Nivel researcher Anouk van Duinkerken wins the Ferenc Bojan Young Investigator Award 2024 at the EPH Conference in Lisbon

The Ferenc Bojan Young Investigator Award is an award for ‘the best abstract and oral presentation’ for researchers under the age of 35. Anouk van Duinkerken examined the prevalence of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the COVID pandemic. As a basis, she used data from the Integrated Health Monitor COVID-19, of which Nivel is part. She also compared pandemic-related and traditional shocking events and their relationship to the prevalence of PTSD.

Van Duinkerken's abstract, Pandemic-related PTSD and associated risk factors in the general adult population in the Netherlands, was recently published in the European Journal of Public Health. The award was presented at the de 17th European Public Health (EPH) Conference in Lisbon, organized by the European Public Health Association (EUPHA), under the motto ‘Sailing the waves of European public health: exploring a sea of innovation’.

PTSD as likely to be related to pandemic-related events as to traditional events

Van Duinkerken's research suggests that exposure to pandemic-related shocking events was as likely to underlie PTSD as traditional shocking events, of which five types were included in the research. While pandemic-related events were reported more frequently, traditional events were associated with a relatively higher prevalence of symptoms of PTSD.

About the data sources used in the study

For her research on the prevalence of PTSD, Anouk used data from the Integral Health Monitor COVID-19, a five-year program on physical and psychological health effects of the corona crisis on individuals. The monitoring covers 365,000 Dutch adults, representative of the general adult population. It is featured by GOR Network, consisting of Nivel, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), local Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs), GGD GHOR Nederland (the national organisation of the GGDs and Regional Medical Assistance Organisations) and ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre. The insights help policymakers take effective action in this and subsequent, similar crises. PTSD symptoms were measured with the Dutch version of the screening instrument PCL-5.

About the Ferenc Bojan Young Investigators Award

Since 1997, EUPHA has established a Ferenc Bojan award in memory of the EUPHA president who tragically died in a car accident in Hungary in February 1997. Bojan recognized the need for a modern, international approach to public health and ensured that Hungarian Public Health Association was incorporated into the broader European public health community EUPHA. Subsequently, he was elected EUPHA president and directed the admittance of several other European countries to EUPHA.
During the annual EPH Conference, five young professionals (under the age of 35) with the highest scoring abstracts are invited to present their abstract. A small committee evaluates the abstract in combination with the presentation and during a final session the winner of the Ferenc Bojan Prize is announced. We congratulate Anouk on winning this prestigious prize!