dr. C.M. van Leersum (Karin)

I am a postdoc researcher involved in the TOPFIT CitizenLab programme. A three-year research and innovation programme focussing on Citizen Science. In the different project belonging to this programme citizens, healthcare professionals and companies join forces with researchers to develop and implement technological innovations for health and healthcare. In the programme we work together with a group of researchers form UT, Saxion and ROC. Besides investigating the theories and practice of Citizen Science, I mainly take a social practice approach to study how diverse groups of citizens integrate innovations and new forms of health information and data into their daily lives and practices. Possible questions consider how citizen’s practices create tensions and alignments with the practices of health and care professionals. How do relations and communication between citizens and health professionals change with the introduction of innovations? The innovations could include self-measuring and self-management apps. In the pilots as part of CitizenLab, we will study innovations and practices related to diabetes, healthy citizens at work, rheumatism, and elderly care.

I have further interests in the research area of Shared Decision Making and collaborative deliberation. Together with clients in long-term care settings, I have developed a tool to talk about ‘What matters most’ in your life and care and to improve quality of life after a difficult decision-making process? The underlying questions, how to perform and enhance preference construction and elicitation in consultations? How can a tool assist clients and their professionals in the search for more personalized care?

I received two master degrees at the University of Twente, in Technical Medicine (2015) and in Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society (2015). Before starting a PhD, I have been a research assistant in marine biology (in the Seychelles) and cognitive neurosciences (at the UT). I have done my PhD at the University of Maastricht at the department of Family Medicine. The title of my PhD thesis: “What matters to me” – Research into preference elicitation for clients in need of long-term care.

As a PhD candidate I have served as representative of CAPHRI (Care and Public Health Research Institute) for the faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, and Maastricht University at the national PhD board meetings.