Search

Background. Quality of life (QoL) is a crucial concept guiding patient-centered and holistic cancer care comprising physical, psychological and social aspects of patients’ lives. Children (<14 years), adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 15-39 years) diagnosed with cancer face additional challenges within their developmental phases. This literature review examines relevant QoL issues of children and AYAs with cancer focusing their trajectories aiming to 1) compare QoL issues in different cancer phases (in active treatment, early and long-term survivorship) and developmental stages (early childhood until young adulthood), 2) reveal gaps in current literature on QoL in children and AYAs with cancer, 3) consider possible positive aspects and resources of QoL in cancer trajectories besides the challenges. Methods. A systematic qualitative literature review was conducted including qualitative and mixed-methods studies in children and AYAs with cancer and their proxies. The studies were searched (time period) in (databases). Following the PRISMA and ENTREQ guidelines, relevant QoL issues are extracted from qualitative studies and mapped on the QoL issue model by Anthony et al. (2014), updated by Rothmund et al. (2022). Results. A total number of twelve studies were included (eleven qualitative, one mixed-methods). Analysis shows that most studies (n = 6) investigate cancer experiences of AYAs who survived childhood cancer (mixed samples of early and long-term survivors). Only two studies focused on children, one of the studies examined children in active treatment. The majority of studies rely solely on patient’s self-reports. Some studies (n = 5) additionally provide proxy reports (parents, healthcare providers, and teachers) about children’s and AYAs’ cancer experiences. The quality appraisal indicates shortcomings in reporting of qualitative studies. Especially methods to ensure the credibility of the qualitative evidence are insufficiently applied or reported (e.g. exp, Christina Dasser, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2024

In dieser Studie wurde eine Gesamtstichprobe aus N = 284 Personen, die im Rahmen des Innsbrucker Projekts StressVR rekrutiert wurden, in eine Risikosport- und eine Nicht-Risikosportgruppe als Kontrollgruppe aufgeteilt. Im Rahmen dieser Masterarbeit wurde die Assoziation von aversiven Kindheitsbelastungen und Persönlichkeitsausprägungen bei Personen mit und ohne Risikosportverhalten untersucht. Allgemein zeigte sich, dass Personen mit aversiven Erlebnissen in Kindheit und Adoleszenz höhere Neurotizismus und niedrigere Verträglichkeits- und Gewissenhaftigkeits-Werte als nicht-belastete Personen hatten. Je höher die Kindheitsbelastung, desto höher waren Neurotizismus- und Offenheits-Werte und desto niedriger waren die Werte von Extraversion, Verträglichkeit und Gewissenhaftigkeit. Das Ausüben von Risikosport ist im Vergleich zu Nicht-Risikosportler*innen, mit niedrigeren Neurotizismus- und höheren Extraversions-Werten assoziiert. Dabei hatten Risikosportler*innen weder mehr noch weniger aversive Erfahrungen in Kindheit und Adoleszenz erlebt als Nicht-Risikosportler*innen. Zuletzt zeigte sich, dass der Unterschied bei Neurotizismus und Extraversion zwischen Risiko- und Nicht-Risikosportler*innen unter Vorlage von Kindheitsbelastung sich verringerte, beziehungsweise nicht mehr existierte. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit leisten einen Beitrag zur besseren Charakterisierung von Risikosport und zur Prävention vor schweren Verletzungen beim Risikosport., In this study a total sample of N = 284 people recruited as part of the Innsbruck StressVR project was divided into a risk-sports group and a non-risk sports control-group. The association between adverse childhood experiences and personality traits was examined for people with and without risk-sport behavior. In general, it was found that individuals with adverse experiences in childhood and adolescence showed higher scores for neuroticism and lower scores for agreeableness and conscientiousness. The higher the childhood stress, the higher the neuroticism and openness scores and the lower were the scores for extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Compared to non-risk athletes, participating at risky sports is associated with lower neuroticism and higher extraversion. Furthermore, risk-sport athletes experienced neither more nor less adverse experiences in childhood and adolescence than non-athletes. Finally, it was shown that the difference in neuroticism and extraversion between the risk-sport and control-group was reduced or no longer existing when adverse childhood experiences were taken into account. The results contribute to a better characterization of risk-sports and the prevention of serious injuries in high-risk sports., Moritz Steinkogler, in englischer Sprache, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2024

Philipp Nett, in englischer Sprache, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2024

Ethnic identity is defined in terms of the interaction between exploration of and commitment to a given cultural background. The present study investigated the effect of individual background, role transitions, and the social environment on the development of ethnic identity in a sample of German adults aged 21-73 years (N = 2,940). Additionally, identity transitions and the moderating effect of disequilibrating life events on identity over time were examined (N = 827). Overall, results are consistent with findings for other identity domains: Respondents could be assigned to one of four identity stages, ranging from unexamined to achieved identity. Particularly, the individual background and the extent of community involvement affected ethnic identity formation in adulthood. Longitudinal analyses revealed that only one-third of respondents had remained in the same identity stage; most individuals had transitioned forward or backward. Changes in ethnic identity were not moderated by disequilibrating life events.

A growth mindset is a belief that personal characteristics, specifically intellectual ability, are malleable and can be developed by investing time and effort. Numerous studies have investigated the associations between a growth mindset and academic achievement, and large intervention programs have been established to train adolescents to develop a stronger growth mindset. However, methodological research on the adequacy of the measures used to assess a growth mindset is scarce. In our study, we conducted one of the first comprehensive assessments of the psychometric properties of Dweck's widely used three-item Growth Mindset Scale in two samples (adolescents aged 14-19 years and adults aged 20-64 years). We test the comparability (i.e., measurement invariance) of the scale across these age groups. Furthermore, using the same two samples, we identified and validated a single-item measure to assess growth mindset in settings with severe time constraints. Results reveal that both the three-item and the single-item scales have acceptable psychometric properties regarding reliability, comparability, and validity. However, the results did not support some of the central tenets of mindset theory, such as that a growth mindset is positively linked to goal regulation and achievement, calling for future research on the criterion validity of a growth mindset.

The basic cognitive skill of numeracy is a recognized form of human capital, associated with economic and social well being for individuals and for nations. In this study, we explore how occupational complexity relates to proficiency in numeracy, among adults in full-time employment. We operationalize occupational complexity by constructing three measures of task complexity: complexity with data, complexity with people and complexity with things. Data from the international OECD survey of adult skills, 2012, is employed to investigate both the distribution of these three dimensions of occupational task complexity and how these relate to numeracy in 13 countries. The analysis indicates that data occupational complexity predicts numeracy scores, when controlling for age, gender and educational level. The findings open for a hypothesis that occupational activities may enhance basic skills in adult populations. If elaborated and supported through further studies this finding has practical implications for workplace organization and contributes to theoretical understandings of the development of basic skills in adults.

This master’s thesis aimed to investigate cognitive control and intrasubject variability (ISV) in individuals with and without suspected attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by employing a novel emotional picture-word Stroop task. Importantly, cognitive control was examined by calculating interference and facilitation effects, both of which are widely studied in Stroop-like tasks. Because accumulating evidence suggest that ISV might reliably differentiate between individuals with and without attention disorders, we sought to investigate ISV in detail by employing three different measures of ISV. Namely the standard deviations of total reaction times (ISV-RT), post-error slowing (PES; comparing RTs following correct and incorrect responses) and the Gratton effect (reflecting modulation of RTs by the congruity condition of the previous stimuli). Overall, 103 university students (thereof n = 53 comprising the ADHD group) participated in this study. Data analyses were two-fold. Variables of interest were first investigated across the whole sample and second compared between both experimental groups (i.e. individuals with and without ADHD). Across all participants, both, interference, and facilitation effects were found while processing emotional stimuli, suggesting that emotional pictures are processed automatically. Additionally, we found significant PES across all participants. The Gratton effect could not be detected in our study sample. Group comparisons revealed that individuals without ADHD showed significantly slower RTs and higher ISV-RTs (across all trials) than those with ADHD. However, group differences were not significant regarding the interference and facilitation effects, PES and the Gratton effect. Overall, the present findings suggest that young adults with ADHD might have rather circumscribed deficiencies upon solving an emotional Stroop task. Cognitive control deficiencies in individuals with ADHD seem to be of a quantitative rather than a, vorgelegt von Tilman Ernst Grünbaum, B.Sc., Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2023

Die COVID-19-Pandemie führte zu gravierenden Veränderungen im Leben der Bevölkerung in Deutschland und Österreich. Junge Erwachsene und Menschen mit psychischen Vorerkrankungen besaßen ein höheres Risiko unter der Pandemie und den damit einhergehenden Eindämmungsmaßnahmen zu leiden. Im Zuge der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden Leitfadeninterviews mit elf psychisch Vorerkrankten im Alter zwischen 18 und 35 geführt, die bereits vor der Pandemie unter Depressionen, Angst- oder Zwangsstörungen litten. Ziel war es, ein tieferes Verständnis für ihr Erleben der Pandemie, Belastungsfaktoren aber auch Ressourcen, die während der COVID-19-Krise vorhanden waren zu erlangen. Eine qualitative Auswertung der erhobenen Daten fand mittels Methoden der Grounded Theory nach Strauss und Corbin (1994) statt. Durch Verwendung eines axialen Kodierparadigmas wurde ein Modell entwickelt, welches das Zusammenspiel von Ausgangsbedingungen, Belastungs- und stressreduzierenden Faktoren auf das subjektive Erleben der Betroffenen, angewandte Bewältigungsstrategien und daraus resultierenden Konsequenzen veranschaulicht. Primäre Belastungsfaktoren betrafen die fehlenden sozialen Kontakte sowie der Wegfall einer Struktur und anhaltenden Unsicherheiten. Auch die mangelnde Verfügbarkeit von psychologischer Behandlung wurde vielfach als Belastung angemerkt. Als stressreduzierend wurden insbesondere soziale Eingebundenheit, persönliche Vorteile durch die Pandemie und psychologische Unterstützung wahrgenommen. Eine Kombination aus der COVID-19-Krise, Vorbelastungen aufgrund der psychischen Erkrankung und einer zusätzlich zur Pandemie stattfindenden Zeit des Umbruchs führte in vielen Fällen zu einer Verschlechterung der psychischen Vorerkrankung. Ob und wie stark es jedoch zu dieser Verschlechterung kam, war den Ergebnissen der vorliegenden Arbeit zufolge von dem psychischen Ausgangszustand vor Beginn der Pandemie, der individuellen Persönlichkeit, eigenen Ressourcen, sozialer Unterstützung, sowie genutzter Co, eingereicht von Leonie Svenja Klötzl, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2023

Exekutive Aufmerksamkeit ist als grundlegende kognitive Fähigkeit für willentliche Reaktionen und Konfliktlösung zwischen konkurrierenden Prozessen notwendig, lenkt Aufmerksamkeit auf einen bestimmten Sachverhalt und erhält diese auch trotz Distraktoren aufrecht. Exekutive Aufmerksamkeit kann auch als Teilbereich der Exekutiven Funktionen (EF) gesehen werden, ein Sammelbegriff verschiedener höherer kognitiver Prozesse, die für Verhaltenssteuerung und -regulation relevant sind wie Inhibition, Arbeitsgedächtnis und kognitive Flexibilität. Interferenzkontrolle ist ein Teilprozess der Inhibition und meint die Fähigkeit irrelevante Informationen zugunsten relevanter Informationen oder Handlungen zu unterdrücken. Es gibt auch eine soziale Kognition, zu der die Theory of Mind (ToM) zählt. Diese ist definiert als Fähigkeit die mentalen und emotionalen Zustände anderer Menschen anhand ihres Verhaltens zu deduzieren und so auch Verhalten zu interpretieren und antizipieren. All diese Aspekte sind bei Personen mit der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) häufig defizitär. ADHS ist ein sehr heterogenes Bild und verschiedene ausgewählte kognitive Prozesse sollen in dieser Masterarbeit an 37 jungen Erwachsenen mit ADHS und 52 neurotypischen Altersgenoss*innen untersucht werden. Es wurden die Change-Control-Task (CCT) und ein emotionaler Stroop-Test eingesetzt um Inhibitionsaspekte von exekutiver Aufmerksamkeit (Kongruenzeffekt) bzw. emotionale Interferenzkontrolle (Interferenzeffekt) zu erheben. Die ToM wird mittels des Reading The Mind In The Eyes-Test (RMET) erhoben. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die ADHS-Gruppe in allen Bedingungen der CCT und des emotionalen Stroops langsamere Reaktionszeiten, größere Standardabweichungen und größere Kongruenz- bzw. Interferenzeffekte aufwies, aber keine Korrelation zwischen den letztgenannten Effekten der beiden Testverfahren vorlag. Im RMET wurde kein signifikanter Gruppenunterschied gefunden, aber eine Korrelation mit dem Int, Simone Luftensteiner, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2023

eingereicht von Friederike Roesch, in englischer Sprache, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2023

Hintergrund: Sexuell übertragbare Infektionen (STI) sind ein relevanter Risikofaktor für die sexuelle Gesundheit des Einzelnen und der Bevölkerung. Für eine zielgruppenspezifische Präventionsarbeit ist der Wissensstand zu STI in verschiedenen Bevölkerungsgruppen daher von besonderem Interesse. Ziel: Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, den Wissensstand zu neun STI in der deutschen Bevölkerung zu analysieren. Dafür werden Zusammenhänge mit soziodemografischen Variablen, sexualitätsbezogenen Merkmalen sowie der subjektiven Zufriedenheit mit dem Informationsstand untersucht. Methode: Die GeSiD-Studie "Gesundheit und Sexualität in Deutschland" erhob von 4955 Personen per Face-to-Face-Interview repräsentative quantitative Daten zum Wissensstand zu STI. Als Auswahlverfahren wurde eine zweifache Zufallsstichprobe gezogen. Dafür wurden zunächst 200 Sample Points (Gemeinden) in ganz Deutschland regional proportional ausgewählt. Anschließend wurde eine Zufallsstichprobe von Adressen über die jeweiligen Einwohnermeldeämter gezogen. Die Teilnahmequote betrug 30,2 %; das Durchschnittsalter lag bei 46,3 Jahren. Ergebnisse: Wissen über HIV/Aids war in allen Altersgruppen weit verbreitet. Andere STI waren deutlich weniger bekannt. Besonders wenig informiert zeigten sich Ältere und Befragte mit niedrigem Bildungsstand, regionaler sozialer Benachteiligung sowie mit Migrationshintergrund. Eine höhere Anzahl von SexualpartnerInnen hing mit einem besseren Wissensstand zusammen. Gut informiert zeigten sich Personen, die sich nicht als heterosexuell beschreiben, sowie Personen, die schon einmal an einer STI erkrankt waren. Fazit: Heterosexuelle Erwachsene in Deutschland sind unzureichend über STI informiert. Zielgruppenspezifische Anstrengungen zur Verbesserung des Wissens über STI sind nötig, um sexuelles Risikoverhalten zu vermindern und die Inanspruchnahme von Präventionsangeboten zu verbessern., Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a relevant risk factor for the sexual health of individuals and the population. Therefore, the level of awareness and knowledge about STIs in different population groups is of particular interest for specific prevention work. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the awareness of and knowledge about nine STIs in the German population. To do so, the study examined correlations with sociodemographic variables, sexuality-related characteristics, and subjective satisfaction with the level of information. Methods: The GeSiD study "German Health and Sexuality Survey" collected representative quantitative data from 4955 persons via face-to-face interviews on the state of knowledge about STIs. As a selection procedure, a two-step random sample was collected. Firstly, 200 sample points (municipalities) were initially selected proportionally across Germany. Secondly, a random sample of addresses was drawn from the respective residents’ registration offices. The participation rate was 30.2%; the average age was 46.3 years. Results: Knowledge about HIV/AIDS was widespread in all age groups, but other STIs were significantly less known. Older people and respondents with a low level of education were particularly poorly informed. Local social disadvantage and a family history of migration were also negatively correlated with knowledge about STIs. A higher number of sexual partners is related to a better level of knowledge. In addition, persons who do not describe their sexual orientation as heterosexual as well as those with a history of STIs were well informed. Conclusion: Heterosexual adults in Germany are insufficiently informed about the risks of STIs. Therefore, target-group-specific efforts are needed to improve knowledge about STIs in order to reduce sexual risk behavior and improve the utilization of prevention programs among socially disadvantaged groups.

Background: Obesity has been postulated to be a consequence of economic disadvantage. However, epidemiological studies failed to demonstrate a consistent link between income and body fat indicators. We examined income as a possible cause of obesity in an East German general population, focusing on appropriate representation of study variables, as well as on confounding and modification of the income-obesity association. Methods: We used data of 9599 participants in the baseline examination of the LIFE-Adult-Study, conducted in the city of Leipzig from 2011 to 2014. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) as obesity measures were based on standardised measurements, net equivalised income (NEI) on self-reports. We estimated adjusted means of BMI and WC within NEI categories representing the range from risk of poverty to affluence. We stratified the analyses by gender, age, and education. Results: A substantial part of the age-adjusted associations of income with obesity measures was attributable to other SES indicators. Adjusted for these variables, NEI was comparably associated with BMI and WC. Among women, BMI and WC decreased across NEI categories. The inverse associations tended to be stronger at non-working age (≥ 65 years) than at working age (< 65 years). Conversely, among working-age men, BMI and WC increased with increasing NEI. Among older men, risk of poverty was related to higher values of the obesity measures. The aforementioned associations were predominantly stronger in highly educated participants compared to those with medium/low education. The differences in mean BMI and WC between persons at risk of poverty and higher income groups were rather small, ranging from 1 to 2 kg/m2 for BMI and 2 to 4 cm for WC. Conclusions: Our investigation indicates an association between income and body fatness in an East German adult population that depends on the sociodemographic context of the people. However, it does not suggest that income disparities a

To explore social media use in New Zealand, a sample of 1001 adults aged 18 and over were surveyed in November 2021. Participants were asked about the frequency of their use of different social media platforms (text message included). This report describes how often each of the nine social media sites and apps covered in the survey are used individually on a daily basis. Differences based on key demographics, i.e., age and gender, are tested for statistical significance, and findings summarised.

The present study aimed to predict job control (i.e., task discretion) based on class and occupation with skill use as a (hypothesized) mechanism in four Western European countries by using the OECD adult skill survey (PIAAC). The countries were Denmark, Belgium, Italy, and the United Kingdom (UK). The study used a Bayesian approach that included multilevel models combined with measurement models. The study uses the international standard classification of occupations with two digits (clustering variable) as well as the European socioeconomic classification (ESeC) measured with three social classes. The results indicate that greater worker technical skills (computer use) and social skills (e.g., negotiate and influence) predict higher levels of job control. Social classes interact with skills to predict job control (except Belgium). Occupational computer skills predict job control (in Belgium and Italy). In conclusion, the study supports predictions by neo-Durkheimians, neo-Weberians, New Structuralists, and relational approaches to inequality.

This study used the PIAAC dataset to compare the effects of informal literacy learning on adults’ literacy proficiency to those of formal and non-formal learning. The study participants were Nordic adults aged 35–65 years. The statistical method was regression analysis. The results indicate that informal literacy learning had the most significant effect on Nordic adults’ literacy proficiency. Non-formal adult education had a clearly smaller effect, and formal adult education seemed to have a negative effect when background factors were controlled for. Informal learning, particularly reading outside work, had a significant effect independent of adults’ backgrounds, indicating that it offers also less-educated and unemployed adults the opportunity to develop literacy proficiency.

This thematic issue discusses risks, opportunities, and challenges of digital child- and adulthood based on different theoretical and methodological perspectives. It focuses on three topics: First, the challenges children and adolescents face in developing skills for dealing with promotional content are highlighted. Second, several contributions discuss the actions of parents and instructors and their function as role models for children and adolescents. They outline the tension between the consequences of intensive media use by children and adolescents and a responsible approach to digital media as often demanded by parents and teachers. Finally, the last contribution gives an insight into how the political socialization of adolescents can manifest itself in the digital space. The multi-methodological, multi-perspective, and multi-theoretical contributions of this thematic issue illustrate the intergenerational relevance of digital child- and adulthood.

We develop an integrative conceptual framework that seeks to explain individual differences in the ability to use information and communication technologies (ICT skills). Building on practice engagement theory, this framework views the continued usage of digital technologies at work and in everyday life (ICT use) as the key prerequisite for the acquisition of ICT skills. At the same time, the framework highlights that ICT use is itself contingent upon individual and contextual preconditions. We apply this framework to data from two recent German large-scale studies (N = 2,495 and N = 2,786, respectively) that offer objective measures of adults’ ICT skills. Findings support our framework’s view of ICT use as a key prerequisite for ICT skills. Moreover, they demonstrate that literacy skills have strong associations with ICT skills, largely by virtue of their indirect associations through ICT use. By comparison, regional digital cultures (as proxied by internet domain registration rates) evince only limited explanatory power for individual differences in ICT skills.

This article explores cross-country patterns in how conditions relating to family background, education, and the labor market are related to literacy and numeracy skills. It seeks to assess whether these patterns are in agreement with models of skills formation as identified in the political economy literature. The novelty of this article resides in a reexamination of the findings in the literature of skills formation and education and training system with new data on adults’ skills. This research uses a two-step approach: first it applies Shapley decomposition variance on adult skills and then each country scores are clustered to search for common pattern and regularities in skills formation. This leads us to single out common regularities among groups of countries in the way skills are structured and distributed. We find three main typologies and different subgroups within them that are compatible with the literature on skills formation models.

Although it is widely known that reading plays a significant role in mathematics performance, it remains unclear how specific reading component skills and item characteristics are associated with adults’ mathematics performance. The aim of this study was to investigate reading component skills (printed vocabulary, sentence processing, passage comprehension), characteristics of mathematics items (picture/table, complex verb forms, number of prepositions, lexical density), and the possible interaction effects thereof on mathematics performance. The sample consisted of 368 German adults (age: M = 50.45; 59% female). Our results showed main effects on performance from adults’ reading component skills and item characteristics. Furthermore, interaction effects between passage comprehension and two item characteristics on mathematics performance emerge. Implications include enhancing adults’ reading component skills.

Background: Adults with diabetes or obesity are more likely to be physically inactive than healthy adults. Physical activity is essential in the management of both diseases, necessitating targeted interventions in these groups. This study analysed physical inactivity (defined as not taking part in leisure-time physical activity) in over 100,000 adults in Germany considering their body mass index and the presence of diabetes. Furthermore, the relationship between specific socio-demographic factors with physical inactivity was investigated, particularly focussing diabetic and obese people, to refine the identification of risk-groups for targeted interventions on physical activity promotion. Methods: Data from 13 population-based health surveys conducted in Germany from 1997 to 2018 were used. The relevant variables extracted from these datasets were merged and employed in the analyses. We included data from 129,886 individuals in the BMI analyses and 58,311 individuals in the diabetes analyses. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the importance of six socio-demographic variables (age, sex/gender, education, income, employment, and migration) for the risk of physical inactivity. Results: Obese and diabetic people reported a higher prevalence of physical inactivity than those who were not affected. Logistic regression analyses revealed advanced age, low education level, and low household income as risk factors for physical inactivity in all groups. A two-sided migration background and unemployment also indicated a higher probability of physical inactivity. Conclusion: Similar socio-demographic barriers appear to be important determinants of physical inactivity, regardless of BMI status or the presence of diabetes. However, physical activity promoting interventions in obese and diabetic adults should consider the specific disease-related characteristics of these groups. A special need for target group specific physical activity programmes in adults fr

Dieser Beitrag betrachtet auf Basis der bundesweiten Befragungsstudie Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS), die zwischen April 2019 und September 2020 durchgeführt wurde, ausgewählte Indikatoren der gesundheitlichen Lage der erwachsenen Bevölkerung ab 18 Jahren (n = 22.708). Dazu zählen Indikatoren zum selbsteingeschätzten Gesundheitszustand, zur depressiven Symptomatik sowie zu körperlichen chronischen Krankheiten und Beschwerden. Im jungen Erwachsenenalter (18 – 44 Jahre) berichten über 80 % eine gute oder sehr gute subjektive Gesundheit. In dieser Lebensphase liegen die meisten chronischen Krankheiten und Beschwerden selten vor, jedoch treten häufig Allergien sowie nicht selten Asthma bronchiale und eine depressive Symptomatik auf. Ab dem mittleren Erwachsenenalter (ab 45 Jahren) zeigt sich ein schrittweiser Prävalenzanstieg chronischer Erkrankungen wie Herz- Kreislauf-Erkrankungen, Diabetes, chronisch obstruktive Lungenerkrankungen und Arthrose bis in das hohe Erwachsenenalter. Über 60 % der älteren Erwachsenen (ab 65 Jahren) geben eine chronische Krankheit oder ein lang andauerndes gesundheitliches Problem an, nur noch die Hälfte berichtet eine gute oder sehr gute subjektive Gesundheit. Allergien und depressive Symptome sind in dieser Lebensphase rückläufig. Bei einigen Krankheiten zeigen sich zudem Unterschiede nach Geschlecht und Bildung. Der Beitrag belegt die hohe Public-Health-Relevanz altersassoziierter körperlicher chronischer Erkrankungen und gesundheitsbedingter Einschränkungen im Alltag in einer Gesellschaft des demografischen Wandels, aber auch den Versorgungsbedarf einiger Gesundheitsprobleme bereits im jungen Erwachsenenalter.

In this article, we examine selected health indicators for the adult population aged 18 years and older in Germany (n=22,708) from the German Health Update (GEDA 2019/2020-EHIS) conducted between April 2019 and September 2020. These indicators include those of self-assessed health and depressive symptoms as well as chronic physical diseases and conditions. In young adulthood (18 to 44 years), over 80% of participants report good or very good subjective health. During this phase of life, most chronic diseases and conditions are rare, although allergies are frequent, and bronchial asthma and depressive symptoms are not uncommon. From mid adulthood (45 years and older), there is a gradual increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and osteoarthritis. Over 60% of older adults (65 years and older) report a chronic disease or long-term health problem, while only half continue to report good or very good subjective health. During this stage of life, allergies and depressive symptoms become less prevalent. For some diseases, there are also differences according to gender and level of education. This article demonstrates the high public health relevance of age-associated chronic physical diseases and health related limitations in everyday life in an ageing society as well as the need to provide care for certain health conditions already in young adulthood.

This study examined inequalities in dental check-ups and medical screenings using subjective and objective socioeconomic indicators. Data from 23,464 adults, aged 20 years old and over, who participated in a multi-national survey across Europe (Eurobarometer 72.3) were analysed. Participants’ socioeconomic position (SEP) was measured by education, difficulty in paying bills and subjective social status. Use of preventive services was measured by attendance for dental check-ups, cancer and cardiovascular screenings in the past 12 months. Socioeconomic inequalities were assessed in two-level logistic regression (adults nested within countries), adjusting for demographic factors and type of healthcare system. There were apparent social inequalities in using all three preventive services. However, only dental check-ups showed consistent and significant inequalities across all socioeconomic indicators with those in the bottom groups in education (odds ratio: 0.51; 95% confidence interval: 0.46–0.55), difficulty in paying bills (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.59–0.72) and subjective social status (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.57–0.69) having lower odds of reporting dental check-ups in the past 12 months than those in the top groups. Cancer screening was not associated with difficulty in paying bills whereas cardiovascular disease screening was not associated with education and subjective social status. Despite the availability of universal health coverage, there were clear social gradients in using preventive services particularly across education and subjective social status groups. The stronger and more consistent gradients observed in dental check-ups compared to cancer and cardiovascular screening could be attributed to difference in the level of coverage of dental and medical services in Europe.

Very little is known about the potential relationship between welfare state regimes and oral health. This study assessed the oral health of adults in a range of European countries clustered by welfare regimes according to Ferrera's typology and the complementary Eastern type. We analysed data from Eurobarometer wave 72.3, a cross-sectional survey of 31 European countries carried out in 2009. We evaluated three self-reported oral health outcomes: edentulousness, no functional dentition (<20 natural teeth), and oral impacts on daily living. Age-standardized prevalence rates were estimated for each country and for each welfare state regime. The Scandinavian regime showed lower prevalence rates for all outcomes. For edentulousness and no functional dentition, there were higher prevalence rates in the Eastern regime but no significant differences between Anglo-Saxon, Bismarckian, and Southern regimes. The Southern regime presented a higher prevalence of oral impacts on daily living. Results by country indicated that Sweden had the lowest prevalences for edentulousness and no functional dentition, and Denmark had the lowest prevalence for oral impacts. The results suggest that Scandinavian welfare states, with more redistributive and universal welfare policies, had better population oral health. Future research should provide further insights about the potential mechanisms through which welfare-state regimes would influence oral health.

In Deutschland sind Kopfschmerzerkrankungen sowohl unter Frauen als auch unter Männern weit verbreitet und führen meist zu Einschränkungen der Lebensqualität. Die häufigsten Kopfschmerzerkrankungen sind Migräne und Spannungskopfschmerz. Zum Zweck einer validen Schätzung der Prävalenzen wurde zwischen Oktober 2019 und März 2020 eine telefonische Querschnittbefragung unter Erwachsenen in Deutschland (N = 5.009) durchgeführt. Anhand der diagnostischen Kriterien der International Classification of Headache Disorders wurden Häufigkeit, Dauer, Eigenschaften und Begleiterscheinungen der Kopfschmerzen erfragt. 57,5 % der Frauen und 44,4 % der Männer in Deutschland berichten, binnen eines Jahres mindestens einmal von Kopfschmerzen betroffen zu sein. 14,8 % der Frauen und 6,0 % der Männer erfüllen die kompletten Kriterien für Migräne. 10,3 % der Frauen und 6,5 % der Männer sind von Spannungskopfschmerzen betroffen. Migräne und Spannungskopfschmerzen treten vorwiegend im erwerbsfähigen Alter auf und nehmen im Altersverlauf stetig ab. Migräne geht häufig mit Begleiterkrankungen wie depressiven Symptomen und Angststörungen einher. Der Versorgungsgrad bei Kopfschmerzerkrankungen ist gering. Nur eine Minderheit der Betroffenen sucht binnen eines Jahres ärztliche Hilfe. Die Ergebnisse geben ein umfangreiches Bild zu den bevölkerungsbezogenen Beeinträchtigungen durch Kopfschmerzerkrankungen. Sie werden im Rahmen der Studie BURDEN 2020 genutzt, um zentrale Indikatoren der Krankheitslastrechnung zu quantifizieren.

Globale Krisen stellen eine besondere Herausforderung auf individueller und gesellschaftlicher Ebene dar. Sie können durch ihre Bedrohlichkeit psychische Belastungen hervorrufen und sind gleichzeitig nicht durch individuelle Handlungen bewältigbar, sondern bedürfen kollektiver Anstrengungen. Mit dem zunehmend akuter werdenden Klimawandel und der COVID-19 Pandemie, welche sich im Jahr 2020 global ausbreitete, bestehen zwei globale und systemische Krisen, die bedeutsam für das Erleben, Befinden und Verhalten der Bevölkerung sind. Als psychisch besonders durch beide Krisen belastet zeigten sich junge Menschen, die auch für die Bewältigung zukünftiger Krisen eine zentrale Rolle spielen. Im Rahmen dieser PhD-Arbeit wurden daher junge Erwachsene im Kontext des Klimawandels und der COVID-19 Pandemie untersucht. Basierend auf quantitativen und qualitativen Befragungen wurden psychische Belastungen und Verhaltensweisen zur Kriseneindämmung sowie Wechselwirkungen, Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede der beiden Krisen untersucht. Dabei zeigte sich die Relevanz psychischer Reaktionen auf die Krisen mit Effekten auf das Wohlbefinden und auf Kriseneindämmungsbemühungen. Besonders bedeutsam waren Verzweiflungsgefühle in Bezug auf die Pandemie, welche sowohl mit einem reduzierten Wohlbefinden als auch mit verringerten Bemühungen zur Eindämmung beider Krisen einhergingen. Dies lässt sich auf die akuten, schweren Einschnitte der Pandemie im Leben der jungen Erwachsenen zurückführen, während der Klimawandel eine gravierende, aber abstrakte Bedrohung darstellte. Mit zunehmender Dauer erhöhte sich die Belastung durch die Pandemiesituation, was sich unter anderem in Einsamkeit durch Einschränkungen der sozialen Kontakte äußerte. Das Verständnis, sich für die Pandemiebekämpfung einzuschränken nahm entsprechend ab, was Effekte auf die selbstberichtete Einhaltung von Maßnahmen sowie auf die Impfeinstellung hatte. Diese Effekte sind nicht nur für Individuen bedeutsam, sondern haben gesamtgesell, Global crises pose a particular challenge at the individual and societal level. Due to their threatening nature, they can cause psychological stress and, at the same time, cannot be overcome by individual actions, but require collective efforts. With climate change becoming increasingly acute and the COVID-19 pandemic, which spread globally in 2020, there are two global and systemic crises that are significant for the experience, condition and behavior of the population. Young people were shown to be particularly psychologically burdened by both crises. They also play a central role in coping with future crises. This PhD thesis, therefore, examined young adults in the context of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on quantitative and qualitative data, psychological distress and crisis mitigation behaviors as well as interactions, similarities, and differences between the two crises were examined. This research revealed the relevance of psychological reactions to the crises with effects on well-being and on crisis mitigation efforts. Particularly relevant were feelings of despair regarding the pandemic, which were associated with both reduced well-being and reduced efforts to contain both crises. This can be attributed to the acute, severe impact of the pandemic on young adults' lives, whereas climate change was a serious but abstract threat. As the pandemic's duration increased, so did the associated stress, which manifested itself in loneliness, among other things, due to restrictions on social contact. The understanding for the restrictions for pandemic control decreased accordingly, which had effects on self-reported adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures as well as on vaccination attitudes. These effects are not only significant for individuals, but have consequences for society as a whole, such that the young adults interviewed observed polarization and division. Overall, they were dissatisfied with crisis management and pessimistic about future d, Vanessa Kulcar, BSc, MSc, Kumulative Dissertation aus vier Artikeln, Abweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des Verfassers, Text ist in deutscher Sprache, die Artikel in englischer Sprache, Diese Dissertation basiert zu großen Teilen auf der Studie "Auswirkungen der COVID-19 Krise auf junge Menschen in Tirol", Dissertation Universität Innsbruck 2022

eingereicht von: Camilla Kemetmüller, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2022

Purpose: The multifaceted concept of performance is defined as the achievement of goals by meeting or surpassing predefined standards. Tremendous opportunities for enhancement of individuals’ performance evolved over the past of human history. One field which has only lately gathered attention in sport scientific research is a concept which is neither a physiological, nor a psychological skill or ability but unites both aspects. Visual function is of profound relevance for daily routines and sporting performance, since vision is responsible for the biggest share of sensory information, which is received and processed by the brain. Therefore, visual function might be one of the myriad factors, which amongst other aspects of physiological and psychological nature, contribute to exceptional human sporting performance. Each sport requires a unique set of visual demands. Some visual skills, such as static and dynamic visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, depth perception, peripheral perception, and visual reaction time, are central in a vast array of sports. Soccer is one sport, where visual requirements for maintenance of visual processing and sustainability of visual attention are vital for a certain degree of athleticism. Papers examining visual function in soccer are nevertheless somewhat scant and studies addressing adolescent soccer players non-existing. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to provide a comprehensive assessment of visual function in adolescent soccer athletes, comparing player positions and age groups. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted, where 54 male adolescent soccer athletes underwent visual function analysis with the Senaptc Sensory Tablet, a digital test battery measuring visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, depth perception, near far quickness, perception span, multiple object tracking and reaction time. Mean difference between play-er position and age group for all the seven visual perception variables were examined using s, submitted by Gloria Petrasch, BSc, BEd, Zusammenfassung in deutscher Sprache, Masterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 2022