The Role of European Schools and University Departments of Public Health in the 2020 COVID-19 Response, European Region, 2020

Objective: The main objective was to examine, how European Schools of Public Health (SPHs) responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through 2020, across the main activity domains of the SPHs.Methods: A cross-sectional survey based on an online questionnaire concerning the anti-COVID-19 activities from 1st...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ariane Bauernfeind, Anders Foldspang, Alberto Fernandez-Ajuria, Robert Otok, John Middleton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-10-01
Series:International Journal of Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2021.1604138/full
Description
Summary:Objective: The main objective was to examine, how European Schools of Public Health (SPHs) responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through 2020, across the main activity domains of the SPHs.Methods: A cross-sectional survey based on an online questionnaire concerning the anti-COVID-19 activities from 1st March to 31st October 2020 of the 117 members of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER). The questionnaire asked about 33 sub-themes within the four main themes of teaching, health communication to the public, research, and consultancy/advice.Results: Fifty-nine SPHs (50%) completed the questionnaire. Seventy-nine per cent of participants were involved in COVID-19 related teaching; health communication to the public, 76%; research, 80%; consultancy/advice, 81%. Eight out of ten participants had been involved in all of the four main themes.Conclusion: The study demonstrated a substantial body of COVID-19 related work by SPHs in Europe, and an outstanding potential to deliver crucial knowledge and skills to support the governance and the public health systems necessary to combat COVID-19.
ISSN:1661-8564