Niko Speybroeck
Datos Biográficos
| ID | 6160796 |
|---|---|
| NOMBRE | Niko Speybroeck |
| NOMBRES | Niko |
| APELLIDO | Speybroeck |
| FIRMA | SPEYBROECK N |
| AFILIACIONES | UCLouvain |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3322-3502 |
| VERIFICADO | Sí |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 31 |
| TOTAL DE CITAS | 24 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 31 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2006 |
| AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 2 |
Spatio-temporal modelling of Covid-19 infection and associated risk factors in Dakar, Senegal
Infectious diseases are a major threat to global health and economy and the recent COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of this. Appropriate modelling and accurate prediction of the outcome of disease spread over time and across space are critical steps towards informed development of effective strategies for public health interventions. In low and middle-income countries, however, the scarcity of spatially disaggregated time-series infectious …
Years of Life Lost due to the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal
Information on Years of Life Lost (YLL) is instrumental in determining the mortality impact of disasters at the population level. YLL due to the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal, along with associated demographic disparities, has not yet been systematically studied. We therefore estimated YLL due to the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal and examined disparities by age, sex, and district. Earthquake-specific deaths were sourced from the 2017 Nepal Po…
Em-Dat
The Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) compiles global disaster data resulting from technological and natural hazards. EM-DAT details the human and economic impacts from 1900 to present, with systematic recording since 1988. Serving the humanitarian, disaster risk reduction, and academic sectors, EM-DAT's transition to open access and climate change concerns have expanded its reach and visibility. The dataset, freely available for non-commercial …
What makes an epidemic a disaster
This article offers valuable insights into epidemic disasters, a topic previously underdefined in the literature, thereby enhancing understanding for policymakers and public health professionals
Global hotspots of climate-related disasters
Trajectories of health behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic
AIM: This study aimed to investigate the associations between health behavior adherence and psychological factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on identifying trajectories of handwashing, mask wearing, social contact limitations, and physical distancing. METHODS: We employed a multi-trajectory group-based approach to analyze data from 6026 Belgian residents, including 60% women, with an average age of 52.65. Data were coll…
Schools of public health as a cornerstone for pandemic preparedness and response
Sociodemographic and socioeconomic disparities in Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Belgium
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have identified important social inequalities in SARS-CoV-2 infections and related COVID-19 outcomes in the Belgian population. The aim of our study was to investigate the sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine in Belgium. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the uptake of a first COVID-19 vaccine dose among 5 342 110 adults (≥18 years) in Belgium…
Covid-19 contact tracing at work in Belgium - how tracers tweak guidelines for the better
Our study indicates that contact tracers did not apply pre-defined criteria for classifying high and low risk contacts. Risk stratification by contact tracers predicts who is at risk of infection better than guidelines only. This result indicates that a knowledgeable tracer can target testing better than a general guideline, asking for a debate on how to adapt the guidelines
The direct disease burden of Covid-19 in Belgium in 2020 and 2021
COVID-19 had a substantial impact on population health in Belgium, especially in 2020, when COVID-19 would have been the main cause of disease burden if all other causes had maintained their 2019 level
Lyme borreliosis in Belgium
We estimate the total annual direct medical costs, direct non-medical and indirect non-medical costs associated with LB to exceed €5.5 million per year, almost evenly distributed between EM (40%) and disseminated/late LB (60%). EM costs 26 times less per patient but occurs also 16 times more frequently than disseminated/late LB. The cost burden remains limited by comparison to other infectious diseases due to the relative lower incidence
Belgian population norms for the EQ-5D-5L, 2018
This paper presents the first nationally representative Belgian population norms using the EQ-5D-5L. Inclusion of the EQ-5D in future surveys will allow monitoring over time of self-reported health, disease burden, and health inequalities
The direct cost of disability of community-dwelling older persons in Belgium
Current policies aim to promote and develop community-based support of disabled elderly persons, yet knowledge of the cost implications is insufficient. Thus, we aimed to estimate, for three disability profiles and three presence levels of the main informal carer (none, non-cohabitant, cohabitant), the cost of formal and informal support currently provided at home in Belgium. In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 5,642 disabled elderly perso…
Socioeconomic factors contributing to under-five mortality in sub-Saharan Africa
Factors related to socioeconomic status exert varied effects on the variability in U5M in sub-Saharan African countries. The findings provide evidence in support of prioritizing intersectoral interventions aiming at improving child survival in all subgroups of a population
Monitoring health inequalities when the socio-economic composition changes
If improving the educational attainment is part of a policy, an upwards shift of EL should be assessed as a progress; however the RII, and to a lesser extent the SII, frequently translate an increased EL4 share as a worsening. We warn against the use of SII and RII for monitoring inequality-tackling policies at changing socio-economic structures. Rather, we recommend to complement the assessment of changes in absolute and relative pairwise differ…
Effectiveness of a Malaria Surveillance Strategy Based on Active Case Detection during High Transmission Season in the Peruvian Amazon
Background: Faced with the resurgence of malaria, malaria surveillance in the Peruvian Amazon incorporated consecutive active case detection (ACD) interventions using light microscopy (LM) as reactive measure in communities with an unusual high number of cases during high transmission season (HTS). We assessed the effectiveness in malaria detection of this local ACD-based strategy. Methods: A cohort study was conducted in June−July 2015 in Mazan,…
Changes in health in Belgium, 1990–2016
Belgium's ranking among the EU15 in terms of AS YLL and DALY rates decreased from 1990 to 2016. Significant health gains appear possible by acting on risk factors directly linked to a significant part of the Belgian burden of diseases, i.e., alcohol and tobacco consumption, and high body mass index. National burden of disease estimates can help defining Belgian health targets and are necessary as external validity of GBD results is not always gua…
Risk Factors for Mortality among Adult HIV/Aids Patients Following Antiretroviral Therapy in Southwestern Ethiopia
Introduction: Efforts have been made to reduce HIV/AIDS-related mortality by delivering antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment. However, HIV patients in resource-poor settings are still dying, even if they are on ART treatment. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with HIV/AIDS-related mortality in Southwestern Ethiopia. Method: A non-concurrent retrospective cohort study which collected data from the clinical records of adult HIV/A…
Long-Lasting Insecticide Net Ownership, Access and Use in Southwest Ethiopia
Introduction : A large proportion of the Ethiopian population (approximately 68%) lives in malaria risk areas. Millions of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) have been distributed as part of the malaria prevention and control strategy in the country. This study assessed the ownership, access and use of LLNs in the malaria endemic southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in southwest Ethiopia du…
Excess mortality in refugees, internally displaced persons and resident populations in complex humanitarian emergencies (1998–2012) – insights from operational data
Aid agencies report the highest excess mortality rates among IDPs, followed by resident populations. In absolute terms however, due to their high share in the total number of people at risk, residents are likely to account for most of the excess deaths in today's emergencies. Further research is needed to clarify whether the low estimates of excess mortality in refugees are the result of successful humanitarian interventions or due to limitations…
A comparison of hierarchical cluster analysis and league table rankings as methods for analysis and presentation of district health system performance data in Uganda
In 2003, the Uganda Ministry of Health introduced the district league table for district health system performance assessment. The league table presents district performance against a number of input, process and output indicators and a composite index to rank districts. This study explores the use of hierarchical cluster analysis for analysing and presenting district health systems performance data and compares this approach with the use of the …
Disability weights for the Global Burden of Disease 2013 study
BACKGROUND: The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study assesses health losses from diseases, injuries, and risk factors using disability-adjusted life-years, which need a set of disability weights to quantify health levels associated with non-fatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to estimate disability weights for the GBD 2013 study. METHODS: We analysed data from new web-based surveys of participants aged 18-65 years, completed in four E…
World Health Organization Global Estimates and Regional Comparisons of the Burden of Foodborne Disease in 2010
Illness and death from diseases caused by contaminated food are a constant threat to public health and a significant impediment to socio-economic development worldwide. To measure the global and regional burden of foodborne disease (FBD), the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), which here reports their first estimates of the incidence, mortality, and disease burden due to 3…
Quantifying burden of disease to support public health policy in Belgium
Routine quantification of disease burden in terms of DALYs would provide a significant added value to evidence-based public health policy in Belgium, although some hurdles need to be cleared
Decomposing Kenyan socio-economic inequalities in skilled birth attendance and measles immunization
Both health care indicators require a broad strengthening of health systems with a special focus on disadvantaged sub-groups
Decomposing malnutrition inequalities between Scheduled Castes and Tribes and the remaining Indian population
The use of Oaxaca type decomposition can be very useful when studying ethnic inequalities in health as it explicitly allows for discriminatory or behavioral effects. The results did not point to discrimination against ST/SC regarding health care or education. However, in the quest to increase health care use and education among ST/SC, policy makers will have to take into account all the barriers to these services, including those related to cultu…
Contributing determinants of overall and wealth-related inequality in under-5 mortality in 13 African countries
OBJECTIVE: To investigate and compare the main determinants of overall inequality and wealth-related inequality in under-5 mortality in 13 African countries. METHODS: Data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2007-2010 in African countries were used. The study assessed the contribution of determinants to (1) overall inequality in under-5 mortality measured by the Gini index and (2) wealth-related inequality in under-5 mortality measur…
Sociodemographic and socioeconomic disparities in Covid-19 vaccine uptake in Belgium
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have identified important social inequalities in SARS-CoV-2 infections and related COVID-19 outcomes in the Belgian population. The aim of our study was to investigate the sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine in Belgium. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the uptake of a first COVID-19 vaccine dose among 5 342 110 adults (≥18 years) in Belgium…
Socioeconomic factors, ethnicity and alcohol-related mortality in regions in Slovakia. What might a tree analysis add to our understanding
Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality in Iran
BACKGROUND: Although measuring socioeconomic inequality in population health indicators like infant mortality is important, more interesting for policy purposes is to try to explain infant mortality inequality. The objective of this paper is to quantify for the first time the determinants' contributions of socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality in Iran. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of 108 875 live births from October 1990 to …
Malnutrition and the disproportional burden on the poor
Child malnutrition in Ghana is a multisectoral problem. The factors associated with average malnutrition rates are not necessarily the same as those associated with socioeconomic inequality in malnutrition
Decomposing malnutrition inequalities between Scheduled Castes and Tribes and the remaining Indian population
The use of Oaxaca type decomposition can be very useful when studying ethnic inequalities in health as it explicitly allows for discriminatory or behavioral effects. The results did not point to discrimination against ST/SC regarding health care or education. However, in the quest to increase health care use and education among ST/SC, policy makers will have to take into account all the barriers to these services, including those related to cultu…
Socioeconomic factors, ethnicity and alcohol-related mortality in regions in Slovakia. What might a tree analysis add to our understanding
Predictors of condom use and refusal among the population of Free State province in South Africa
The use of complementary modelling techniques such as CT in addition to logistic regressions adds to a better understanding of condom use and refusal. Further improvement in correct and consistent use of condoms will require targeted interventions. In addition to existing social marketing campaigns, tailored approaches should focus on establishing the perceived need for condom-use and improving skills for correct use. They should also incorporate…
Decomposing Kenyan socio-economic inequalities in skilled birth attendance and measles immunization
Both health care indicators require a broad strengthening of health systems with a special focus on disadvantaged sub-groups
Contributing determinants of overall and wealth-related inequality in under-5 mortality in 13 African countries
OBJECTIVE: To investigate and compare the main determinants of overall inequality and wealth-related inequality in under-5 mortality in 13 African countries. METHODS: Data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2007-2010 in African countries were used. The study assessed the contribution of determinants to (1) overall inequality in under-5 mortality measured by the Gini index and (2) wealth-related inequality in under-5 mortality measur…
Quantifying burden of disease to support public health policy in Belgium
Routine quantification of disease burden in terms of DALYs would provide a significant added value to evidence-based public health policy in Belgium, although some hurdles need to be cleared
Disability weights for the Global Burden of Disease 2013 study
BACKGROUND: The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study assesses health losses from diseases, injuries, and risk factors using disability-adjusted life-years, which need a set of disability weights to quantify health levels associated with non-fatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to estimate disability weights for the GBD 2013 study. METHODS: We analysed data from new web-based surveys of participants aged 18-65 years, completed in four E…
World Health Organization Global Estimates and Regional Comparisons of the Burden of Foodborne Disease in 2010
Illness and death from diseases caused by contaminated food are a constant threat to public health and a significant impediment to socio-economic development worldwide. To measure the global and regional burden of foodborne disease (FBD), the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), which here reports their first estimates of the incidence, mortality, and disease burden due to 3…
Excess mortality in refugees, internally displaced persons and resident populations in complex humanitarian emergencies (1998–2012) – insights from operational data
Aid agencies report the highest excess mortality rates among IDPs, followed by resident populations. In absolute terms however, due to their high share in the total number of people at risk, residents are likely to account for most of the excess deaths in today's emergencies. Further research is needed to clarify whether the low estimates of excess mortality in refugees are the result of successful humanitarian interventions or due to limitations…
A comparison of hierarchical cluster analysis and league table rankings as methods for analysis and presentation of district health system performance data in Uganda
In 2003, the Uganda Ministry of Health introduced the district league table for district health system performance assessment. The league table presents district performance against a number of input, process and output indicators and a composite index to rank districts. This study explores the use of hierarchical cluster analysis for analysing and presenting district health systems performance data and compares this approach with the use of the …
Risk Factors for Mortality among Adult HIV/Aids Patients Following Antiretroviral Therapy in Southwestern Ethiopia
Introduction: Efforts have been made to reduce HIV/AIDS-related mortality by delivering antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment. However, HIV patients in resource-poor settings are still dying, even if they are on ART treatment. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with HIV/AIDS-related mortality in Southwestern Ethiopia. Method: A non-concurrent retrospective cohort study which collected data from the clinical records of adult HIV/A…
Long-Lasting Insecticide Net Ownership, Access and Use in Southwest Ethiopia
Introduction : A large proportion of the Ethiopian population (approximately 68%) lives in malaria risk areas. Millions of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) have been distributed as part of the malaria prevention and control strategy in the country. This study assessed the ownership, access and use of LLNs in the malaria endemic southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in southwest Ethiopia du…
Effectiveness of a Malaria Surveillance Strategy Based on Active Case Detection during High Transmission Season in the Peruvian Amazon
Background: Faced with the resurgence of malaria, malaria surveillance in the Peruvian Amazon incorporated consecutive active case detection (ACD) interventions using light microscopy (LM) as reactive measure in communities with an unusual high number of cases during high transmission season (HTS). We assessed the effectiveness in malaria detection of this local ACD-based strategy. Methods: A cohort study was conducted in June−July 2015 in Mazan,…
Changes in health in Belgium, 1990–2016
Belgium's ranking among the EU15 in terms of AS YLL and DALY rates decreased from 1990 to 2016. Significant health gains appear possible by acting on risk factors directly linked to a significant part of the Belgian burden of diseases, i.e., alcohol and tobacco consumption, and high body mass index. National burden of disease estimates can help defining Belgian health targets and are necessary as external validity of GBD results is not always gua…
Socioeconomic factors contributing to under-five mortality in sub-Saharan Africa
Factors related to socioeconomic status exert varied effects on the variability in U5M in sub-Saharan African countries. The findings provide evidence in support of prioritizing intersectoral interventions aiming at improving child survival in all subgroups of a population
Monitoring health inequalities when the socio-economic composition changes
If improving the educational attainment is part of a policy, an upwards shift of EL should be assessed as a progress; however the RII, and to a lesser extent the SII, frequently translate an increased EL4 share as a worsening. We warn against the use of SII and RII for monitoring inequality-tackling policies at changing socio-economic structures. Rather, we recommend to complement the assessment of changes in absolute and relative pairwise differ…
Belgian population norms for the EQ-5D-5L, 2018
This paper presents the first nationally representative Belgian population norms using the EQ-5D-5L. Inclusion of the EQ-5D in future surveys will allow monitoring over time of self-reported health, disease burden, and health inequalities
The direct cost of disability of community-dwelling older persons in Belgium
Current policies aim to promote and develop community-based support of disabled elderly persons, yet knowledge of the cost implications is insufficient. Thus, we aimed to estimate, for three disability profiles and three presence levels of the main informal carer (none, non-cohabitant, cohabitant), the cost of formal and informal support currently provided at home in Belgium. In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 5,642 disabled elderly perso…
Lyme borreliosis in Belgium
We estimate the total annual direct medical costs, direct non-medical and indirect non-medical costs associated with LB to exceed €5.5 million per year, almost evenly distributed between EM (40%) and disseminated/late LB (60%). EM costs 26 times less per patient but occurs also 16 times more frequently than disseminated/late LB. The cost burden remains limited by comparison to other infectious diseases due to the relative lower incidence
Covid-19 contact tracing at work in Belgium - how tracers tweak guidelines for the better
Our study indicates that contact tracers did not apply pre-defined criteria for classifying high and low risk contacts. Risk stratification by contact tracers predicts who is at risk of infection better than guidelines only. This result indicates that a knowledgeable tracer can target testing better than a general guideline, asking for a debate on how to adapt the guidelines
The direct disease burden of Covid-19 in Belgium in 2020 and 2021
COVID-19 had a substantial impact on population health in Belgium, especially in 2020, when COVID-19 would have been the main cause of disease burden if all other causes had maintained their 2019 level
Global hotspots of climate-related disasters
Trajectories of health behaviors during the Covid-19 pandemic
AIM: This study aimed to investigate the associations between health behavior adherence and psychological factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on identifying trajectories of handwashing, mask wearing, social contact limitations, and physical distancing. METHODS: We employed a multi-trajectory group-based approach to analyze data from 6026 Belgian residents, including 60% women, with an average age of 52.65. Data were coll…
Medicine (27 obras) · Environmental health (22 obras) · Population (17 obras) · Public health (14 obras) · Demography (13 obras) · Geography (11 obras) · Biostatistics (9 obras) · Demography (9 obras) · Economics (9 obras) · Epidemiology (8 obras)