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More than 15 years after the German reunification, were there differences in the personal resources among adolescents born around 1989 between East and West? How did the differences of this generation develop?Data from the study on the health of children, adolescents and young adults in Germany (KiGGS study) from the years 2003-2006 and 2014-2017 are used to determine the prevalence of low personal resources in 14-17-year-old adolescents in Eastern and Western Germany. Cross-sectional data at both time periods are compared between East and West, and longitudinal data are used to follow the cohort over the course of age RESULTS: Around 15 years after the German reunification, 14- to 17-year-olds from East Germany more frequently show fewer personal resources and have lower self-efficacy expectations than adolescents of the same age in West Germany. 10 years later, these differences are barely visible and have partially reversed. The east-west differences found cannot be explained by the different socio-economic situations of the families in East and West.The results show that in the 2000s, adolescents born around 1989 from families living in Eastern Germany, showed a higher risk of having fewer personal resources than adolescents from families living in Western Germany. 25 years after the German reunification this is no longer recognizable. While the differences between East and West decrease over time, the importance of the socio-economic situation of the family for the personal resources of adolescents as a whole increases, to the detriment of those with a lower socioeconomic status. The results indicate the need for targeted interventions to strengthen psychosocial resources especially for children and adolescents in phases of transformation and biographical breaks.Gab es über 15 Jahre nach der deutschen Wiedervereinigung Unterschiede in den personalen Ressourcen bei den um 1989 geborenen Kindern und Jugendlichen zwischen Ost und West? Wie haben sich die Unterschiede dieser „Wendegeneration“ in der Folge entwickelt?Daten der KiGGS-Studie aus den Jahren 2003–2006 und 2014–2017 werden genutzt, um bei 14–17-jährigen Jugendlichen der Wendegeneration die Häufigkeiten geringer personaler Ressourcen in Ost und West zu bestimmen. Es werden Querschnittsdaten zu beiden Erhebungszeitpunkten zwischen Ost und West verglichen und Längsschnittdaten verwendet, um die Kohorte im Altersverlauf zu verfolgen.14–17-Jährige aus Ostdeutschland zeigen rund 15 Jahre nach der Wende häufiger geringere personale Ressourcen und haben eine geringere Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung als gleichaltrige Jugendliche im Westen Deutschlands. 10 Jahre später sind die Unterschiede kaum noch sichtbar und haben sich zum Teil umgekehrt. Die gefundenen Ost-West-Unterschiede lassen sich nicht durch unterschiedliche sozioökonomische Lagen der Familien in Ost und West erklären.Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass um 1989 geborene Jugendliche aus Familien mit DDR-Sozialisation, unabhängig vom SES, noch in den 2000er Jahren ein höheres Risiko geringerer personaler Ressourcen aufwiesen als Jugendliche aus BRD-Familien. 25 Jahre nach der Wende war dies nicht mehr erkennbar. Während die Unterschiede zwischen Ost und West im Zeitverlauf abnehmen, nimmt die Bedeutung der sozioökonomischen Lage der Familien für die personalen Ressourcen der Jugendlichen insgesamt jedoch zu und zwar zuungunsten derer mit niedrigem sozioökonomischen Status. Die Ergebnisse weisen auf die Notwendigkeit von gezielter Ressourcenstärkung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen in Phasen von Transformation und biografischen Brüchen hin.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is the most common primary inpatient diagnosis in Germany. We examined temporal trends of HF hospitalization within Germany focusing on regional differences. Methods and results: We analysed aggregated data of more than 320 million hospitalizations in Germany from 2000 to 2017. Temporal trends of HF-related parameters were analysed, focusing on regional differences between the federal states. The absolute number of HF-related hospitalizations throughout Germany increased continuously and almost doubled (from 239 694 to 464 724 cases, +94%) with the relative increase being higher in East Germany compared with West Germany (119% vs. 88%). These regional differences persisted after age standardization with 609 and 490 cases per 100 000 population, respectively. The length of stay decreased continuously across Germany (from 14.3 to 10.2 days; −29%), while the total number of HF-related hospital days increased by 51% in East Germany and 35% in West Germany. In 2017, HF remained the leading cause of in-hospital death (8.9% of all cases), with a markedly higher rate in East vs. West Germany (65 vs. 43 deaths per 100 000 population). Conclusions: Heart failure remains the most common cause of hospitalization and in-hospital death throughout Germany. The increase in HF-related morbidity and mortality was much higher in East Germany compared with West Germany during the observation period. A more detailed understanding of these striking disparities 30 years after the German reunification requires further investigations. There is an urgent need for action with regard to stronger control of risk factors and improvement of both chronic HF management and healthcare structures. CA Extern

Patient history has enriched medical history since about the 1980s. But there are still research gaps in certain periods and themes, especially in topics related to the medical history of West Germany. This paper deals with the efforts of patients, lay persons, and medical advisors (diabetologists) to enable diabetics to secure employment as civil servants (Verbeamtung). Attention will be payed to the fact that this success relied on the activities of mediators, who translated and conveyed the patients' interests to society at large. This victory was concordant with similar initiatives in other fields of the diabetic life, including sexuality and lifestyle management. Therefore, efforts to achieve civil servant employment for diabetic patients were constitutive of a broader initiative that changed the image of the disease and promoted the integration of diabetic patients into West German society.Wiewohl die Patientengeschichte seit Mitte der 1980er Jahre die Medizingeschichte stark bereichert hat, finden sich noch starke Forschungsdesiderate, so beispielsweise im Rahmen der Forschung zur Medizingeschichte der frühen Bundesrepublik. Der Beitrag behandelt die Bemühungen von Diabeteskranken auf der einen Seite sowie Laienhelfern und Mediziner_innen, d. h. Diabetologen, auf der anderen Seite, um einen Zugang zur Verbeamtung von Patient_innen. Es wird herausgearbeitet, dass die Erfolge auf der Arbeit von Mediatoren beruhte, welche die Bedürfnisse der Diabeteskranken mit der Gesellschaft aushandelten. Diese Erfolge gingen einher mit ähnlichen Bemühungen auf anderen Gebieten der diabetischen Lebensführung (Sexualität, Diskussionen zum Lebenssinn des Diabeteskranken). Damit trug der Einsatz für die Verbeamtung von Diabeteskranken dazu bei, das Image der Krankheit zu verändern und eine Integration in die westdeutsche Gesellschaft zu fördern.

Chronic exhaustion is a consequence of detrimental working conditions and demands, as well as inadequate coping techniques, potentially resulting in burnout. Previous research has studied occupational environment and individual factors as predictors of exhaustion. Although these differ between former East and West German states, the regional distinction regarding exhaustion has been neglected. To fill this gap, we used the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory in a representative German sample from 2014 to assess the burnout symptom exhaustion. Estimating ordinary least squares regressions, important burnout predictors were compared between the former East and West German states. Regional differences concerning occupational environments were related to the associations between individual factors, situational aspects of technostress and exhaustion. Associations between individual factors (e.g., female sex, lower working hours, age, partnership status, and household income) and exhaustion were stronger in East Germany, whereas technostress (strain of internet use, number of e-mails during leisure time, and social pressure to be constantly available) was more strongly associated with exhaustion in West Germany. Despite lower financial gratification and a higher social pressure to be constantly available in the East, West Germans were more afflicted by exhaustion. Individual factors and technostress should thus be considered when focusing on job-related mental health issues.

As a medical student and during his preacademic time prior to 1958, Horst Stoeckel was interested in the history of medicine and especially history related to anesthesia. After his retirement from Chair of Anesthesiology at the University of Bonn in 1994, Stoeckel received a gift from Professor Richard Kitz of Harvard University (Boston, MA) that encouraged him to develop his collection of 150 artifacts and 350 books and periodicals into a scientific museum and library. The late librarian, Patrick P. Sim, MLS, of the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology in the United States also encouraged and supported Stoeckel with literature concerning anesthesia history. The Horst Stoeckel Museum of Anaesthesiology (Horst-Stoeckel-Museum fur die Geschichte der Anasthesiologie) was dedicated by the University of Bonn and opened to the public on October 9, 2000, and currently has more than 1000 items displayed in 45 themed display cases. A newly themed concept of Incremental Development of Eminent Anesthesia Landmarks to Operational Routine was developed for the display and explanation of the history of anesthesia related to pioneers, equipment, books, and manuscripts. A display concept combining Person, Publication, and Apparatus is used throughout the museum. A well-stocked library currently holds more than 13,000 books and periodicals. The museum's 10-year anniversary was celebrated with a symposium entitled "German Pioneers in Anaesthesia of the first 100 years," held at the University of Bonn on October 8, 2010. The museum's Web site in German, English, and French is www.anaesthesia-museum.uni-bonn.de.

Horst Otto Stoeckel was born September 26, 1930, in Lodz, Poland, which was part of the newly founded Second Republic of Poland until it was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1939. After World War II, his family immigrated to Meiningen, Germany, where he obtained his primary and secondary education. He attended Humboldt University and the University Hospital Charité of Berlin for his medical degree. Profs Theodor Brugsch, Karl Lohmann, and Friedrich Dost were important individuals who helped develop his interest in quantitative clinical pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. Prior to anesthesiology, Stoeckel trained in surgery, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology in addition to clinical anesthesiology at a community hospital in East Germany. He completed 2 years of obligatory training to become an anesthesia specialist at the Teaching Hospital Hufeland and the Research Institute for Lung Diseases at Berlin-Buch. He also received training in anesthesia at the Humboldt University of Berlin. After escaping East Berlin through the Brandenburg Gate in August 1961, he obtained a position at the University of Heidelberg and obtained his West German board certification in anesthesiology in 1962. In the following 12-year period, Stoeckel was married, was promoted, passed his "habilitation" or lectureship period, started a family, and was granted the title of "Professor." His administrative career began in February 1974 when he was selected as the first Chair of Anesthesiology at the University of Bonn, a position he held for 22 years. He also served as Dean of the medical school from 1980 to 1981. As Chair, he developed three areas: patient care, teaching, and research. He developed a long-term research program in the field of "Quantitative Clinical Pharmacology in Anesthesia and the Quantitative Modeling and Control in Anesthesia," which required an interdisciplinary team of specialists in biochemistry, physics, and modern analytical methods. Over 20 years, the group's research program led to the discovery of basic algorithms providing the foundation of the automatic regulation of dosing control by the closed-loop feedback system, which is a concept important to the target-controlled infusion of intravenous and inhalation anesthetics. Following his career as a clinician, administrator, and researcher, he pursued a second career as a collector and museum founder.

Investigating the effects of internal migration on somatoform complaints (GBB-8) as well as psychological distress (PHQ-4; captures symptoms of anxiety and depression).A representative sample from 2019 is used and divided into four groups (West, East, East-West, West-East). A variance analysis was conducted.The West group reports significantly more distress and somatoform symptoms than the East group. The group East-West report significantly more distress and somatoform complaints.The influence of internal migration, especially from East to West Germany, should be considered in future studies.Die Auswirkungen innerdeutscher Migration auf somatoforme Beschwerden (GBB-8) sowie psychologischen Disstress (PHQ-4; erfasst Angst- und Depressionssymptomatik) wurden untersucht.Eine repräsentative Stichprobe aus dem Jahr 2019 wird herangezogen und in vier Gruppen unterteilt (West, Ost, Ost-West, West-Ost). Es wurde eine Varianzanalyse durchgeführt.Die Gruppe West berichtet signifikant mehr Disstress und somatoforme Beschwerden als die Gruppe Ost. Die Gruppe Ost-West berichten signifikant mehr Disstress und somatoforme Beschwerden.Der Einfluss der innerdeutschen Migration, insbesondere von Ost nach West, sollte in zukünftigen Untersuchungen berücksichtigt werden.

Routinedaten von Krankenkassen sind als Datenquelle mittlerweile gut etabliert. Hinsichtlich der Verallgemeinerbarkeit der Ergebnisse bei Analysen mit Daten einer Krankenkasse treten Fragen der Repräsentativität der Versichertenpopulation auf, insbesondere da nicht alle Studien auf soziodemografische Merkmale adjustieren. Diese Arbeit untersucht mittels deskriptiver Analyse, ob und inwieweit sich die Sozialstruktur der Versichertenpopulation der AOK Niedersachsen von der Sozialstruktur der Allgemeinbevölkerung und der sozialversicherungspflichtig Beschäftigten in Niedersachsen (NDS) und in der Bundesrepublik (BRD) unterscheiden.Die Datengrundlage bilden pseudonymisierte Daten der AOK NDS, die Beschäftigtenstatistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit und der Bevölkerungsstand in NDS und der BRD. Die Versichertenpopulation wird an zwei Stichtagen 31.12.2012 und 31.12.2017 hinsichtlich der Geschlechter-und Altersstruktur mit der Bevölkerung in NDS und der BRD verglichen. Anschließend werden die Daten der sozialversicherungspflichtig Beschäftigten in der AOK NDS und aus der Beschäftigtenstatistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit gegenübergestellt, um Ausbildungsabschlüsse, Komplexität der ausgeübten Tätigkeit und elf Berufsbereiche zu vergleichen.Die Geschlechterstruktur unterscheidet sich nicht zwischen den drei Vergleichspopulationen. Verglichen mit der Bevölkerung in NDS und der BRD ist der Anteil der unter 30-Jährigen in der AOK NDS überdurchschnittlich, der Anteil der Personen zwischen 50 und 76 Jahren etwas unterdurchschnittlich. Sozialversicherungspflichtig Beschäftigte mit Hochschulabschluss und in Tätigkeiten mit höherer Komplexität sind in der AOK NDS unterrepräsentiert. Die Verteilung der sozialversicherungspflichtig Beschäftigten auf elf Berufsbereiche unterscheidet sich ebenfalls.Die Studie zeigt, dass soziodemographische und sozio-ökonomische Merkmale in Studien mit Krankenkassendaten wann immer möglich berücksichtigt werden sollten. In Zukunft wird das Informationssystem Versorgungsdaten krankenkassenübergreifende Analysen mit Sekundärdaten ermöglichen. Fragestellungen der gesundheitlichen Ungleichheit können damit jedoch aufgrund des Fehlens von sozio-ökonomischen Merkmalen nicht beantwortet werden. Auch die Identifikation von vulnerablen Gruppen, die gezielt geeigneten Maßnahmen zugeführt werden könnten, ist ohne Berücksichtigung von sozio-ökonomischen Merkmalen erschwert.Routine data from statutory health insurance funds are now a well-established source of data for scientific research. With regard to the generalizability of findings based on data from one health insurance fund, questions arise regarding the representativeness of the insured population, especially since not all studies adjust for socio-demographic characteristics. Our study examines whether and to what extent socio-demographic and occupational characteristics of the population insured with the AOK Lower Saxony differ from the total and working population of Lower Saxony and the Federal Republic of Germany.The analyses are based on pseudonymised data from the AOK, the employment statistics of the Federal Employment Agency (FEA) and population statistics. The insured population was compared with the population of Lower Saxony and Germany at two cut-off dates (31.12.2012 and 31.12.2017) with respect to the distributions of age and gender. Subsequently, data of employed insured persons were compared with FEA-data in order to compare educational level, complexity of the work and occupational areas.The gender structure did not differ between the three populations. The proportion of insured women and men below 30 years of age was above the corresponding figures of Lower Saxony and Germany. Employed individuals holding a university degree or jobs with higher complexity were under-represented in the AOK. The distribution across eleven occupational areas in the AOK also differed from the reference populations.The study shows that socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics should be considered whenever possible in studies using statutory health insurance data. In future, the new database "Information System Health Care Data" will enable analyses across all statutory health insurance providers. However, research questions of health inequalities cannot be answered with this approach due to the lack of socio-economic characteristics in these data. Identifying vulnerable groups that could be targeted for appropriate interventions is also difficult without taking socio-economic characteristics into account.

In contrast to prehospital care there is a lack of specifications for the organization and equipment of medical emergency teams for in-hospital emergency care.Evaluation of the organization, team composition, training, equipment and tasks of medical emergency teams in the Federal Republic of Germany.Evaluation of a web-based survey of all hospitals participating in the German Resuscitation Register between February and March2020. The participants were asked about team composition; emergency equipment; type, content and scope of special training or further training as well as other additional tasks in the everyday clinical routine when participating in the medical emergency team. Hospitals with ≤ or600 beds were compared.A total of 21 (600 beds: 10, 48%; ≤600 beds: 11, 52%) hospitals participated in the survey. Team composition requirements were present at 76% (n = 16; ≤600 beds: 8, 72% vs.600 beds: 8, 80%), training requirements for medical emergency teams at 38% (n = 16; ≤600 beds: 4, 36% vs.600 beds: 4, 40%) of hospitals, with a focus on cardiac life support (n = 6, 28%; ≤600 beds: 3, 27% vs.600 beds: 3, 30%) and airway management (n = 4, 19%; ≤600 beds: 3, 27% vs.600 beds: 1, 10%). A 12-lead electrocardiogram (n = 7, 33%; ≤600 beds: 1, 9% vs.600 beds: 6, 60%; p = 0.02), video laryngoscope (n = 7, 33%; ≤600 beds: 2, 18% vs.600 beds: 5, 50%), ventilator without (n = 7, 33%; ≤600 beds: 2, 18% vs.600 beds: 5, 50%) or with the possibility of non-invasive ventilation was part of the standard equipment in n = 4, 19% (≤600 beds: 1, 9% vs.600 beds: 3, 30%). A total of 85% (n = 18; ≤600 beds: 10, 100% vs.600 beds 8, 72%), had additional tasks in the daily clinical routine. While clinics with600 beds staffed medical emergency teams 100% of the time from the intensive care units, in clinics ≤600 beds medical emergency teams were deployed significantly more often in the emergency department (n = 5, 45%) and in the normal wards (n = 5, 45%, p = 0.03).Training and equipment of medical emergency teams in the Federal Republic of Germany is heterogeneous. They should at least meet the standards commonly used in prehospital emergency medicine and include the availability of a portable 12-lead electrocardiogram, a ventilator with the possibility of noninvasive ventilation and a video laryngoscope. Regardless of the size of the hospital, continuous availability of all members of the medical emergency teams should be ensured.HINTERGRUND: Im Gegensatz zur Präklinik fehlen für die innerklinische Notfallversorgung Vorgaben zu Organisation und Ausrüstung von innerklinischen Notfallteams (MET).Evaluation der Organisation, Qualifikation, Ausrüstung sowie Zusatzaufgaben von MET in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.Auswertung einer webbasierten Umfrage von Februar bis März 2020 aller am Deutschen Reanimationsregister teilnehmenden Krankenhäuser. Gefragt wurde nach Teamzusammensetzung, Ausrüstung, Qualifikation sowie Zusatzaufgaben im klinischen Alltag. Verglichen wurden Krankenhäuser mit ≤600 vs.600 Betten.Insgesamt nahmen 21 (600: 10 [48 %]; ≤600: 11 [52 %]) Krankenhäuser an der Umfrage teil. Vorgaben zur Teamzusammensetzung gab es bei 76 % (n = 16; ≤600: 8 [72 %] vs.600: 8 [80 %]). Ausbildungsvoraussetzungen für das MET bestanden an 38 % (n = 16; ≤600: 4 [36 %] vs.600: 4 [40 %]) der Kliniken. Ein 12-Kanal-Elektrokardiogramm (12-Kanal-EKG) (7 [33 %]; ≤600: 1 [9 %] vs.600: 6 [60 %]; p = 0,02), Videolaryngoskop (7 [33 %]; ≤600: 2 [18 %] vs.600: 5 [50 %]) und Beatmungsgerät ohne (7 [33 %]; ≤600: 2 [18 %] vs.600: 5 [50 %]) bzw. mit Möglichkeit zur nichtinvasiven Beatmung (NIV) gehörte in n = 4 [19 %] (≤600: 1 [9 %] vs.600: 3 [30 %]) zur Standardausrüstung. Zusätzliche Aufgaben im Klinikalltag hatten 85 % (n = 18; ≤600: 10 (100 %) vs.600 8 (72 %); ≤600: Notaufnahm/Normalstation jeweils 5 (45 %) vs.600: Intensivstation 10 (100 %), p = 0,03).Die Ausbildung und Ausrüstung von MET ist heterogen. Sie sollte mindestens den in der präklinischen Notfallmedizin gängigen Standards entsprechen und die Vorhaltung eines portablen 12-Kanal-EKG, NIV-fähigen Beatmungsgerätes und Videolaryngoskops umfassen. Unabhängig von der Krankenausgröße sollte eine kontinuierliche Abkömmlichkeit der MET gewährleistet sein.

ADHS - Disorder concepts and the beginnings of pharmacotherapy in the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic

The nursing studies narrative of the role of masculinity can be summarized as follows: hegemonic masculinity prevents men from doing care work. An analysis of public relations efforts to recruit male nurses in West Germany during the 1960s does not provide evidence for such a link. Representing nursing as compatible with hegemonic masculinity was also able to legitimize the existence of male nurses, while the idea of promoting gender equality in nursing was advocated by exactly those institutions that enabled the eventual gender inequality within the profession. Finally, the thesis of hegemonic masculinity as some kind of anti-caregiving agent comes into question because of the success of the civilian service in West Germany, despite the gender shaming used to deter men from enlisting in it.

The system of anatomical body procurement had to be reorganized in Germany after the end of the Second World War. At that time, the country had been split up and, in its Western zones of occupation, which eventually would form the Federal Republic of Germany, a democratic form of government was reintroduced. While political and economic conditions were improving, well-known obstacles of sufficient body supply turned out to be increasingly complicated to overcome. This development led to the dissolution of the traditional system of body procurement which had, during the centuries and political systems, always depended on the state. From the 1960s onwards, it became solely reliant on willed body donations. The article deals with the question how this fundamental change came to be, and which motives and arguments on the side of the anatomists as well as the administration were crucial for the final decision of limiting body procurement to willed donations. Using the example of the anatomical institute of Munich University, it is possible not only to highlight the political process of dealing with the problem of anatomical body procurement after 1945. Additionally, the quantitative changes in body supply resulting from those developments will be presented and analyzed. Thereby it can be displayed how the dissolution of the traditional system meant the solution of its inherent problems.

A substantial body of research has shown worse health conditions for East- vs. West-Germany in the wake of reunification. In the present study, we investigate how these differences between the two formerly divided regions developed and what maintains them. Specifically, we consider the associations between health status, income satisfaction, and health-related locus of control. In a quasi-experimental and longitudinal study design, we are particularly interested in the differences between individuals who stayed in East-Germany and those who were born in the East but migrated to West-Germany. To this end, we examined data from seven waves of the Saxony Longitudinal Study (2003–2009). Specifically, we tested a cross-lagged panel model with random effects, which evinced very good model fit. Most parameters and processes were equivalent between individuals who stayed in East-Germany vs. moved to West-Germany. Crucially, there was the expected pattern of positive correlations between health, income, and locus of control. In addition, we found substantially lower values for all three of these variables for the individuals who stayed in East-Germany (vs. moved to West-Germany). A possible explanation is the increase in socio-economic status that the internal migrants experienced. These findings present an important contribution of research in order to foster a better understanding on the social dynamics in Germany related to internal/domestic migrants and implications in the context of health outcomes (e.g., significantly more unemployment in East vs. West-Germany), especially since almost 20–25% of East-German citizens migrated to West-Germany. Until now, there are no similar studies to the Saxony longitudinal project, since the data collection started in 1987 and almost every year an identical panel has been surveyed; which can be particularly useful for health authorities. The study mainly focuses on social science research and deals with the phenomenon of reunification, approaching several subjects such as mental and physical health, quality of life and the evaluation of the political system. Yet even though many people have experienced such a migration process, there has been little research on the subjects we approach. With our research we deepen the understanding of the health consequences of internal migration.

During the German division, two culturally very similar populations were exposed to very disparate socioeconomic conditions, which converged again after 1989. The impact of healthcare and life circumstances on mortality differences can better be estimated when cultural explanations are widely neglectable.For the first time, we analyse harmonised cause-of-death data explicitly by age. Hereby, we can show which ages or birth cohorts were particularly affected by German division and reunification in their mortality and to which causes of death this is attributable.We harmonised the German cause-of-death statistics by applying an internationally standardised harmonisation process to account for differences and breaks in cause-of-death coding practices. We analysed the data using decomposition methods.During the 1980s, east-west disparities were increasing as progress in the reduction of cardiovascular mortality was much stronger in West Germany, notably at older ages. After 1989, East Germany was able to catch up to the west in many areas. This is especially true for elderly persons and women, while east-west disparities are still visible today, particularly among male adult cohorts (1950-1970) strongly affected by the East German transition crisis.The lower life expectancy of the East German population in the late 1980s was primarily caused by a slower pace of the cardiovascular revolution. The remaining present-day disparities are rather an aftermath of the East German transition crisis than direct aftereffects of the division.HINTERGRUND: Durch die deutsche Teilung wurden 2 kulturell sehr ähnliche Bevölkerungen sehr unterschiedlichen sozioökonomischen Bedingungen ausgesetzt, die sich nach 1989 wieder anglichen. Der Einfluss von Gesundheitsversorgung und Lebensumständen auf Sterblichkeitsunterschiede kann besser erfasst werden, wenn kulturelle Erklärungen weitgehend ausgeblendet werden können.Die Arbeit wertet harmonisierte Todesursachendaten erstmals detailliert nach Alter aus. Hierdurch kann aufgezeigt werden, welche Alter bzw. Geburtsjahrgänge besonders stark durch die deutsche Teilung und Wiedervereinigung in ihrer Mortalität beeinflusst wurden und auf welche Todesursachen dies zurückzuführen ist.Die deutschen Todesursachenstatistiken wurden einem international standardisierten Harmonisierungsverfahren unterzogen, um Unterschieden und Brüchen in der Todesursachencodierung Rechnung zu tragen. Die Daten wurden mit Dekompositionsmethoden analysiert.In den 1980er-Jahren stiegen die Ost-West-Unterschiede stark an, da Westdeutschland gerade in höheren Altern deutlich höhere Rückgänge bei der kardiovaskulären Mortalität erzielen konnte. Nach 1989 konnte Ostdeutschland in vielen Bereichen zum Westen aufholen. Dies gilt besonders für ältere Personen und Frauen, während gerade bei den stark von der ostdeutschen Transformationskrise betroffenen männlichen Geburtsjahrgängen (1950–1970) noch heute Ost-West-Unterschiede sichtbar sind.Die geringere Lebenserwartung der ostdeutschen Bevölkerung Ende der 1980er-Jahre war primär durch Rückstände bei der kardiovaskulären Revolution bedingt. Die noch heute bestehenden Unterschiede sind eher Spätfolgen der ostdeutschen Transformationskrise als direkte Spätfolgen der Teilung.

Dieser Beitrag ist Teil des Forums COVID-19: Perspektiven in den Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften. Die Spanische Grippe 1918–1920 war mit 50 bis 100 Millionen Toten eines der gravierendsten Seuchenereignisse der Geschichte. Dennoch reagierten westdeutsche Behörden bei zwei weiteren Pandemien 1957/1958 und 1968–1970 mit „geduldige[m] Ausharren“ (Rengeling 2017). Erst ein veränderter Erinnerungsdiskurs führte zu einer „allumfassenden Prävention“, und doch lag die „allumfassende Prävention“ (ebd.) damit noch weit unterhalb dessen, was seit der weltweiten Verbreitung des Corona-Virus SARS-CoV‑2 praktiziert wird.

Although the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) population of North-West Germany has a remarkable number of melanistic specimens between 10% and 25%, the underlying genetic mutation-causing melanism is still unknown. We used a gene targeting approach focusing on MC1R and ASIP as important genes of coat coloration. Overall, 1384 bp of MC1R and 2039 bp of ASIP were sequenced in 24 specimens and several SNPs were detected. But only the ASIP-SNP c.33G>T completely segregated both phenotypes leading to the amino acid substitution p.Leu11Phe. The SNP was further evaluated in additional 471 samples. Generally, all black specimens (n = 33) were homozygous TT, whereas chestnut individuals were either homozygote GG (n = 436) or heterozygote GT (n = 26). Considering the fact that all melanistic animals shared two mutated alleles of the strongly associated SNP, we concluded that melanism is inherited in a recessive mode in European roe deer.

For a long time, biographical sketches and obituaries have focused on Pette's instantly recognizable scientific contributions to German neurology and neurovirology; however, they often ignored or marginalized his role as vice-president of the Society of German Neurologists and Psychiatrists (GDNP) during the Nazi era. Recent investigations and reports based on newly discovered records question such one-sided assessments and paint a contradictory picture. Pette joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) and the NS Medical Association in 1933 and in the same year signed the "vow of allegiance of the professors to Adolf Hitler and the National Socialistic State". In 1934 he succeeded Nonne as professor for neurology in Hamburg and from 1935 headed the neurological branch of the NS-controlled Society of German Neurologists and Psychiatrists (GDNP). As a result, Pette had a strong influence on all activities of this organization and had contact with party leadership and the government. In principle, he was not opposed to the "Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring" and produced various expert reports addressed to the Appellate Hereditary Health Court in Hamburg. Simultaneously, he advocated differentiated diagnostics and rejected hasty sterilizations. He seems to have been acquainted with the "euthanasia" program and concomitant research projects but was not involved in them. During and after a lengthy denazification trial he stylized himself into a nonpolitical scientist representing an "oppositional attitude". In 1950 he was co-founder of the German Neurological Society (DGN) and was president until 1952 and then honorary president. Since 1969 the DGN awards the Heinrich Pette Prize. The Foundation for Research in Spinal Poliomyelitis founded by him shortly after WWII was named after him after his death. Since 2011 it bears the name "Heinrich Pette Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology". In future, a prudent dealing with this ambivalent legacy seems to be advisable.

To evaluate the longitudinal occurrence of traumatic dental injuries in permanent teeth comparing recent data from 2014 to 2016 in Greifswald after German unification with a historic sample from socialist times (1974–1989). In this retrospective study, traumatic dental injury parameters as type, date, location, and cause of injury as well as tooth affected were extracted from the trauma records of patients from 1974 to 1989 and 2014–2016. The descriptive analysis of 444 teeth in 245 patients revealed that the recent and historic samples had a very similar pattern of dental trauma (201/243 teeth in 117/128 patients, respectively): Maxillary permanent central incisors were affected in 70.7% and 68.3%, respectively. Enamel-dentine fractures were the most prevalent fracture injury in both recent and historic samples (64% and 43.1%, respectively) followed by enamel fractures (20.7% and 36.9%, respectively). Subluxations were the most common luxation traumatic dental injury (44.7%) followed by lateral luxation (39.8%) as reported in the historic sample while in the recent sample subluxation constituted 42.9% of luxation injuries followed by concussion (36.2%). This study detected a very stable pattern of dental traumatic injuries over 40 years, even after the change from a socialistic society to a market economy.

This study investigates beyond the bifurcated myth of the medical migration of Korean women to Germany in the 1970s, which is known as the "German dispatchment" myth from the Korean perspective and the "development aid" discourse from that of the Germans, by focusing on the newly-released documents from the German Hospital Federation (Deutsche Krankenhausgesellschaft, DKG). The migration was essentially a transfer of labor from a weak to a strong state, and the disparity of state strength characterized the nature of the recruitment mechanism. Both Korea and Germany have romanticized the labor transfer and appropriated the collective experiences of migrants for their own political purposes. In this transnational business, the Korean Overseas Development Corporation (KODCO) and the DKG maintained exclusivity in the labor migration channel and were faithful to their own interests. The DKG, as a representative of the German healthcare industry, was concerned about being criticized for destroying the healthcare system of developing countries by stealing their skilled workforce. They, therefore, tried to influence publicity in Korea and Germany to persuade the people that the recruitment benefited both countries. However, the DKG was aware of the deceitfulness of its "development aid" discourse. The Korean government, which advanced the labor export for the sake of obtaining foreign currency, romanticized it as patriotism and used the term "German dispatchment." However, the incapacity and corruption of KODCO as an agency from the Korean perspective resulted in criticism regarding its recruitment program. The DKG complained that the selection of incapable personnel coupled with corruption was causing unforeseen financial damage to its member hospitals. Nevertheless, it officially defended its partner for the sake of its own interests, such as avoiding bad publicity and securing the sustainability of the recruitment program. The conflicts regarding nursing tasks and working conditions between Korean nurses and their German colleagues and employers captured in the documents of the DKG trace the origin of the issues in relation to cultural misunderstanding and pervasive racism. The disparity of state strength between the two countries resulted in the subaltern position of Korean female healthcare workers in the global labor market, and they tried to bring forth the best possible outcome while working in a foreign country in unfamiliar circumstances. However, the difficulties with female guest workers from Asia were generally credited to their inability to adhere to the German working style. This study contributes to the existing scholarship on this topic by filling the gaps. Historical research on the medical migration of Korean nurses and nurse-aides to West Germany has relied on limited historical sources. In 2013, the National Archives of Korea transferred official documents regarding these workers that were produced and archived by the DKG, which represented the interests of German healthcare institutions. Its documents on Korean nursing personnel provide supplementary information and display findings in different perspectives. They do not bring forth completely new findings that have never been researched before but are still valuable for delivering concrete evidence on the circumstances of that time, which were previously merely inferred.

Background The aetiology of childhood leukaemia is largely unknown. Analyses of geographical differences may enhance aetiologic insights. The reunification of Germany in 1990 provides a unique opportunity to evaluate incidence patterns and time trends in two merging countries with substantial lifestyle, social and socioeconomic differences. With this study we provide an extensive assessment of 28-year incidence patterns and temporal trends after the German reunification. Methods We identified all children diagnosed with a lymphoid leukaemia (LL) or acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) before the age of 15 years between 1991 and 2018 using the German Childhood Cancer Registry (N = 14,922), and evaluated the incidence pattern and temporal trends in former East Germany compared to West Germany by subtype, age at diagnosis and sex. Results Incidence rates of LL were substantially lower (around 20 %) in Eastern Germany compared to Western Germany at the time of reunification. This was followed by a remarkable increase in Eastern Germany across both sexes and age groups until around 2000, when incidence rates reached the same levels as those in Western German federal states. Thereafter, incidence rates remained rather stable with some indications of a slightly decreasing tendency in both Eastern and Western Germany (estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) 2005–2018: East Germany = −0.8 %; West Germany = −0.4 %), driven by the 0- to 4-year olds. Overall, AML incidence rates were stable over time in Western Germany, while EAPC for Eastern Germany indicated an increasing tendency (EAPC 1991−2018 = 1.3 %) driven by the older children, mostly during the early 2000s and in most recent years. Conclusion The underlying mechanisms driving the childhood leukaemia rates remain inconclusive. Linkage studies including individual and clinical data would be valuable in evaluating the impact of a population’s social, socioeconomic and lifestyle changes on the risk of childhood leukaemia and disease aetiology overall.

Background: Before German reunification, old-age mortality was considerably higher in East Germany than West Germany but converged quickly afterward. Previous studies attributed this rapid catch-up to improved living conditions. We add to this discussion by quantifying for the first time the impact of mortality selection.Methods: We use a gamma-Gompertz mortality model to estimate the contribution of selection to the East–West German mortality convergence before and after reunification.Results: We find that, compared to the West, frailer East Germans died earlier due to deteriorating mortality conditions leading to converging mortality rates for women and men already over age 70 before 1990. After 1990,the selection of frailer individuals played only a minor role in closing the East–west German mortality gap. However, our study suggests that, after reunification, old-age mortality improved quickly because the more robust population in the East benefitted greatly from ameliorating external factors such as health care and better living standards.Conclusion: Our results from a natural experiment show that selection of frail individuals plays an important role in population-level mortality dynamics. In the case of the German reunification, East German old-age mortality alreadyconverged before 1990 because of stronger selection pressure.

Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, mortality was considerably higher in the former East Germany than in West Germany. The gap narrowed rapidly after German reunification. The convergence was particularly strong for women, to the point that Eastern women aged 50–69 now have lower mortality despite lower incomes and worse overall living conditions. Prior research has shown that lower smoking rates among East German female cohorts born in the 1940s and 1950s were a major contributor to this crossover. However, after 1990, smoking behavior changed dramatically, with higher smoking intensity observed among women in the eastern part of Germany. We forecast the impact of this changing smoking behavior on East-West mortality differences and find that the higher smoking rates among younger East German cohorts will reverse their contemporary mortality advantage. Mortality forecasting methods that do not account for smoking would, perhaps misleadingly, forecast a growing mortality advantage for East German women. Experience from other countries shows that smoking can be effectively reduced by strict anti-smoking policies. Instead, East Germany is becoming an example warning of the consequences of weakening anti-smoking policies and changing behavioral norms.

Background A number of research results on closed venereology facilities in the Soviet Occupation Zone (SOZ) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) have been presented in recent years. However, little is known about similar facilities in the Western Occupation Zones (WOZ) and in the early Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Method We have researched the records of the State Archive in Hamburg. Subsequently, the analysed sources were evaluated using the historically critical method. Results Three closed venereology wards existed in Hamburg. Compulsory commitments were conducted according to a three‐stage procedure. In the immediate postwar period, the wards had barred windows and the doors were locked. Everyday life in the wards was initially determined by the postwar situation – poor facilities, poor hygiene, overcrowding. In the early 1950s, the number of beds was drastically reduced. The function of the wards consisted of isolation and medical care for the compulsorily committed persons. Medical care was in accordance with professional medical standards. Discussion Closed venereology wards in Hamburg followed the tradition established during the period of the Weimar Republic. This becomes apparent both in terms of the legal framework and in terms of the structure and functions of the wards. Thus, they clearly differ from the closed venereology facilities in the SOZ and in the GDR. These facilities were established in the tradition of Soviet prophylactics institutions. The wards in Hamburg served as isolation and treatment centres, the facilities in the SOZ and in the GDR also had a disciplinary function., publishedVersion

Background Previous studies on lifestyle risk factors mainly focused on age- or gender-specific differences. However, lifestyle risk factors also vary across regions. Aim of the present study was to examine the extent to which prevalence rates of SNAP (smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption, physical activity) vary between East and West Germany or North and South Germany. Methods Data came from the population-representative 2015 Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (ESA) comprising 9204 subjects aged 18 to 64 years. To assess an east-west or south-north gradient, two binary logistic regression models were carried out for each SNAP factor. Results The logistic regression models revealed statistically significant differences with higher rates of at-risk alcohol consumption and lower rates of unhealthy nutrition in East Germany compared to West Germany. Significant differences between North and South Germany were found for at-risk alcohol consumption with higher rates of at-risk alcohol consumption in South Germany. Daily smoking and low physical activity were equally distributed across regions. Conclusions The implementation of measures reducing at-risk alcohol consumption in Germany should take the identified east-west and south-north gradient into account. Since the prevalence of unhealthy nutrition was generally high, prevention and intervention measures should focus on Germany as a whole instead of specific regions.