Recap of the ÖGPH Annual Conference 2024: “More Public Health!”

Focus on MCI alumni and researchers

In 2024, the annual conference of the Austrian Society for Public Health (ÖGPH) took place in Innsbruck for the first time and was a resounding success with over 200 participants. Panel discussions, lectures, and poster sessions provided exciting insights into the latest challenges and developments in the field of public health.

Notably, many alumni from the MCI study programs Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management (NSGM) – now Social, Health & Public Management (SGPM) starting in 2024, International Health & Social Management (IHSM), and European Health Economics & Management (Eu-HEM) actively participated. Many of them presented their current research and exchanged ideas with former colleagues and new partners in the field.

Eight young researchers / research groups were nominated for the Early Career Award, which was presented at the conference. Five of these nominees had a direct connection to the Department of Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management at MCI. The range of projects presented varied from studies on health education through social media influencers to leadership in recruitment and retention in the health sector in Tyrol. Elena Engel, a doctoral candidate at the Center for Social & Health Innovation at MCI, won third place with her topic “Social Media Influencers as a New Source of Health Information: Insights from an Austrian Youth Survey”, while IHSM graduate Julia Santamaria secured second place with her abstract “Assessing long-term health outcomes and cost-effectiveness of a community-based intervention to prevent obesity in Austria – development of a decision-analytic model.”

“The ÖGPH conference provides the ideal setting to highlight not only the problems but also the solutions,” emphasized Prof. Dr. Yevgen Bogodistov (MCI). NSGM alumna Isabella Piegger, a staff member at the Institute for Public Health (UMIT), added, “The multi-day conference confirmed the diverse fields of action […] and broadened my perspective. I found the latest insights into climate-sensitive health risks particularly educational. With my degree in health management from MCI, I have acquired many foundational skills […]”.

In a panel discussion on diversity in public health, NSGM and Eu-HEM alumna Lisa Waltle, now a PhD student at the Medical University of Innsbruck, represented the perspective of young researchers. She highlighted the diverse challenges and opportunities in health research and emphasized the importance of building a network in the fields of prevention, health research, and public health, especially as a young researcher.

NSGM graduate Christoph Hickmann, now working at the Tumor Registry of Tyrol, underscored the significance of data collection to enable anonymized statements aimed at improving health care. The conference also addressed topics such as epidemiology, health services research, and inclusion. He emphasized that his studies at MCI fostered the interconnected thinking necessary to create investments in a healthier future.

In addition to the academic program, the Pop-Up Village brought public health to life and engaged visitors. The Red Cross had a blood donation station on site, while various organizations provided insights into topics such as mental health (pro mente, Medical University of Innsbruck), gender diversity (Venib, QCK, VIMÖ, ZSG), patient rights in health care (Tyrolean Patient Advocacy), and the role of schools (PH Tirol, Healthy Schools Tirol). Promoting physical activity and back health was actively showcased at the booths of Sportunion Tirol and fhg Tirol. Health prevention measures in a corporate context were also highlighted by the booths of BVAEB and bhealth. The national contact point EU4Health offered information on European research funding, and the Center for Social & Health Innovation (CSHI) at MCI addressed the influence of social media on youth. The Austrian Network for Health-Promoting Hospitals (ONGKG) advocated for quality in the health sector, while the ÖGPH was represented by the Dementia Competence Group, inviting discussions on “Next Generation Public Health” in collaboration with FH Joanneum.

MCI alumni were also involved in the Pop-Up Village, sharing information about their organizations’ activities. Furthermore, the MCI Department of Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management and the Center for Social & Health Innovation played key roles in organizing the event. About 200 high school students from health-focused programs visited this public part of the conference to learn about public health and the social determinants of health.

Gilles Bernard, an IHSM alumnus and now a PhD student and researcher at the Tyrolean Institute for Quality in Health Care, summed it up well: “I enjoyed participating in the ÖGPH conference […] It was a great opportunity to learn about the latest developments […]. The conference and the Pop-Up Village also provided the chance to connect with potential research partners and consider future collaborations. It was also wonderful to meet former colleagues and alumni to discuss shared interests and current projects.”