Ongoing research projects

(Funded by the Employer’s Liability Insurance Association for Health Services and Welfare (BGW))
Project period: from August 1, 2023 to May 31, 2025

Little is known about the changed working conditions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the associated psychological stress and strain consequences for social workers in the social services of hospitals and preventive facilities or rehabilitation facilities. The research project "Healthy Social Services" aims to analyze possible relations between working conditions in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the health of social workers in the social services of hospitals and preventive facilities or rehabilitation facilities in Germany. Of particular interest in this project is the psychological stress and strain consequences among social workers in the social services of hospitals and preventive facilities or rehabilitation facilities. The psychological stress and strain consequences will be explored in comparison to all other occupational groups. The data basis of this study is the directory of hospitals and preventive facilities or rehabilitation facilities of the Federal Statistical Office (2020). On this basis, two online surveys will be conducted among all social services of hospitals and preventive facilities or rehabilitation facilities in Germany. The aim of the research project is to identify optimization potentials for the reduction of occupational stress for social workers in the social services of hospitals and preventive facilities or rehabilitation facilities and to derive recommendations for action on the basis of the findings generated. In particular, this should contribute to reducing the current sharp increase in burnout diagnoses among social workers.

(Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs within the framework of the funding network Interdisciplinary Social Policy Research/FIS.03.00077.21)

Project period: December 1, 2021 to January 31, 2025

Partner: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)

This research project addresses the question of possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the employment status of people with disabilities. On the one hand, it will be investigated whether a particularly pronounced increase in job losses can be observed in the especially vulnerable group of employees with disabilities after the onset of the pandemic compared to the non-disabled labour force, and which factors influence the probability of job loss. Second, we analyse the changes in the re-employment among unemployed persons with disabilities as well as their protective and risk factors. Demographic and employment-related characteristics (such as migration status, education level, level of qualification, and gender) and social factors are examined as possible moderating factors. In addition, three possible pandemic-related effects on the labour market situation of people with disabilities are analysed in more detail, namely COVID-19-related worries and fears, self-efficacy expectations, and social support. The analyses take into account the severity of (officially recognized) disabilities, the self-reported subjective health status, and specified disease groups. The data basis for the research project is the de facto anonymised data of the Panel Labour Market and Social Security (PASS).

Literature:

Paul, K.I.; Hollederer, A. (2023). Unemployment and Job Search Behavior among People with Disabilities during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 20, 6036. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20116036

Paul, K.I.; Hollederer, A. (2023). Arbeitslosigkeit und Stellensuchverhalten bei Menschen mit Behinderung im 1. Jahr der Coronapandemie. DIFIS-Impuls 23/7. Open Access: https://difis.org/f/816e50b3d1.pdf

Project period: September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2024

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Alfons Hollederer, Section "Theory and Empirics of Health"

Subproject Management: Prof. Dr. Felix Welti, Section “Social Law and Healthcare, Rehabilitation and Disability Law”

Subproject Management: Dr. Shweta Mishra, International Centre for Higher Education Research (INCHER-Kassel)

The aim of the project is to explore the success in higher education among students with chronic illnesses and disabilities at the University of Kassel. The focus of this research is to analyse the effects of testing accommodations, psychosocial counseling, health promotion, disability-related social-welfare benefits, and social networks on the academic success and the intent to persist at or drop-out from the university. The study utilises a mixed-methods-design and contains three modules.

The first module is based on quantitative-empirical methods. All approximately 25.000 students of the University of Kassel are surveyed on health and academic success, disadvantage compensation, study-related and psychosocial counseling, health promotion, and inclusion at two measurement time points.

Module 2 uses qualitative-empirical methods by using grounded theory for the analysis. Focus is on the impacts of compensation of disadvantages, social-welfare benefits, and social networks on academic success of students with disabilities.

Module 3 analyses German and Hessian law in the context of higher education for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses and its applications. The results of the legal analysis will be contrasted with the results of module 1 and 2.

The study integrates both quantifiable factors as well as subjective assessments of the students and their perceptions of social support and networks. Another distinctive feature of this research is the interdisciplinarity and the cooperation between Health Sciences, Higher Education Research as well as Rehabilitation and Disability Law. Our findings will result in best-practice recommendations concerning disadvantage compensation and social services to promote sustainable academic success in college students with disabilities and illnesses.

literature

Hollederer, A. (2023). Gesundheit und Studienpensum von Studierenden: Ergebnisse eines Gesundheitssurveys an der Universität Kassel. Präv Gesundheitsf. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11553-023-01035-6

Römhild, A.; Hollederer, A. (2023). Effects of disability-related services, accommodations, and integration on academic success of students with disabilities in higher education. A scoping review. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2023.2195074

Hollederer, A.; Römhild, A.; Welti, F. (2022). Teilhabeförderung im Studium: Ergebnisse einer Studierendenbefragung. RP Reha 4/2022, 46-53.

Janßen, C. (2022). Studieren mit gesundheitlichen Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen: Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen und ausgewählte Rechtsprobleme. RP Reha 4/2022, 5-14.

Arnold, J.; Hollederer, A. (2023). Psychische Gesundheit der Studierenden aus Sicht der Akteure – Experteninterviews an der Universität Kassel. Public Health Forum, Vol. 31, No. 3, 2023, 196-201. https://doi.org/10.1515/pubhef-2023-0047

Project period: September 1, 2020 until December 31, 2021

The aim of the meta-analysis is to quantify the effectiveness of prevention and health promotion interventions for the unemployed people. There is a particularly high need for prevention for the unemployed, as they exhibit increased risks for illness and premature mortality as well as less favourable health behavior compared to employed persons. A quantitative meta-analysis of such health-related interventions has yet to be conducted, although more than 50 corresponding studies can now be identified. In addition to calculating an average meta-analytic effect size that maps the effectiveness of such interventions, moderator analyses will be used to determine,

(1) which theoretical approaches on which the interventions are based are associated with greater or lesser effectiveness;

(2) which characteristics of the implementation of the interventions (e.g., lifeworld approach, health promotion settings, individual vs. group settings, size of intervention in hours, etc.) influence effectiveness; and

(3) which sociodemographic characteristics of the sample influence effectiveness (e.g., age and gender, but especially aspects of current life situation such as duration of unemployment, placement barriers, etc.).

This meta-analysis will allow the development of recommendations for science and practice to identify the most effective access routes and setting approaches for health promotion and research as well as for health-related interventions for the unemployed and potentially other socially disadvantaged groups.

Literature: 

Paul, K.I.; Hollederer, A. (2023). The Effectiveness of Health-Oriented Interventions and Health Promotion for Unemployed People—A Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 20, 6028. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20116028

Project period: September 26, 2019 to September 25, 2022

As part of an FDZ research project "Asylum Seeker Benefits and Health" (project no. 3951-2019), research datasets of recipients of standard asylum seeker benefits as well as special asylum seeker benefits are analysed for the reporting year 2018. The secondary data analysis examines associations between asylum seekers' sociodemographic characteristics and granted asylum seekers' regular health care benefits in Germany and by federal states. Of particular interest are outpatient and inpatient assistance for illness, pregnancy, childbirth, and their provision by residence status, duration of benefit receipt, provider, and type of accommodation.

Literature

Hollederer, A. (2020). Guarantee of illness assistance for people seeking asylum: Two-tiered medical system in Germany? Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz. efirst am 22.9.2020. DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-020-03215-7

[Access: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00103-020-03215-7]