Over the years public accountability procedures to enabe democratic control public money and public values have become increasingly top down burcoratic, administrative, quantitative, rule based procedures with quite some perverse effects. This style is also used when it comes to citizens initiatives and it is a big obstacle for citizens participation. On the basis of a manifesto this project explores the phenomenon ‘’public accountability’’ in the interation between local governance bodies and citizens initiatives and between citizens initiatives and other citizens. We will study 6-8 cases, we will organize master classes

  • May 2018-May 2019.
  • Province of Limburg NL
  • € 98.000

Klasien Horstman, Agnes Meershoek

2018-2021 ’Health in Action; a participatory ethnographic research into work place health promotion for employees with low social economic position (SEP)

(390.000,- ZonMW, ism Kenniscentrum voor Sociale Werkgelegenheid SBCM)

Maastricht University plans to investigate how to include low-skilled workers in the dialogue about a healthy workplace. Thanks to a €600,000 grant from ZonMw and a €90,000 grant from the Knowledge Centre for Social Employability (SBCM), the university can now launch two research projects about healthy work for low-skilled workers. The studies and interventions will be based on open dialogue and participation.

Own voice

There are significant and persistent socioeconomic health differences in the Netherlands, which call for additional efforts to improve the health of low-skilled workers in the workplace. Unfortunately, many of the programmes currently available are not effective for low-skilled workers, as they do not align with the needs, wishes, perceptions and culture of these individuals. In order to improve the resilience and health of these employees, they must be given a say in the development of a healthy workplace.

Health interventions

Researchers Inge Houkes, Angelique de Rijk and Hans Bosma plan to enlist the help of employees and employers from two to four organisations with the aim of creating a toolbox to develop and implement health interventions that are tailored to the experiences and perspectives of low-skilled workers. This study aims to expand the MAastricht Instrument for Sustainable Employability (MAISE), a tool developed as part of a previous research study. Entering into an open dialogue with employees is a priority. Both the methods and its effects will be evaluated closely.

Culture

Agnes Meershoek and Klasien Horstman are conducting a two-year ethnographic research study on the daily culture of employees in two settings: a factory that requires shift work and a sheltered workshop. Together with employees, they will investigate the meaning of health and resilience and find ways to make improvements. The ideas proposed by employees will be implemented and evaluated in practice.

The results of both studies – a dialogue and a participatory approach to improving the health of low-skilled workers – will be implemented in labour organisations nationwide.

2017-2020 - Anneke van Dijk (Post doc)
Supervisors: Trudy van der Weijden, Sandra Beurskens, Klasien Horstman

"Met het goedkeuren van het project door Provinciale Staten Limburg, is ... het grootschalige ontwikkelingsprogramma Limburg Meet (LIME) op het gebied van meten in de zorg gestart.

Meten speelt een essentiële rol in de overgang naar een nieuw zorgstelsel. Met nieuwe en verbeterde meetmethoden kan dure zorg voor mensen met een chronische ziekte verplaatst worden van het ziekenhuis naar eerstelijns zorgverleners of zelfs naar de mensen thuis. Bovendien kunnen met deze slimme meetmethoden chronische aandoeningen voorkomen worden en wordt overbodig meten in de zorg gereduceerd.

  • ZONMW
  • € 393.053

In the context of broader developments with respect to urban health, this project aims to theorize, to empirically investigate and to stimulate the dynamics of citizen participation, intersectoral policies and social resilience in three closely related disadvantaged neighborhoods in Maastricht Northwest.

My research focuses on philosophical-sociological analysis of public health issues at the interface of science, technology and society. My current projects are all rooted in the notion that we are presently facing some rather paradoxical trends in public health. On the one hand, processes of rationalisation are giving rise to a scientific and technological risk culture and a culture of experts. On the other hand, thanks to processes of democratisation, patient/citizen perspectives on health are being acknowledged and the importance of civil society, mediated by new media, is growing.

Gemeente Maastricht

1-1-2016 tot 31-12-2017

2015 - 2018

Funded by Eramus+ with € 865000

2015-2018
Funding: Province Limburg, Municipality Maastricht, Municipality Eijsden

2003-2007
Funding: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Co-applicant.

2002-2005
Funding The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZON MW)

2004-2009
Funding: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)

1999-2004 
Funding: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Co-applicant.

2013-2014  
Funding: Municipality Maastricht, NL

2012 - 2016  
Funding: Health Care Insurance Board (CVZ)

2003 - 2013
Funding: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)

2010 - 2014  
Funding: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW)

2012 - 2015   
Funding: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZON MW)

2011 - 2013  
Funding: National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)