Chronic inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) profoundly impact the lives of many people across Europe and beyond. Effective, evidence-based communication with patients and at-risk individuals is crucial, especially as medical research advances. The development of innovative risk assessment and intervention measures, which require increased decision-making on the patient side, highlights the need for successful, patient-centred health communication and information. How can we effectively communicate with patients and individuals at risk of IBD and RA? Which communication needs and barriers can we identify and address in both research and practice? Which communication strategies should we employ and what makes them effective? You will explore these and other related questions in the present project.

This project is part of the interdisciplinary EU Horizon Consortium ’Personalised disease prediction and prevention in chronic inflammatory disorders (PerPrev-CID)’, which aims to investigate risk prediction, early detection of disease progression, and personalised prevention strategies for IBD and RA. You will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of researchers across Europe. The project uses a patient-centred approach, actively involving patients and high-risk individuals throughout the research process. We will collaborate with patient organisations, health professionals, and other stakeholders to research and evaluate health communication strategies and develop effective information materials based on research into the communication needs of our target groups. You will present the research outcomes at national and international conferences, and publish articles in leading international journals.