About CHPPH
In an environment in which coherent action is needed to improve and protect population health and reduce health disparities, the Center for Health Policy and Public Health (CHPPH) is dedicated to developing and supporting interdisciplinary collaboration for public health research and practice in Romania, and beyond.
The vision of the CHPPH is a population in Central and Eastern Europe whose public health is maintained by the adequate response of public health systems to community needs. The long term goal of CHPPH is to become a premier academic and scientific resource in public health for Central-Eastern Europe.
Established in 2005, the CHPPH is a multidisciplinary team of researchers based at the Babeş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Institute for Social Research, committed to the advancement of public health in the region.
The activities that CHPPH are mainly undertaking are research-focused; however it also collaborates with other organizations for capacity-building, policy development and analysis, and health management matters. It conducts needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of health-related programs that respond to the complex needs of communities and individuals, as well as conducts quality research with the ultimate goal of improving population health and reducing health disparities.
The core values which guide the CHPPH activity are:
Interdisciplinary collaboration: we commit to cross-discipline collaboration among professionals and organizations, actively involved in valuable public health initiatives or in health-related fields.
Sensitivity to community issues: we value and respect the community, giving its priorities a central position in our policies and practices. We strive to keep the well-being of communities central to our work, and engage members of communities in all stages.
Integrity and Respect: all activities in which the members of our center are involved in are governed by the principles of honesty, integrity, objectivity and fairness.
Quality: we aim to undertake the highest level of academic and research quality in all the activities we engage in, in order to support the health of communities.
Ethics: we place great value on the scientific integrity of all the members of our center and their work, discourage any type of conflicts of interest, and conduct research in a manner that is impartial and meets the highest standards of methodological integrity.
Loyalty: loyalty is deeply embedded into our organizational culture, and we promote an environment in which all members are committed to the mission, vision and values of the CHPPH.
Networking: we value the contribution of joint actions for health, thus we make every effort to build, and actively support, a public health network within Romania and across borders.
CHPPH Structure
The Center for Health Policy and Public Health has structured its activity into five research departments and one research management department.
1. Health Policy and Management Department
The Health Policy and Management Department (HPM) is intended to identify and tackle issues related to health policies and different health management aspects, both at a national and international level. The activities of the department cover a broad area of topics, such as policy assessment, policy proposals, health systems indicators and their management, methods of improving health professionals performance.
Researchers: Răzvan Mircea Cherecheş MD PhD, Cătălin Ovidiu Baba VMD PhD, Marius Ungureanu MD, Mihai Seucea MS
Research project management: Ioana-Andreea Rus, Emanuela Șirlincan
Associated researchers: Cristian Litan PhD
Interns: Bianca Baciu (biostatistics)
Advisors: Joske Bunders, PhD
2. Mental Health Department
The Mental Health Department (MEH) intends to increase awareness on the pivotal role of mental health and to improve access to mental health services by enhancing mental health literacy, reducing mental health stigma, and promoting mental health throughout the lifespan.
Researchers: Alina Zlati, Alexandra Sidor
Research Project Management: Emanuela Şirlincan, Ioana Andreea Rus
3. Emerging Infectious Diseases Department
The Emerging Infectious Disease Department (EID) focuses upon research on infectious disease, particularly on zoonosis. EID is comprised of researchers with various backgrounds: epidemiology, veterinary medicine, laboratory, public health. The department is conducting research projects on topics like Influenza, MRSA with a focus on occupational exposure to zoonotic pathogens.
Researchers: Alexandru Coman MD MS, Iosif Kasler, Daniel Maftei VMD, Paul Bria VMD, Claudiu Dragnea VMD
Research project management: Emanuela Sirlincan
Associated Researchers: Sorin Rapuntean VMD PhD
Advisor: Gregory C. Gray, MD, MPH, FIDSA (Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, US)
4. Maternal and Child Health Department
The Maternal and Child Health Department (MCH) aims to provide quality research for improving the health of children and mothers in the region, and beyond. The department addresses issues concerning the prevention and control of unintentional injuries among children and promotion of healthy housing, protection of mothers and children from environmental factors like tobacco smoke and unprotected sun exposure, increasing initiation and duration of breastfeeding, improving maternal mental health by investigating topics like perinatal depression.
Researchers: Alexandra Brinzaniuc, Cristian Meghea PhD
Research project management: Ioana-Andreea Rus
Associated Researchers: Florin Oprescu MD PhD
Interns: Dumitrela Negura (MCH Policy), Oana Maria Pop (health communication, health promotion, social marketing)
Advisors: Anne Baber-Wallis, PhD (Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, USA); Claibourne I. Dungy, MD, PhD (Children’s Hospital, University of Iowa, USA)
5. Environmental Health Department
The Environmental Health Department (EH) carries out research of potential and existing environmental causes of illness, diseases, injuries and deaths. The department has three main areas of activity: injury and violence prevention, environmental health, and occupational health. Current and recent activities include health risks assessments and research on injury surveillance and control, traffic injuries, workplace violence, rural health, and occupational health.
Researchers: Diana Rus, Razvan Mircea Chereches MD PhD
Research project management: Oana Emanuela Sirlincan
Associated Researchers: Melinda Gal MD
Interns: Erika Baragan (injury prevention); Mara Timofe (violence prevention), Ioana Alexandra Duse (environmental health)
Advisors: Corinne Peek-Asa, MPH, PhD (Injury Prevention Research Center, University of Iowa, USA); Thomas Cook, PT, PhD (Center for International Rural and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, USA)
6. Research Project Management Department
The Research Project Management Department (RPM) works to support the success of all the projects of the center by establishing and maintaining relations with stakeholders and partners, budgeting and monitoring costs, ensuring an adequate implementation of projects in the established time-frames, recruiting and conducting trainings, searching for funding opportunities. Even though the main activity of the department pursues the management of research projects, it also supports the development of capacity-building, networking and mobilities projects.
Research Project Management Team: Ioana-Andreea Rus, Emanuela Şirlincan
Interns: Elena Zavroţchi, Alexandru Suciu, Anca Iosub