Dr. sc. Erika Harju
Postdoc (Prof. Dr. Gisela Michel)
T +41 41 229 59 53 • Alpenquai 4, Room 6 • erika.harju@unilu.ch
CV
Erika Harju is a Senior Research Fellow at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine and project manager for the Corona Immunitas Lucerne study at the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, which is part of the nationwide Corona Immunitas study.
Erika successfully completed her PhD at the University of Lucerne with the thesis entitled: “FROM CARE TO CARING: Steps Toward Implementing Psychological Screening to Improve Follow-Up Care for Childhood Cancer Survivors” in December 2020 at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine. Her research focused on childhood cancer survivorship, specifically the psychosocial impact of childhood cancer.
Prior to that Erika studied Health Behavior and Management in the Master’s program in Health Sciences at the University of Lucerne from 2015 to 2017 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with clinical expertise in oncology.
Research
- Childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: late effects, quality of life, psychosocial outcomes
- Guidelines development
- Screening for psychological distress
Projects
Publications
- Probst-Hensch, N., Imboden, M., Jeong, A., Keidel, D., Vermes, T., Witzig, M., … Lovison, G. F. (2024). Long-term trajectories of densely reported depressive symptoms during an extended period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland: Social worries matter. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 130, 152457 ff. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2024.152457
- Luedi, C., Frank, I., Krähenbühl, C., Michel, G., & Harju, E. (2023). Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: changes over time and the effect of socioeconomic status. Swiss Medical Weekly; Swiss Med Wkly, 153 (9), 40111 ff. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8359234
- Tancredi, S., Ulytė, A., Wagner, C., Keidel, D., Witzig, M., Imboden, M., … Zuppinger, C. (2023). Changes in socioeconomic resources and mental health after the second COVID-19 wave (2020–2021): a longitudinal study in Switzerland. International Journal for Equity in Health, 22 (51), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7766289
- Harju, E., Roser, K., Eisenreich, B., Scheinemann, K., & Michel, G. (2023). Psychological distress in survivors of childhood cancer and their parents before and after a follow-up appointment: the need for screening and validation of the emotion thermometer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice, 5 (2). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7795489
- Harju, E., Speierer, A., Jungo, K. T., Levati, S., Baggio, S., Tancredi, S., … Chocano-Bedoya, P. (2023). Changes in Healthcare Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Causes—A Cohort Study From Switzerland. International Journal of Public Health, 68, 1606010 ff. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8282901
- Sabatini, S., Kaufmann, M., Fadda, M., Tancredi, S., Noor, N., Van Der Linden, B. W. A., … von Wyl, V. (2023). Factors Associated With COVID-19 Non-Vaccination in Switzerland: A Nationwide Study. International Journal of Public Health, 68, 1605852 ff. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8099399
- Daniore, P., Moser, A., Höglinger, M., Probst Hensch, N., Imboden, M., Vermes, T., … von Wyl, V. (2023). Interplay of Digital Proximity App Use and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Uptake in Switzerland: Analysis of Two Population-Based Cohort Studies. International Journal of Public Health, 68. Retrieved from https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605812
- Tancredi, S., Chiolero, A., Wagner, C., Haller, M. L., Chocano-Bedoya, P., Ortega, N., … Zuppinger, C. (2023). Seroprevalence trends of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated risk factors: a population-based study. Infection, 51, 1453–1465. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7728585
- Christen, S., Roser, K., Harju, E., Gumy-Pause, F., Mader, L., Vetsch, J., … Michel, G. (2023). Worries and anxiety in parents of adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study-Parents. Pediatric Blood & Cancer; Pediatr Blood Cancer, 30246 ff. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7795055
- Marchak, J. G., Christen, S., Mulder, R. L., Baust, K., Blom, J. M. C., Brinkman, T. M., … Michel, G. (2022). Recommendations for the surveillance of mental health problems in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors: a report from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. The Lancet Oncology, 23 (4), 184–196. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6418138
- Speierer, A., Chocano-Bedoya, P. O., Anker, D., Schmid, A., Keidel, D., Vermes, T., … von Wyl, V. (2022). The Corona Immunitas Digital Follow-Up eCohort to Monitor Impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland: Study Protocol and First Results. International Journal of Public Health, 67 (1604506), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6323267
- Blankenberger, J., Kaufmann, M., Albanese, E., Amati, R., Anker, D., Camerini, A.-L., … Kahlert, C. R. (2022). Is living in a household with children associated with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in adults? Results from the Swiss national seroprevalence study Corona Immunitas. BMC Medicine, 20, 233 ff. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6759991
- Hendriks, M. J., Harju, E., Roser, K., Ienca, M., & Michel, G. (2021). The long shadow of childhood cancer: a qualitative study on insurance hardship among survivors of childhood cancer. BMC Health Services Research, 21 (503), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4892785
- Hendriks, M. J., Harju, E., & Michel, G. (2021). The unmet needs of childhood cancer survivors in long-term follow-up care: A qualitative study. Psycho-Oncology, 30 (4), 485–492. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4722576
- Hendriks, M. J., Hartmann, N., Harju, E., Roser, K., & Michel, G. (2021). “I don’t take for granted that I am doing well today”: a mixed methods study on well-being, impact of cancer, and supportive needs in long-term childhood cancer survivors. Quality of Life Research, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5749750
- Baenziger, J., Roser, K., Mader, L., Harju, E., Ansari, M., Waespe, N., … Michel, G. (2020). Post-traumatic stress in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors compared to parents of the Swiss general population. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice, 2 (3), 24 ff. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4134525
- Harju, E., Hendriks, M., Roser, K., & Michel, G. (2020). Health-care professionals’ opinions on psychological screening in follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors. Swiss Medical Weekly, 150, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4193853
- Harju, E., Michel, G., & Roser, K. (2019). A systematic review on the use of the emotion thermometer in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 28 (9), 1803–1818. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3346965
- Michel, G., François, C., Harju, E., Dehler, S., & Roser, K. (2019). The long-term impact of cancer: Evaluating psychological distress in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors in Switzerland. Psycho-Oncology, 28 (3), 577–585. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2551076
- Harju, E., Roser, K., Dehler, S., & Michel, G. (2018). Health-related quality of life in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Supportive Care in Cancer, 26 (9), 3099–3110. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2385489
Achievements
- Health-related quality of life in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors: a report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study - Parents. Lecture, Research Symposium Health, HSLU Hochschule Luzern; University of Lucerne; XUND, Lucerne, 2024
- Changes in Healthcare Utilization During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Causes—A Cohort Study From Switzerland. Poster, 16th European Public Health Conference, European Public Health Conference, Dublin, 2023
- Worries and Anxiety in Parents of Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study-Parents. Lecture, Research Symposium Health, Universität Luzern, Luzern, 2023
- Worries and Anxiety in Parents of Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study-Parents. Lecture, International Society of Pediatric Oncology World Congress, International Society of Pediatric Oncology, Barcelona, 2022
- Worries and Anxiety in Parents of Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer. Poster, International Symposium on Late Complications after Childhood Cancer (ISLCCC), Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, 2022
- Mental health care needs in childhood cancer patients and survivors. Lecture, 53rd Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), International Society of Paediatric Cancer (SIOP), Hawaii, USA (online congress), 2021
- Psychological effects of a cancer diagnosis during childhood and adolescence: needs and communication. Lecture, Annual Congress of the German, Austrian and Swiss Society of Hematology and Oncology, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie und medizinische Onkologie, Basel, 2020
- Psychological outcomes in childhood cancer survivors before and after attending follow-up care. Poster, Swiss Public Health Conference, Society of Swiss Public Health, Lucerne, 2020
- The Emotion Thermometer applied in follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors. Discussion contribution, 51st Annual Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology, International Society of Paediatric Oncology, Lyon, 2019
- The Emotion Thermometer applied in follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors. Poster, 51st Annual Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology, International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), Lyon, 2019
- Health-related quality of life in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors: Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study – Parents. Lecture, 51st Congress of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), Lyon, 2019
- Health-care professionals’ opinion on psychological screening in follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors. Lecture, Swiss Public Health Conference, Society of Swiss Public Health, Winterthur, 2019
- The Emotion Thermometer applied in follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors. Lecture, 24th PanCare Meeting, PanCare, Basel, 2019
- Health-care professionals’ opinion on psychological screening in follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors. Lecture, 23rd PanCare Meeting, PanCare, Opatija, 2019
- Health professionals’ experience with psychological screening in follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors. Lecture, Symposium on Psychosocial Aspects of Childhood Cancer, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, 2019
- A systematic review on the use of the emotion thermometer in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Poster, International Society of Paeditric Oncology (SIOP), International Society of Paeditric Oncology (SIOP), Kyoto, 2018
- The long-term impact of cancer: evaluating psychological distress in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors in Switzerland. Lecture, PanCare Meeting, PanCare, Paris, 2018
- Post-traumatic stress symptoms in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors – Data from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Poster, Australian and New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG) Annual Scientific Meeting, Australian and New Zealand Children's Haematology/Oncology Group (ANZCHOG), Sydney, 2018
- A systematic review on the use of the emotion thermometer in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Lecture, PanCare Meeting, PanCare, Prag, 2018
- Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms in Parents of Long-term Childhood Cancer Survivors. Lecture, International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), Hongkong, 2018
- Health-related quality of life in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors. Lecture, PanCare Meeting, PanCare, Lübeck, 2017
- Post-traumatic stress symptoms and predictors in parents of long-term childhood cancer survivors. Lecture, PanCare Meeting, PanCare, Lübeck, 2017
- Health-related quality of life in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. Lecture, PanCare Meeting, PanCare, Lübeck, 2017
- Healthcare utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic: changes and potential causes - A cohort study from the Swiss general population. PopHealthLab Science Meeting, University of Fribourg, 2022
- Corona Immunitas: The impact of the pandemic on the population of the Canton Lucerne. Research Seminar in Health Sciences, Universität Luzern, 2021
- Journal Supportive Care in Cancer, 2022
- Journal Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 2022
- Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice, 2022
- Journal Supportive Care in Cancer, 2021
- Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, 2020
- Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, 2019
- Supportive Care in Cancer, 2018
- Cancer, 2018
- Psycho-Oncology, Journal of the psychological, social and behavioral dimensions of cancer, 2017