Brigitte Gantschnig

Prof. Brigitte Gantschnig PhD, MScOT is a Professor of Evaluation and Assessment in Occupational Therapy at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences' School of Health Sciences. She leads the Head Research Unit for Occupational Therapy and holds roles in interprofessional research and education. Her work focuses on chronic pain management, mobility accessibility for persons with disabilities, and healthcare workforce analysis.

Education & Qualifications:

• PhD in Health Sciences
• Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT)

Research Interests:

Prof. Gantschnig's research spans occupational therapy interventions for chronic conditions, accessibility in transportation systems, and interprofessional care models. She emphasizes participatory approaches to enhance mobility, autonomy, and social inclusion for vulnerable populations. Her work integrates qualitative and quantitative methodologies, often involving mixed-methods frameworks.

Article Trends:

Recent publications address aging in place strategies for chronically ill elderly, workforce demographics of Swiss occupational therapists, and accessibility challenges in paratransit services. Key themes include healthcare quality metrics, telemedicine adaptations during pandemics, and chronic pain's societal impact.

• Developed decision-making tools for elderly care stability assessments
• Validated assessment scales for post-COVID rehabilitation and productivity loss
• Co-led studies on substance use among chronic pain patients

Awards:

• 2017 SAMS Award for Interprofessional Research
• 2017 Best Teaching Award (ZHAW)

Grants & Projects:

Current projects include:

• National study on mobility needs of disabled persons
• Assistive technology evaluation for aging populations
• Workforce analysis of Swiss occupational therapy professionals

Labs/Teams:

Leads the Research Unit for Occupational Therapy at ZHAW, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams across healthcare, sociology, and urban planning disciplines.