1. Sign up

Apply via the website

We will contact you for participation.

2. Registration

We schedule an appointment and come to your home. After going through the study, you will fill out the consent form.

3. Intake interview

You’ve volunteered? Fantastic!

We want to know everything about you! Since we need to paint as complete a picture as possible of you as a person and your lifestyle, you will also be asked to fill out a questionnaire.

There are two options:

• You fill out the questionnaire at home at your own pace via an online link.
• If you need assistance, such as with a translator to complete the questionnaire, no problem. We will schedule this together.

Either way, we’ll meet! We’ll go over the purpose of the Gezondheidsmonitor, the associated privacy measures, and answer any questions you may have.

4. Sample collection

When you decide to participate and have given consent, we will collect samples from you. We will contact you to schedule an appointment with a nurse for sample collection, which can be done either at home or at UZGent. You choose.

No painful or complex procedures. All we need is some blood, skin, saliva, hair, stool, and urine.

5. Research

We will work with your data. Exciting! We measure the health of your body and mind. A comprehensive analysis reveals the secrets of your health: what do the results tell us about the presence of inflammation, infections, or any abnormalities?

6. Results

The powerful combination of sample analysis and DNA analysis has created a complete picture of your health. We will provide certain results back to you extensively if you have given permission. Results at the neighborhood level will be regularly disseminated through our website and other channels.

If we see something unpleasant in your future, participation in the Gezondheidsmonitor comes with personalized preventive measures in close consultation with your doctor or trusted person.
This data is securely stored in the Gezondheidsmonitor database, following encryption principles.

7. And then?

You will be invited for the same sample collection and interview four more times over a period of twenty years. Ideally, participation in the Gezondheidsmonitor means that your health and lifestyle are examined every four years.

Spread the word!