Unit 28: Social Determinants of Health

Head:

Claudia Hövener

Deputy:

Stephan Müters, Jens Hoebel

This unit analyses the social determinants of health and the resulting health inequalities with consideration of relevant social developments. A particular focus is placed on exploring the relationship between social inequality and health, working conditions and health, migration and health, regional differences and health, and demographic change and health.

The analyses are based primarily on data from the health monitoring system administered by the Robert Koch Institute, but also on other representative population data sources. In addition to epidemiological analyses, the unit also supports the health monitoring studies and health reporting. The results are used for policy advice, particularly identifying and describing population groups and regions for which specific requirements must be assumed with respect to prevention, health promotion and healthcare.

Tasks

• Analysis of social differences in the prevalence and development of physical and mental health and its associated risk factors
• Investigation of the effect of education and a family’s social status on health development during childhood and adolescence, as well as in later life
• Description of the health status of children, adolescents and adults with migration background
• Examination of correlations between professional qualifications, occupation, working conditions and health
• Analysis of health-related causes and consequences of unemployment or precarious employment
• Identification of social and regional differences in the use of prevention, health promotion and healthcare services
• Consideration and analysis of families, day-care centres for children, schools and companies as living environments and settings for disease prevention and health promotion
• Estimation of regional prevalence rates and prognoses for non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors
• Analysis of the effects of demographic change on the burden of disease and its regional differences, need for nursing care and healthcare requirements