CBIG-SCREEN 2020 - 2015
HPRC is a partner in the CBIG-SCREEN international project in the EU Horizons 2020 Program. It aims to tackle inequality in cervical cancer screening (CCS) continuum. Though CCS program drastically reduce cervical cancer mortality, they remain largely inaccessible and underused by subpopulations of vulnerable women, creating inequality in the European healthcare system. CBIG-SCREEN will create a Europe-wide knowledge framework around barriers to CCS and generate policies, programs, communications and other required services to meet the needs of women.
International Study
Our International Research Network would like to invite you to participate in a web-based online survey. The survey is part of a Northeastern University research study (NU IRB# 20-04-28) "Stories of life during a pandemic" whose purpose is to understand how people are living with and coping with the current COVID-19 pandemic. The survey is available in several languages.
Publications:
“What I thought was so important isn’t really that important”: International perspectives on making meaning during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2021.1981909
Stories of Life during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: A Qualitative Study. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147630
Vollmann, M., Todorova, I., Salewski, C., & Neter, E. (2023). Stresses of COVID-19 and Expectations for the Future Among Women: A Cross Cultural Analysis According to the Femininity/Masculinity Dimension. Cross-Cultural Research. 57(4) doi.org/10.1177/10693971221149783
Guzzardo, M. T., Oshana, J. C., Balkinc, A., & Todorova, I. (2023 In press). “Adapting to a New Reality”: Older Adults’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic. American Journal of Qualitative Research.
COVID RESOURCES
Psychosocial resources and analyses of the 2019-2020 pandemic
American Psychological Association, Division of Health Psychology
American Psychological Association General psychological information on the pandemic
HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE
Improving quality and safety in the hospital: The link between organizational culture, burnout and quality of care (ORCAB) –2009-2014
The project is conducted in cooperation between 9 European countries: Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Ireland and UK. Its aim is to benchmark the organizational and individual factors that impact on quality of care and patient safety, and design bottom-up interventions that both increase quality of care and health professionals’ well being; to develop a network for hospital managers and associated stakeholders for the communication of interventions aimed at improving quality of care in hospitals. The project includes a qualitative study (focus-groups and interviews with health professionals and patients; ethnographic observations in the hospitals), an extensive survey and action research.
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Psychosocial aspects of infertility and assisted reproductive technologies: 2004 – present
The Health Psychology Research Center is conducting on-going work on the discourses and experiences of infertility and assisted reproduction in Bulgaria. Following the results of the first study on psychosocial aspects, social discourses and women's resistive voices towards involuntary childlessness in Bulgaria, we continued with research on the social and psychological meanings of assisted reproduction, The aim of this research is to discuss the experiences of women facing infertility and infertility treatment in Bulgaria, and provider’s opinions regarding treatment. We have also covered ethical aspects of assisted reproduction, as well as the policies and regulations regarding use of assisted reproductive technologies. An additional study with healthcare providers of ARTs was conducted in order to provide information on the perceptions of medical specialists to the processes that are taking place in the country and their attitudes to the changing regulations.
Funded by the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), USA
MENTAL HEALTH
Preventing Depression and Improving Awareness through Networking in the EU (PREDI-NU) – 2011-2014; EU Second Health Programme Project
Continuing the mission of the European Alliance Against Depression -EAAD (project, funded by the European Commission), PREDI-NU aimed to improve access of depressed people to professional help and to further develop and strengthen multidisciplinary networks of professionals working in health and community services. Thus the main aims of the project are: 1) To improve the care for depressed and suicidal patients through the provision of internet-based self-management interventions for depression (intended mainly for people with mild forms of depression); 2) To improve the early identification of depression and related mental health difficulties through the development of a depression awareness training programme for health care professionals, in particular GPs, and community facilitators working with young people. The team includes partners from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and UK.
PREVENTION
Psychosocial, Political and Gendered Dimensions of Preventive Technologies in Bulgaria and Romania: HPV Vaccine Implementation - 2010-2012
The objective of the study is to delineate the dimensions of the social debate being evoked in the processes of introducing the HPV vaccine in two Eastern European countries - Bulgaria and Romania (Romanian partner in the project: Department of Psychology, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca). The perspectives of policymakers, pharmaceutical companies, health care providers and women/parents on introducing the HPV vaccine are examined through a combination of historical, documentary, media and interview analysis.
Funded by the National Council for Eurasian and East European Research (NCEEER), USA
Evaluation of the European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA) Information Brochures – 2009-2011
The project aims to evaluate the readability, quality and reliability of four health promotion brochures, informing women about all aspects of cervical cancer prevention, and to adapt their content to the Bulgarian general public. The brochures are developed by ECCA and are translated in Bulgarian by medical specialists. The Health Psychology Research Center developed a questionnaire and methodology for evaluation of these printed materials. The brochures were assessed by Bulgarian women of different age, different educational and social status, and different ethnic and religious background. Seven group discussions were organized in cooperation with the network of community centers “Chitalishte” and conducted in different parts of the country.
Funded by ECCA- http://www.ecca.info/
Effectiveness of the Dialogue between Medical Professionals and Oncological Patients – 2009
The aim of the project was to analyze the attitudes and expectations of medical professionals and oncological patients regarding communication and to propose particular steps for improvement of the dialogue between the two groups. One hundred thirty-five medical professionals and 105 patients from different parts of the country participated in a study, inquiring into the issues of informed consent and informed choice, time for communication, responsibility for decision making, organizational difficulties, respect, self-evaluation of communicative skills, and psychological support.
Funded by the Association of Oncological Patients and Friends, Bulgaria
European Cancer Health Indicator Project 2 (EUROCHIP 2): The Action – 2004-2008
European Cancer Health Indicator Project 3 (EUROCHIP 3): Common Action – 2008-2011
EUROCHIP focuses on fighting inequalities in cancer. Its aim is to improve information and knowledge on cancer. It will add value to each country’s and all Europe’s action through data comparison. EUROCHIP-1 (2001-2003) delivered the list of Cancer Health Indicators for the cancer domains of Prevention, Screening, and Care. EUROCHIP-2 “the Action” acted as a network of networks, agencies, institutions, policy makers, medical associations and patients groups, to promote actions aimed at reducing inequality gaps in cancer information across the EU, aiming towards a European Cancer Health Information system. With EUROCHIP-3 “Common Action” the network takes EU cancer information one step forward and it investigates 4 cancer information areas (i.e. cervical cancer screening in Eastern Europe, EU cancer registration, information on survivorship, information on cancer costs & outcome) that are binding for the cancer control strategy of the EU as a whole.
EUROCHIP-2 in Bulgaria is led by the Bulgarian National Cancer Registry; the Health Psychology Research Center cooperated to assessed the information level and readiness for implementation of organized population-based cervical cancer screening in Bulgaria by exploring the views of specialists in gynecology and oncology, health managers and policy makers. In EUROCHIP-3 the National Cancer Registry in collaboration with the Health Psychology Research Center are participating in the activities of the group for cervical cancer prevention and are responsible for the evaluation of the project
Funded by the European Commission, Public Health Programme, Health Consumer Protection, Directorate-General; & by the Public Health Executive Agency, European Commission
Health systems and psychosocial aspects of cervical cancer screening in Bulgaria and Romania – 2004-2010
The aim of the project is to identify the determinants of screening and to discuss their implications for the development of educational initiatives, screening programs and for increasing women’s access to the latter. The psychosocial part of the study provides information on the socioeconomic screening disparities, attitudes, and risk perception of women regarding cervical cancer screening. The health systems’ aspect elicits the key health care system elements required for an effective implementation of cervical cancer screening. The project includes a nationally representative survey with women, in-depth interviews with medical providers, women and key informants, as well as focus groups with medical providers. It was conducted in collaboration with Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and EngenderHealth, USA.
Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through EngenderHealth and the Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention
YOUTH
Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC): a WHO affiliated study 2004 – 2018
Bulgaria joined the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) international network in 2004. Our team includes researchers from the Health Psychology Research Center and the Institute for Population and Human Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences . HBSC is a unique cross-national research study, initiated in 1982, and shortly afterwards adopted by WHO as a WHO collaborative study. HBSC aims to gain new insight and increased understanding of health behaviours, risk behaviours, health outcomes, and their social context in young people aged 11, 13 and 15.
Funded by:
The Jacobs Foundation, Switzerland (2005 – 2007)
The National Science Fund at the Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria (2006-2010)
The World Health Organization – Regional Office for Europe (2008)
UNICEF Bulgaria 2017-2018
