Prof. F.G. Schaafsma is an endowed professor in occupational medicine at the Amsterdam University Medical Center. She is a practicing occupational health physician and director of the outpatient clinic occupational medicine (Polikliniek Mens & Arbeid) at the Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Center. 

Her research focuses on recognizing and tackling early signs of illness and long-term absenteeism among workers. She wishes to

1) contribute to mechanistic and epidemiological knowledge about the influence of the working environment on the health of workers, taking into account the influence from the private or living environment of the present and the past. Which early signs or symptoms in workers indicate an increased risk of developing an illness or disorder, and how can the occupational physician intervene?

2) contribute to knowledge about effective preventive interventions aimed at preserving work among workers with serious health problems. These interventions can be aimed at strengthening the work capacity of the worker in collaboration with the curative sector, or at temporarily or permanently adjusting the workload or work environment in collaboration with the workplace.

Occupational Health Care

Occupational Medicine