Research at the Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science
The main areas of research at the Institute of Medical Sociology are:
- Ageing research
- Health services research
- Educational and professional research
- Rehabilitation research
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Research in Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science
Our health but also the occurrence of many diseases depends on the interplay of social situations, mental states and physical conditions.
Medical sociology deals with social influences on the development, progression and healing of diseases and on the maintenance of health. In addition, medical sociological research addresses questions relating to the quality of medical and nursing care in modern ageing societies.
The Institute’s Main Research Areas
Ageing Research
The field of ageing research at the Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science deals mainly with age-related physical changes and pathological symptoms, such as pain and frailty. Medical treatment, nursing, therapeutic care and options for prevention are main areas of interest.
Chronic diseases, particularly dementia and multimorbidities, are a further focus of research.
Health Services Research
The goal of health services research is to analyse and optimise everyday health care in a patient-centred manner. For this purpose, causes and effects of structures and processes of medical and nursing care are examined. For example, it is of interest how the quality of care or the cooperation between the various health professions influences patients’ recovery processes. On this basis, new care concepts are developed whose implementation and effectiveness are scientifically monitored and tested. Care inequalities and care provision for certain (disadvantaged) social groups are analysed, with a particular focus on migration.
Educational and Professional Research
The field of educational and professional research deals with training and skills development in medicine and with career paths for physicians. Another field of research is professional development in medicine and cross-disciplinary cooperation in the health professions. An important concern of the research area is also the development of innovative teaching projects through a stronger link between research and teaching. Within the framework of the projects, we cooperate with the Office of the Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning and the Dieter Scheffner Center for Medical Education and Educational Research at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, among others.
Rehabilitation Research
Rehabilitation research deals with the provision of health care for people who, as a result of illness, are no longer able to participate in professional and/or social life.
The research focuses on need, quality and delivery of health services within the context of rehabilitation, such as specialist hospital services, outpatient rehabilitation and follow-up care, and involving a range of medical professions: physicians, psychologists, occupational, sports and speech therapists and physiotherapists.