Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)

Coronavirus News & Updates

During the international public health emergency, the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) at the University of Bern provides information and resources about the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic for scientists, public health experts, journalists and the public.

ISPM leads NRP 78 «Covid-19» project project to investigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health

Georgia Salanti's proposal for «A continuously updated meta-ecological study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, alcohol/substance abuse and violence in the general population» is now funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Swiss Epidemiology Winter School 2021 – Program out now

The program of the Swiss Epidemiology Winter School 2021 has been finalized. The details can be found on our website and will be added gradually.
We currently assume that we will be able to run the Winter School in 2021. Should this not be possible due to official measures to prevent Covid-19, it is possible to cancel the event.
The registration opens on 31 August at noon.

Tweets von @unibern

exit strategies illustration - street with people

Lockdown exit strategies must treat health and economy as equally important, argue researchers

Strategies for the safe reopening of low and middle-income countries (LMICs) from months of strict social distancing in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic must recognise that preserving people’s health is as important as reviving the economy, argue an international team of researchers.

Clinical Research Collaboration on Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

The BEAT-PCD (Better Experimental Approaches to Treat Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia) Clinical Research Collaboration (CRC) is one of the three new CRCs funded in 2020 by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) after a successful application of Dr Amelia Shoemark from the University of Dundee and Dr Myrofora Goutaki from ISPM Bern. It is a pan-European network of clinicians and scientists committed to promoting clinical, translational research and education in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD).

ISPM represented on Medicus Mundi Switzerland Executive Board

Per von Groote from the HIV, Hepatitis and Tuberculosis research group was elected to the Executive Board of the Medicus Mundi Switzerland.

Editor's Choice Award for article «COVID-19: The forgotten priorities of the pandemic»

The article “COVID-19: The forgotten priorities of the pandemic”, written by ISPM PhD student Cristina Mesa Vieira and Professors Oscar Franco and Thomas Abel jointly with Professor Carlos Gomez (Javeriana University, Colombia), has been awarded the Editor's Choice for the June Edition of Maturitas (Vol. 136).

New searchable living evidence in COVID-19 Open Access project

Overwhelmed by 300+ new articles per day on COVID-19? Are you doing a systematic review? Our living evidence resources are getting better all the time. Now you can search the COVID-19 Open Access project and download your results.

COVID-19 infections in people with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia: an online patient-initiated study

Support organizations for people with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) from all over the world collaborate with the University of Bern for a new study on
COVID-19 infections in people with PCD. The study is led by Claudia Kuehni from ISPM Bern and is now open for participation. It is an online-based questionnaire study to investigate incidence and disease course of COVID-19 in people with a rare chronic lung disease, PCD. Questionnaires are currently available in German and English.

Online event: Gender Equality, Power and Participation during a Pandemic Crisis

The current coronavirus outbreak risks to have higher economic and social impacts for women by slowing down efforts to address gender inequality across the world.

Dynamic measures against the coronavirus examined

An alternating cycle of suppression interventions and relaxation could offer a pragmatic strategy - particularly for developing countries - to prevent health systems from being overloaded while reducing the economical and societal burden. This is illustrated in an international study with significant participation by the Institute for Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM).

Map showing estimated risk of childhood CNS tumors in Switzerland for the period 1985–2015. The color scale indicates how much higher (or lower) the cancer risk was compared to the national average. A value of 1 indicates the national average, while, for example, 1.2 indicates a higher risk by 20%. The map shows he variation remaining after accounting for several factors such as degree of urbanization (urban, rural, intermediate), socio-economic position, language region, traffic-related air pollution and natural background radiation.

The geography of childhood cancer in Switzerland

Researchers from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bern investigated the spatial distribution of childhood cancer risks in Switzerland for the period 1985-2015. They found evidence of increased risks in certain areas, particularly for brain tumors. The researchers conclude that the search for the causes of brain tumors in children be intensified.

Specially Designed Footwear Reduces Pain of Knee Osteoarthritis

First randomized clinical trial introduces new approach for treating the disease. Wearing shoes specifically designed with a novel sole (biomechanical footwear) significantly reduces the pain associated with knee osteoarthritis.

EU support for research to reduce the impact of coronavirus

As part of a European consortium, researchers from the University of Bern are investigating the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, how dangerous it is and what measures are effective in containing the pandemic. The EU research framework programme «Horizon 2020» is supporting the consortium's EpiPose project with a total of three million euros.”

Swiss National COVID-19 Task Force

Coronavirus: The federal government has set up a scientific advisory board, chaired by Prof. Matthias Egger, President of the National Research Council of the SNSF and research group head at ISPM

COVID-19: The forgotten priorities of the pandemic

Researchers from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) in Bern, Switzerland and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, highlight four key aspects that currently might not be in the top list of priorities regarding the pandemic of COVID-19 but that need special attention: side effects of social distancing and isolation, misinformation, attention to specific vulnerable populations and individuals’ wellbeing.

Sex-disaggregation of epi data to better understand the epidemic

CNN reports that men appear to be at much higher risk of dying of COVID-19. Why do more men seem to be dying from the novel coronavirus than women?

ESTHER Alliance for Global Health Partnerships: Webinars about COVID-19

Every Friday at 1:00 pm, GMT, the ESTHER Alliance for Global Health Partnerships organizes a webinar about COVID-19. This series of webinars hosts Global Health experts from different parts of the world to discuss aspects of COVID-19. The webinars are being prepared on behalf of ESTHER Alliance for Global Health Partnerships, ESTHER Ireland and Irish Global Health Network.

ISPM researchers granted CHF 500'000 for understanding the role of noncaloric sweeteners on microbiome and cardiometabolic risk in women undergoing menopause

Professor Oscar Franco, Director of ISPM and Dr. Taulant Muka, leader of the Cardiometabolic Research Group at ISPM, were awarded a «Spirit Grant» by the Swiss National Science Foundation to run a 3-year joint project.

Coronavirus: Colombia, a tres semanas de Italia. Todavía hay tiempo de actuar!!

Berna, Bogotá y Medellín, 18 de marzo de 2020. Epidemiólogos colombianos del Instituto de Medicina Social y Preventiva (ISPM) de la Universidad de Berna, en Suiza, de la Universidad de Antioquia, de la Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud (FUCS) y de la Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá, liderados por el Director del ISPM, el Profesor Oscar Franco utilizan los más recientes métodos matemáticos disponibles para predecir el curso del COVID-19 en Colombia.

Fogarty-IeDEA Mentorship Program (FIMP)

In collaboration with the Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the US National Institutes of Health, six International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) regions working in low- and middle-income countries have created the Fogarty-IeDEA Mentorship Program. ISPM will be host to FIMP mentees for the IeDEA Southern African region.

Average annual mean 8h-max O3 illustration

Daily exposure to ozone pollution associated to increased risk of death

An international study confirms the link between daily exposure to ground level ozone and mortality risk worldwide. This new study published in The BMJ represents the largest investigation of its kind, assessing almost 50 million deaths from over 400 cities in 20 countries across the world, in which Switzerland is included.

Coronavirus outbreak in China

ISPM researchers used computer simulations to analyze the early transmission pattern of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in Wuhan, China. The findings indicate the potential for sustained human-to-human transmission.

Estimated life expectancy at age 50 years with and without cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and/or type 2 diabetes

Healthy habits extend our lives

Healthy habits extend our lives. People with five healthy habits – persons who never smoke, have a normal body weight, a healthy diet, and low alcohol consumption, and who exercise regularly – live longer. And as a study by an international team of researchers from the US, China, the Netherlands, and Switzerland that was just published in BMJ shows, they also live better.

CAS in Sex- and Gender-Specific Medicine - Registration open

The first course of advanced studies in Sex- and Gender-Specific Medicine starts in May 2020. Registration is now open.

Winter School 2020: Free places available

Due to cancellations, there are free places available in the Winter School 2020.

ESTHER Switzerland is opening a new Call for Proposals

ESTHER Switzerland is a network that engages Swiss hospitals and other health institutions in effective and sustainable North-South partnerships. Since 2016, the ESTHER Switzerland Secretariat is hosted by the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) in Bern.

Highlighting HIV and cancer in commemoration of World AIDS Day

Results from a collaborative research between the ISPM and the South African National Cancer Registry has resulted in a nationwide campaign on HIV and cancer in South Africa.

Strengthening the cooperation ISPM, Bern and Harvard

On December 11, 2019, Oscar Franco, Director of ISPM Bern will be giving a seminar at the Harvard T.H. Chan school of Public Health, co-sponsored by the departments of epidemiology and nutrition.

Uniform and complete cancer registration in Switzerland

The Cancer Registration Act enters into force on 1 January 2020. Press release of the National Agency of Cancer Registration (NACR) and the Childhood Cancer Registry (ChCR).

Innovative Teaching at ISPM

ISPM not only does innovative research, but innovative teaching, too. The ISPM Teaching Office joined the University of Bern's Promoting Innovative Teaching (FIL) project and received funding to develop and implement an adaptive online quiz for medical students in their fifth year.

CAS in Clinical Research in Health Care Organisations – registration open

The next course of advanced studies in clinical research starts with the kickoff meeting on the 23rd of April 2020. Registration is now open.

GHS Symposium 2019 Best Poster winner

Virginia Chiocchia, PhD student in the Evidence Synthesis Methods group at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), won the Prize for Best Poster at the 11th Symposium GHS held at Parkhotel Gunten on 19th and 20th November 2019.

Four ISPM Professors among the list of Highly Cited Researchers 2018

Professors Georgia Salanti, Matthias Egger, Marcel Zwahlen and Oscar H. Franco from ISPM Bern have been included in the 2018 list of world’s most influential researchers.

5 day course «Applied Logistic Regression» with Prof. Stanley Lemeshow and Dr. Ben Spycher

We are pleased to announce the 5day-course Applied Logistic Regression by Stanley Lemeshow and Ben Spycher taking place March 9-13, 2020 here in Bern.

Network meta-analyses: why, what, and how.

Interview with Georgia Salanti at the Effective Statistician.

Symposium «Clinical data for paediatric research: the Swiss approach»

Date 5./6.12.2019 – Front-line clinicians, paediatric researchers, families, and healthcare system strategizers in Switzerland need immediate access to real world data from electronic health records so they can conduct high quality research that will answer emerging questions in paediatrics and then implement their findings to improve paediatric health care.

The new Climate Change & Health research group at ISPM has just started

Our new research group on Climate Change and Health, led by Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera, has just been launched. The group will investigate the impacts of climate change on health, with particular focus on the evaluation of adaptation strategies, mitigation policies and air pollution co-benefits.

SSPH+ ScienceFlashTalk Winner

Serra Lem Asangbeh, PhD student at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), won the 2019 SSPH+ ScienceFlashTalk Award at the Swiss Public Health Conference in Winterthur on 28 August 2019.

SNSF Ambizione Grant on upper airways disease in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia

Myrofora Goutaki has been awarded a Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione grant to characterise and provide first evidence for the management of upper airways disease in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia in a large multi-national project.

Georgia Salanti was elected president of the Society for Research Synthesis Methodology

The Society for Research Synthesis Methodology is a cross disciplinary society that supports and promotes the development and use of innovative and robust methods of research synthesis and publishes the journal Research Synthesis Methods.

Read this before it’s out of date: Zika Open Access Project in @NatureIndex

Living systematic reviews can keep up to date with research on Zika virus, a fast-moving field. Journalist Jon Brock features the PhD project of ISPM PhD student Michel Counotte «Zika virus: causality, open science and risks of emerging infectious diseases»

Two new PhD students in Sexual and Reproductive Health

Diana Buitrago won a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship and a SSPH+ GlobalP3HS Fellowship to study «The science of prevalence». Ranjana Gigi won a Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences MD-PhD award to study «Genital tract infections, the vaginal microbiome and preterm birth in South Africa».

National Strategy against Cancer – «every number is being used»

The Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry (SCCR) – a success story since its foundation in 1976. A challenge with the cancer registration law coming into force in 2020.

Open spaces available in course «Prognostic Research: Concepts and Models»

Course date: 21–23 August 2019 - Prognostic research is fundamental to clinical decision making, healthcare policy, and discovering new approaches to patient management. In this course we describe the basic concepts used to develop, validate, and implement a prognostic model in clinical practice and discuss how a web-based calculator might be constructed to give a useful decision-making tool.

Professor Oscar H Franco appointed as Adjunct Professor at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Professor Oscar H Franco, Director of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) in Bern, has been appointed as Adjunct Professor at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Workshop «Infectious Disease Surveillance»

This workshop will take place November 25th, 2019 and provide an overview of the current state in the field of infectious disease surveillance, from the perspective of both data collection and data analysis.

Suicide ideation continues to be high in Swiss young adults

Suicide ideation is a well-known risk factor contributing to early mortality in young adults. The long-term project, «Young Adult Survey Switzerland» (YASS) 2014/15 has shown that the proportion of Swiss young men with suicidal thoughts has since 2010/11 remained fairly stable, and high, at about 12%.

Agreement on joint academic and scientific activities focused on cardiovascular disease prevention

The Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) and the University of Bern signed an agreement with the Federal State Budgetary Organization National Cardiology Research Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The objective of this agreement is to develop joint academic and scientific activities mainly focused on cardiovascular disease prevention.

Global disparities in cervical cancer rates among women with HIV

A study by an international group of researchers led by a team at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, found that the incidence rates of cervical cancer are particularly high among women living with HIV in South Africa or Latin America.