helps patients. But how can doctors and other health care providers be encouraged to bring up this topic with their patients? SCALA is investigating whether scaling up an intervention programme for alcohol problems is more effective with municipal action and support.

Doctors and patients making treatment decisions together benefits patients as well as the healthcare system in general. CAPHRI PhD candidates Ruben Sars and Romy Richter are convinced of this.

Making a meaningful contribution to people’s health is what drives researchers at the research school CAPHRI at Maastricht University. But it usually takes some time for research to have a real-world effect. Two CAPHRI studies on smoking cessation are an exception to this rule.