Birgitte Schoenmakers
Biographic Data
| ID | 3800202 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Birgitte Schoenmakers |
| GIVEN NAMES | Birgitte |
| FAMILY NAME | Schoenmakers |
| SIGNATURE | SCHOENMAKERS B |
| AFFILIATIONS | KU Leuven |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1909-9613 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 12 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 17 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 12 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2018 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Contraceptive knowledge, perception, and practice among women with a migrant background in Flanders
Introduction Sexual and reproductive health is vital for women’s well-being, yet ethnicity remains a key determinant of contraceptive use. Limited research exists on knowledge, perceptions, and practices among women with a migration background in Flanders.Methods Two focus groups with 14 women with a migration background (aged 18–49) were conducted. Participants answered multiple-choice questions assessing contraceptive knowledge, followed by gui…
Reducing long‐term use of benzodiazepine receptor agonists
AIMS: To increase our understanding of which factors contribute to long-term benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use for insomnia in primary care, from a patients', general practitioners' (GP) and pharmacists' perspective. DESIGN: Qualitative research following a grounded theory approach. SETTING: Primary care in Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four participants were interviewed, including nine patients, six GPs and nine pharmacists. MEASUREMENT…
Characteristics of self-management support (SMS) interventions and their impact on Quality of Life (QoL) in adults with chronic diseases
Evolution of benzodiazepine receptor agonist prescriptions in general practice
Background: Contrary to most European guidelines, benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRA) are often used continuously at a low dosage, being the most common form of long-term use. In Belgium, BZRA use is monitored by analyzing self-report data about medication use in the last 24 h. This method provides insufficient insight into the terms of use of these psychoactive drugs. Aim: To describe trends in BZRA prescribing in Flanders, Belgium, between …
Both Medical and Context Elements Influence the Decision-Making Processes of Pediatricians
We wanted to investigate the relationship of medical and non-medical factors with the clinical decision-making of pediatricians. We hypothesize that the addition of relevant medical information (either alarming or reassuring) will influence the physician's decision-making, but that the addition of non-medical information will also play a role. To investigate this, we designed an online questionnaire containing ten clinical case-based scenarios, o…
Supporting an informal care group – Social contacts and communication as important aspects in the psychosocial well‐being of informal caregivers of older patients in Belgium
Tailor-made support of informal care groups starts with facilitating and guiding a process to achieve consent within the group to optimise the care for the patient and also for the caregivers. With a shared vision and supported decisions, caregivers can enter into conversations with the professional caregiver to coordinate adjusted support regarding the care needs
Caregiver burden
This prospective cohort study identified risk factors for the development of caregiver burden and included older cancer survivors, middle-aged cancer survivors, older patients without cancer and their caregivers. Overall, more than 16 per cent of caregivers experienced high-to-severe burden at baseline. This proportion remained stable after 1 and 3 years. Caregivers who experienced increased caregiver burden at baseline were at higher risk mainta…
Meanings of Care Convoys
Researchers propose that the convoy of care model should be used to study care networks of frail, older individuals. Care convoys are defined as the evolving collection of individuals who may or may not have close personal connections to the recipient or to one another, but who provide care, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), socio-emotional care, skilled health care, monitor…
Social Participation in the Daily Lives of Frail Older Adults
Findings advance our knowledge and recognition of the different ways frail older adults participate in society. Despite their frailty, older adults wish to stay socially active. Focusing on the social environment in the frameworks and policies of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities will benefit these individuals
Detecting frail, older adults and identifying their strengths
The findings indicate that frailty among older individuals can be considered as a dynamic state and, regardless of frailty, balancing factors are important in maintaining a good QoL. The study investigated not only the deficits, but also the abilities, and resources of frail, older adults. Public policymakers and healthcare organizations are encouraged to include these abilities, supplementary or even complementary to the usual focus on deficits
Relational aspects of mastery for frail, older adults
Frail, older care recipients are often thought of as individuals with a decreased mastery of everyday life skills. Various authors have proposed to acknowledge a relational dimension of mastery, defined as the ability to maintain control over one's life with the help of others. This study explores how frail, older adults experience relational aspects of mastery and the role of their informal caregivers in maintaining these aspects of mastery over…
You never walk alone
Little is known about the dynamics of a group of people giving informal care together. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of an informal care group, the obstacles the informal care group experiences, the needs and desires they have and how the informal care group can be supported by general practitioners (GPs) and other professionals. Nine informal care groups were interviewed based on a questionnaire that was preapprove…
Meanings of Care Convoys
Researchers propose that the convoy of care model should be used to study care networks of frail, older individuals. Care convoys are defined as the evolving collection of individuals who may or may not have close personal connections to the recipient or to one another, but who provide care, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), socio-emotional care, skilled health care, monitor…
Social Participation in the Daily Lives of Frail Older Adults
Findings advance our knowledge and recognition of the different ways frail older adults participate in society. Despite their frailty, older adults wish to stay socially active. Focusing on the social environment in the frameworks and policies of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities will benefit these individuals
Relational aspects of mastery for frail, older adults
Frail, older care recipients are often thought of as individuals with a decreased mastery of everyday life skills. Various authors have proposed to acknowledge a relational dimension of mastery, defined as the ability to maintain control over one's life with the help of others. This study explores how frail, older adults experience relational aspects of mastery and the role of their informal caregivers in maintaining these aspects of mastery over…
You never walk alone
Little is known about the dynamics of a group of people giving informal care together. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of an informal care group, the obstacles the informal care group experiences, the needs and desires they have and how the informal care group can be supported by general practitioners (GPs) and other professionals. Nine informal care groups were interviewed based on a questionnaire that was preapprove…
Supporting an informal care group – Social contacts and communication as important aspects in the psychosocial well‐being of informal caregivers of older patients in Belgium
Tailor-made support of informal care groups starts with facilitating and guiding a process to achieve consent within the group to optimise the care for the patient and also for the caregivers. With a shared vision and supported decisions, caregivers can enter into conversations with the professional caregiver to coordinate adjusted support regarding the care needs
Detecting frail, older adults and identifying their strengths
The findings indicate that frailty among older individuals can be considered as a dynamic state and, regardless of frailty, balancing factors are important in maintaining a good QoL. The study investigated not only the deficits, but also the abilities, and resources of frail, older adults. Public policymakers and healthcare organizations are encouraged to include these abilities, supplementary or even complementary to the usual focus on deficits
Relational aspects of mastery for frail, older adults
Frail, older care recipients are often thought of as individuals with a decreased mastery of everyday life skills. Various authors have proposed to acknowledge a relational dimension of mastery, defined as the ability to maintain control over one's life with the help of others. This study explores how frail, older adults experience relational aspects of mastery and the role of their informal caregivers in maintaining these aspects of mastery over…
You never walk alone
Little is known about the dynamics of a group of people giving informal care together. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of an informal care group, the obstacles the informal care group experiences, the needs and desires they have and how the informal care group can be supported by general practitioners (GPs) and other professionals. Nine informal care groups were interviewed based on a questionnaire that was preapprove…
Social Participation in the Daily Lives of Frail Older Adults
Findings advance our knowledge and recognition of the different ways frail older adults participate in society. Despite their frailty, older adults wish to stay socially active. Focusing on the social environment in the frameworks and policies of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities will benefit these individuals
Meanings of Care Convoys
Researchers propose that the convoy of care model should be used to study care networks of frail, older individuals. Care convoys are defined as the evolving collection of individuals who may or may not have close personal connections to the recipient or to one another, but who provide care, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), socio-emotional care, skilled health care, monitor…
Supporting an informal care group – Social contacts and communication as important aspects in the psychosocial well‐being of informal caregivers of older patients in Belgium
Tailor-made support of informal care groups starts with facilitating and guiding a process to achieve consent within the group to optimise the care for the patient and also for the caregivers. With a shared vision and supported decisions, caregivers can enter into conversations with the professional caregiver to coordinate adjusted support regarding the care needs
Caregiver burden
This prospective cohort study identified risk factors for the development of caregiver burden and included older cancer survivors, middle-aged cancer survivors, older patients without cancer and their caregivers. Overall, more than 16 per cent of caregivers experienced high-to-severe burden at baseline. This proportion remained stable after 1 and 3 years. Caregivers who experienced increased caregiver burden at baseline were at higher risk mainta…
Evolution of benzodiazepine receptor agonist prescriptions in general practice
Background: Contrary to most European guidelines, benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRA) are often used continuously at a low dosage, being the most common form of long-term use. In Belgium, BZRA use is monitored by analyzing self-report data about medication use in the last 24 h. This method provides insufficient insight into the terms of use of these psychoactive drugs. Aim: To describe trends in BZRA prescribing in Flanders, Belgium, between …
Both Medical and Context Elements Influence the Decision-Making Processes of Pediatricians
We wanted to investigate the relationship of medical and non-medical factors with the clinical decision-making of pediatricians. We hypothesize that the addition of relevant medical information (either alarming or reassuring) will influence the physician's decision-making, but that the addition of non-medical information will also play a role. To investigate this, we designed an online questionnaire containing ten clinical case-based scenarios, o…
Characteristics of self-management support (SMS) interventions and their impact on Quality of Life (QoL) in adults with chronic diseases
Reducing long‐term use of benzodiazepine receptor agonists
AIMS: To increase our understanding of which factors contribute to long-term benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use for insomnia in primary care, from a patients', general practitioners' (GP) and pharmacists' perspective. DESIGN: Qualitative research following a grounded theory approach. SETTING: Primary care in Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four participants were interviewed, including nine patients, six GPs and nine pharmacists. MEASUREMENT…
Contraceptive knowledge, perception, and practice among women with a migrant background in Flanders
Introduction Sexual and reproductive health is vital for women’s well-being, yet ethnicity remains a key determinant of contraceptive use. Limited research exists on knowledge, perceptions, and practices among women with a migration background in Flanders.Methods Two focus groups with 14 women with a migration background (aged 18–49) were conducted. Participants answered multiple-choice questions assessing contraceptive knowledge, followed by gui…
Medicine (10 works) · Psychology (8 works) · Nursing (6 works) · Gerontology (5 works) · Psychiatry (5 works) · Qualitative research (5 works) · Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research (4 works) · Social Psychology (4 works) · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes (3 works) · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues (3 works)