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[english] In the last decade, increasing interest has been paid to interdisciplinary and practical courses in the medical education in Germany. This report describes the implementation and outcome of a preclinical interdisciplinary elective course with a team-teaching concept developed by lecturers in medical psychology, anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. The practical orientation of the course led to the implementation of a final interdisciplinary OSPE to ensure fair consideration of the different disciplines involved in grading. Individual OSPE results correlate well with the fact that different skills are required in medical psychology compared to those required in anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. Student course evaluation and lecturers` experience indicate the success of this elective course. Its concept can be well adapted to other interdisciplinary courses.

[english] Aims: As part of a pilot project, a mentoring program was introduced in the undergraduate medical curriculum and its success evaluated. Methods: The results of biochemistry and biology exams of the first semester were taken for the sample selection because they have been proven to be predictive of successful completion of the first two years of medical school. The students within the highest and lowest 10%-percentile were chosen for the pilot phase of the mentoring program.From n = 458 students in their second semester (cohort 2007), n = 101 were contacted and n = 38 students participated in the mentoring program. For evaluation purposes, a structured telephone interview was conducted with the students, and the mentors filled out a questionnaire. Results: Organization of the program was evaluated at M = 2.63 (SD = 1.15), between “rather good” and “so-so.” Especially students with less satisfactory achievements evaluated the topics of the mentoring program as “good” to “rather good.” Conclusions: The introduction of a mentoring program is an important aid for students with good or less satisfactory course achievements. Students with good course achievements have different mentoring key topics compared to students with rather less satisfactory course achievements.[german] Zielsetzung: Im Rahmen eines Pilotprojektes wurde für den ersten Abschnitt des Humanmedizinstudiums ein Mentorenprogramm eingeführt und dessen Erfolg evaluiert. Methodik: Zur Stichprobengewinnung wurde für die Pilotphase des Mentorenprogramms das oberste und unterste 10%-Perzentil der Studierenden hinsichtlich ihrer Studienleistung in Biochemie und Biologie ausgewählt. Die berücksichtigten Ergebnisse der Biochemie- und Biologie-Klausur des 1. Semesters haben sich als reliabler Prädiktor für Scheinfreiheit nach vier Semestern erwiesen. Von =458 Studierenden des zweiten Semesters (Zulassungsjahrgang 2007) wurden insgesamt =101 für das Mentorenprogramm angeschrieben, von denen =38 Studierende teilnahmen. Zu Evaluationszwecken wurde mit den Studierenden ein strukturiertes Telefoninterview durchgeführt und die Mentoren füllten einen Fragebogen aus. Ergebnisse: Die Organisation wurde mit =2.63 (=1.15) zwischen „eher gut“ und „teils/teils“ bewertet. Vor allem Studierende mit weniger guten Studienleistungen bewerteten die Inhalte des Mentorenprogramms als „gut“ bis „eher gut“.Schlussfolgerung: Die Einführung eines Mentorenprogramms stellt eine wichtige Unterstützung sowohl für leistungsstarke als auch für leistungsschwache Studierende dar. Studierende mit guten Studienleistungen haben andere Mentoring Themenschwerpunkte als Studierende mit eher weniger guten Studienleistungen.

The importance of health promotion for health professional students is increasingly crucial, as the rising requirements for those students can have a negative impact on their health. Despite this awareness, there is still limited knowledge in Germany about the specific health needs of this group of students. This study's aim was, therefore, to assess the subjective health of first-year students and to identify health needs. Thus, this study is based on an online survey using standardized measurement instruments. First-year students from three degree programs were included. The data were analyzed descriptively. A total of n = 98 (72.6%) participated in the survey. The results showed that a major proportion of participants (80.3%) rated their health positively, but a significant proportion reported weight disorders (24%) and pre-existing health conditions (62.1%) at baseline. Interestingly, a high proportion (59%) reported a high level of mental well-being at the time of the survey. However, worrying findings regarding lifestyle behaviors, including physical inactivity (40.6%), smoking (20%), risky alcohol use (24%), and unhealthy eating habits (37%) were determined. In terms of health literacy, around 45% of students rated their health competencies as problematic. Furthermore, it was found that students with low health literacy had a significantly higher prevalence of low mental well-being (53.3% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.036) and unhealthy eating habits (48.8% vs. 26.5%, p = 0.027) compared to students with sufficient health literacy. Health professional students should be considered a relevant target group for health and health competence promotion from the beginning of their studies. The identified fields of action should be addressed in the context of health promotion. This is of particular importance as they are not only aimed at improving the students' well-being but also will later work directly with patients and, therefore, have a direct influence on the health of others.

University education marks a new stage in life, which is associated with unknown demands and challenges and can have a negative impact on students' health. Therefore, health promotion in the university setting is becoming increasingly important. In this context, scientific data on the health situation play a crucial role in improving students' health. Thus, the aim of the scoping review was to highlight the current scope of research on the health of health professional students. It also explored problems and outlined key future challenges and solutions. The review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for a scoping review. A total of nine databases (PubMed, CINAHL, CareLit, LIVIVO, Scopus, Psyndex, PEDro, OTseeker, Google Scholar) were systematically searched. The following search criteria were defined: health professional students, health, Germany, German-speaking countries, all types of sources from 2012 to present are selected. The research studies were mapped in a table and health evidence of included studies was summarized narratively. The initial search resulted in 23,938 records. Seven records met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Six cross-sectional studies were conducted in Germany, and one cross-sectional study was conducted in Switzerland. In fact, one study included a representative population. Qualitative studies were not found. The most studies investigated health status, health behavior, and personal resources. Most of the studies examined female nursing students. The included studies indicated that the young students reported physical or mental health conditions. In addition, the studies also identified health resources of the students that need to be improved. In summary, there is currently limited health evidence on this group of students in German-speaking countries. Therefore, further research is needed to generate knowledge and comprehensively describe the health situation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Jürgensen, Koch, Nock and Petersen-Ewert.)

Background: Agency work in nursing is used as a form of labor to counter vacant staff positions in hospitals. Both hospital owners and nurses view this critically for different reasons., Aim: The aim of this study was to assess what personal net income nurses in German intensive care units and intermediate care units consider "fair and sufficient" for their work (addressed in Part 1 of the survey) and what influence-aside from the salary-the working conditions have on the willingness to change to temporary work or back to a permanent position., Methods: From September to October 2020, an anonymous online survey was conducted among nurses of intermediate care units, intensive care units, and special care units in German-speaking countries. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis., Result: Of 1203 participants, 86% (n = 1036) could be evaluated. None of the job satisfaction factors queried received four or five stars (maximum five stars) from those participating in the survey. The most unsatisfied group proved to be regularly employed nurses with an additional part-time job. Key job satisfaction factors differed markedly between the groups, with regular employees favoring consistency and stability. Agency workers prefer gaining experience in a broader range of tasks. Unreliable duty rosters and poor nurse to patient ratios were common points of criticism., Conclusion: For job satisfaction, making nurses feel appreciated and respected is essential. This includes a guaranteed nurse to patient ratio and reliable duty rosters that also include tasks outside direct patient care. In order for nurses to leave agency work, it is necessary to take into account the differences in interests in terms of the focus of activity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Health literacy was identified as a main determinant in self-care of chronic diseases. This results in responsibilities for health professionals for daily practice. For primary care setting, special requirements arise due to the heterogeneity of communities. The objective of this scoping review was to explore and map the scope of the research material on strategies led by community health nurses to improve health literacy in (patients with) chronic diseases. This review aimed to identify gaps in the literature and existing approaches on promoting health literacy by community nurse practitioners. Methods: The following criteria were included for the research: Adults with chronic diseases, health literacy, community health nursing and primary healthcare. All types of searches for studies from 1970 to present were carried out in electronic databases and in a Google and a Google Scholar search. The search procedure is presented in a flow chart. Results: From all reviewed studies, nine records were included in the review. Findings with regard to the increase in health literacy in self-management of chronically ill patients were identified. Conclusion: Studies focusing on specific demands with regard to the role of community health nurses need to be carried out in depth.

Background: Agency nursing is used as a form of labour to counter vacant staff positions in hospitals. Stakeholders and nurses might view this critically for different reasons., Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate what individual net income nurses in German intensive care units and intermediate care units consider "fair and acceptable" for their work. Furthermore, what influence does salary have on the willingness to change to agency nursing or back to a permanent position., Methods: From September-October 2020, an anonymous online survey was performed among nurses of intermediate care units, intensive care units and special care units in German-speaking countries. The results were evaluated using descriptive statistics., Result: Of 1203 participants, 1036 (86%) of those working in Germany could be evaluated. The question about the individual net income was answered by 1032 (99%) participants. The majority of respondents (n = 522) stated that they had an individual net income of 2000-2999 €/month. The higher the level of the net income, the lower the willingness to switch to agency work. The participants in permanent employment only perceive a net income of 3200 €/month (median 3200 €; interquartile range [IQR] 2800-3800 €) as acceptable and fair for their work. In all, 142 agency nurses stated that an individual net income of 3200 €/month (median 3200 €; IQR 3000-3950 €) would be sufficient to move from agency nursing back into permanent employment., Conclusion: The intensive care nurses in this survey consider a salary of 3200 €/month as acceptable and fair for their work. The salary level can be a parameter for the decision to go into agency work, but also to move back to permanent employment. Regardless of the salary, better working conditions were indicated as an essential element in terms of job satisfaction for all respondent groups., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Patient education is recommended as an essential component of Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols. However, there are many uncertainties regarding content and methodological criteria, which may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the intervention. The aim of this review is to assess the effect of preoperative patient education on postoperative recovery in abdominal surgery and to examine different patient education strategies for their effectiveness., Methods: We performed a systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane were searched from 2011 to 2022. All studies investigating the effect of preoperative patient education on postoperative recovery in abdominal surgery were included. A critical quality assessment of all included studies was performed., Results: We identified 826 potentially suitable articles via a database search and included 12 studies in this review. The majority of the included studies reported a reduction in the length of hospital stay (LOS) and even a reduction in postoperative complications and adverse events. Patients with preoperative education seemed to have lower psychological stress and experience less anxiety. However, the contents, delivery, and general conditions were implemented differently, making comparison difficult. Moreover, the majority of the included studies were weak in quality., Conclusion: With this review, we report potential effects, current implementations, and frameworks of patient education. However, the results must be interpreted with caution and are not directly transferable to clinical practice. Further studies in this field are necessary to make concrete recommendations for clinical practice., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Implementing community health nursing programs is a new field of application in the primary health sector of Germany. Hence, there is limited evidence of effective community-based and nurse-led interventions with regard to the German health care system. International research findings are mostly not transferable. The Community Health Nursing in der Stadt (CoSta; ie, "Community Health Nursing in the City") project is the first study that examines a community health nurse-led intervention for adults with chronic health conditions., Objective: This study protocol describes the design and methods of a randomized controlled field trial that will investigate if a community health nurse-based intervention has an impact on health-related quality of life in adults with chronic conditions., Methods: The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial that will be conducted under real-life conditions in the field. In a 4-month period, patients with at least 1 chronic International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, diagnosis will be enrolled. Participants will be randomly allocated to an intervention group or a control group. The sample size was assumed based on an effect size of 0.50 with a significance level of .05, using a 2-sided (2-tailed), 2-sample unequal variance t test. The control group will be treated as usual. The intervention group will receive-in addition to the usual treatment-preventive home visits; consultations; and educative training, which will be offered by 2 community health nurses for up to 12 months. Both groups will be followed up at baseline, after 6 months, and after 12 months. The primary outcome measure is the mental component summary score from the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey after 12-months. Secondary patient outcomes will be included. The study received ethics approval from the Competence Health Center's institutional review board at the University of Applied Sciences Hamburg (procedure number: 2020-14)., Results: The CoSta project was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Germany (contract number: 13FH019SX8). In total, 187 participants were recruited at the beginning of August 2021. Further, 92 were excluded and 94 were randomized. Data collection will be conducted until the end of 2022., Conclusions: Our study will provide data with regard to the effectiveness of community nurse-led interventions that focus on the treatment of vulnerable adults with chronic health conditions in a community health center. In secondary analyses, the associations among influencing social factors (education, income, and employment) will be examined. We expect results that will help reduce the research-to-practice gap., Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00026164; https://tinyurl.com/yckxc5ut., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/37965., (©Annike Morgane Nock, Linda Iversen, Lukas Waidhas, Antonia Zapf, Caroline Seifert, Corinna Petersen-Ewert. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 28.09.2022.)

Background: Temporary contract workers are used for the nursing care of intensive care patients, usually by service providers in the sense of temporary employment. If or how temporary contract work has an impact on patient care has scarcely been investigated so far., Aim: The aim of this systematic review is to describe the available research results on the use of temporary workers in nursing care in intensive and intermediate care units and to summarize the prospective effects on patient outcomes., Method: Seven databases were systematically searched for English and German language articles using Boolean operators and evaluated according to the PRISMA schema. References of included studies were included in the search and the quality of all included studies was evaluated according to the Hawker criteria., Result: From a total of 630 datasets viewed, 1 qualitative and 2 quantitative studies were identified and analyzed. The findings of the quantitative studies indicated that the probability of the occurrence of catheter-associated infections can increase with the use of temporary workers, but is more dependent on the size of the unit: For each additional bed, the probability of VAP increases by 14.8% (95%-CI = 1.032-1.277, p = 0.011). However, trends for a decrease in the sepsis rate as soon as fewer temporary workers (hours/patient) were deployed in the intensive care unit (ICU) could not be confirmed., Conclusion: In the few available studies no evidence was found that the use of temporary workers in intensive care units (ICU) and intermediate care units (IMC) has a significant impact on patient outcomes; however, evidence was found that individual qualifications and working conditions have an influence on outcomes. Further studies should consider what ratio of permanent to temporary workers should be considered uncritical, what qualifications temporary workers should have and to what extent these can be checked., (© 2020. The Author(s).)

Community health nursing in urban setting (CoSta): Development of a care concept for people with chronic conditions in primary care Abstract. Background: Community Health Nursing (CHN) is currently being discussed in German-speaking countries to implement nursing professionals in primary care. It comprises patient-oriented-, evidence-based and community care. Academic nurses provide care autonomously. In other countries, CHN has been established for many years. In Germany, there is a lack of model tests and evidence to evaluate the specific mode of action in application and to map reimbursement options of potential healthcare payers. Aim: The CoSta project is developing a professional CHN model concept for people with chronic conditions in a marginalized urban neighborhood. Methods: The practice development of the CHN care concept is based on a theoretical frame, a literature review and needs assessment in the neighborhood involving the multiprofessional team in a health center. Results: Concept modelling is completed. The model is based on the components public health, nursing theory, mission statement, legal framework, and evidence base. Interventions include nurse-led home visits, consultations, and trainings. Their effectiveness is currently being tested in an ongoing intervention study, and feasibility results are expected soon. Conclusions: The model-concept is assessed as a needs-based offer. For the intervention, cultural and peer sensitive aspects seem to be even more significant than expected.

Background: Community ambulation is often affected after a stroke. However, no validated assessment in German to measure community ambulation on a participation level exists., Objectives: The purpose was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Functional Walking Categories (FWC) into German and to assess its validity and reliability in patients with stroke., Methods: Cross-cultural adaptation guidelines were used for translation. Face and content validity were established with the aid of an expert committee. A pilot study with patients after stroke in a neurological rehabilitation setting checked for concurrent validity using Kendall's tau and reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients., Results: The results indicated that the German version of the FWC has adequate face and content validity. A total of 30 patients (mean age 62 ± 12.315 years, 56.7% female) participated in the study. The FWC correlated well with the Functional Ambulation Categories (tau-b = 0.783), cadence (tau-b = 0.640), gait velocity (tau-b = 0.628), the comfortable 10-m timed walk (tau-b = -0.629), and the fast 10-m timed walk (tau-b = -0.634). Moderate correlations were found between the FWC and step length (tau-b = 0.483) and the Timed Up and Go (tau-b = -0.520), respectively. Intrarater reliability was moderate (ICC = 0.651) while interrater reliability was excellent (ICC = 0.751) (all correlations p < 0.001). However, the study was designed as pilot study, thus, full psychometric property testing was not possible., Conclusions: The German FWC offers a reasonable tool for measuring community ambulation on participation level. However, a user manual seems to be helpful.

Background: The term competences is discussed differently in various disciplines of science. Furthermore there is no international or discipline comprehensive accepted definition of this term. Problem: So far, there are few practical, reliable and valid measuring instruments for a survey of general nursing skills. This article describes the adaptation process of a measuring instrument for medical skills into one for nursing competences. Method: The measurement quality of the questionnaire was audited using a sample of two different courses of studies and regular nursing apprentices. Another research question focused whether the adapted questionnaire is able to detect a change of nursing skills. For the validation of reliability and validity data from the first point of measurement was used (n = 240). The data from the second point of measurement, which was conducted two years later (n = 163), were used to validate, whether the questionnaire is able to detect a change of nursing competences. Results/Conclusions: The results indicate that the adapted version of the questionnaire is reliable and valid. Also the questionnaire was able to detect significant, partly even strong, effects of change in nursing skills (d = 0,17 – 1,04). It was possible to adapt the questionnaire for the measurement of nursing competences.

An ageing population that is increasing does not necessarily mean an increase in people who require health and social care. However, it is predicted that a wide range of such services is likely to be needed. This demand is set against a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals and a lack of interest in working with older people. There is a particular shortage of skilled gerontological workers in the developed world, made worse by a perceived lack of professional esteem, economic reward and poor working environments in the specialism. Most studies recommend education to enable individuals to develop accurate knowledge about the ageing process and interest in working with older people. There is a discrepancy in the literature as to whether health and social care workers hold positive or negative attitudes towards older people. As attitudes are strongly linked with perceptions of working with older people, this article presents a review of the literature and discussion on attitudes of health and social care students to ageing and perceptions of working with older people.

Forensic medicine can provide access to autopsies for students in undergraduate medical education. Previous qualitative studies reported that attending autopsies promotes learning and is helpful in organising information in the context of self-directed learning, covering cognitive, emotional and societal issues. In the present study, learning outcome regarding specific pathophysiological learning objectives of students who attended an autopsy elective (intervention group, n = 32) was estimated in comparison to peer students who signed up for the course but were not selected (control group A, n = 47) and students who had not signed up (control group B, n = 186). Learning outcome (expressed as a percent knowledge gain) was measured by means of comparative self-assessments (CSA). Furthermore, group interviews were conducted to evaluate the attending students' perceptions and experiences of the course. In the intervention group, the percent knowledge gain for learning objectives reflecting pathophysiological mechanisms was about twice as high than that in the control groups, while all three groups showed comparable knowledge gain for learning objectives covered by mandatory courses that were held during the study period. Results of mandatory post-course assessments showed no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups. Therefore, the knowledge gain regarding learning objectives not covered by mandatory courses that was observed in the intervention group reflected the additional benefit of attending the autopsy course. Group interviews with the participants revealed gain of integrated knowledge and understanding of pathophysiological relations as important issues, while negative effects were reported infrequently. Our findings suggest that attendance of a series of autopsies fosters learning and understanding of important issues in medical education and should therefore be part of undergraduate medical curricula wherever possible.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare genetic disorder with an autosomal dominant inheritance. It is a chronic condition that affects mostly the skin and causes it to grow multiple tumors and also affects the nervous system. The clinical picture is complex with highly variable symptoms and clinical severity. This study explores the psychological distress in 129 adult patients with NF1. It turned out that adults with NF1 have a higher level of psychological distress compared to the general population. The psychological distress is stable within a year. Physicians treating patients with NF1 should consider the psychological distress in NF1 patients. Psychotherapy, psychiatric treatment and psychosocial offers are therefore essential., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Childhood health and illness have changed considerably over the past century calling for an increasing awareness of mental health problems. Consequently, the assessment of mental health problems is of major importance, not only focussing on mental health diagnoses but also on components of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and functioning with regard to the impact of an illness or injury, medical treatment, or health care policy. Recently, a number of HRQOL measures for children and adolescents have been developed and applied in a number of studies. The current paper presents multi-cultural tools for the assessment of HRQOL, which were developed within European projects, describes the application of these tools in cross-national studies and pinpoints important determinants of HRQOL and mental health problems. Future research needs are discussed., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In undergraduate medical education, the training of post-mortem external examination on dead bodies might evoke strong emotional reactions in medical students that could counteract the intended learning goals. We evaluated student perception of a forensic medicine course, their perceived learning outcome (via self-assessment) and possible tutor-dependent influences on the overall evaluation of the course by a questionnaire-based survey among 150 medical students in Hamburg, Germany. The majority of students identified post-mortem external examination as an important learning objective in undergraduate medical education and did not feel that the dignity of the deceased was offended by the course procedures. After the course, more than 70% of the students felt able to perform an external examination and to fill in a death certificate. Respectful behavior of course tutors towards the deceased entailed better overall course ratings by students (p<0.001). Our findings highlight the importance of factors such as clearly defined learning goals and course standardization (formal curriculum) as well as tutor behavior (informal curriculum) in undergraduate education in forensic medicine. Furthermore, we suggest embedding teaching in forensic medicine in longitudinal curricula on death and dying and on the health consequences of interpersonal violence., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Most medical faculties in Germany are still lacking differentiated counseling programmes for specific target groups. The purpose of the present study was to determine the quality of life and integration of students with migration backgrounds and their interests in counseling programmes., Methods: Data was collected at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. Participants were students of the undergraduate medical course; n=890 (89.3%) students without migration backgrounds were compared to n=107 (10.7%) students with an existing migration background., Results: The results showed that medical students with migration backgrounds reported lower scores for health-related quality of life compared to students without a migration background. They felt less accepted and supported by their fellow students and had fewer contacts with other students. Medical students with migration backgrounds were characterised by a higher interest in the implementation of a counseling programme (Z=-3.420; p=.001)., Conclusions: In summary, medical students with migration backgrounds were identified as a group with an increased need for a specific counseling service. Lower scores of mental health and feelings of inferior integration set the necessity for early counseling and intervention needs.

Objective: Studies on cognitive function in paediatric patients suffering head trauma suggest neuropsychological impairment even after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). The present study examined the feasibility of abbreviated neuropsychological testing in different settings in children and adolescents following MTBI., Methods: Within the scope of two prospective studies on psychosocial and cognitive outcome, 71 school-aged children with mild, moderate or severe TBI were assessed. In addition, 15 healthy children were included in the study. The abbreviated instrument comprises three standardized tests measuring attention and memory functions (Digit Symbol, Digit Span, learning trials of the German Auditory Verbal Learning Test). Impairment rates were calculated according to a defined cut-off score for clinically significant cognitive impairment., Results: Abbreviated testing could easily be implemented both in the acute and post-acute clinical setting. Out of the children with MTBI, 12% (shortly after injury) and 30% (2 months after injury), respectively, were classified as cognitively impaired. Following moderate or severe TBI, impairment occurred in 50% of the patients. Healthy children showed the best performance, while children with severe TBI performed worst., Conclusion: Results suggest that abbreviated testing allows detection of MTBI-related cognitive dysfunction. Identified children should be referred to a clinical neuropsychologist for comprehensive assessment.

On July 1, 2009, the German Network for Health Services Research [Deutsches Netzwerk Versorgungsforschung e. V. (DNVF e. V.)] approved the Memorandum III "Methods for Health Services Research", supported by the member societies mentioned as authors and published in this Journal [Gesundheitswesen 2009; 71: 505-510]. This is an in-depth publication on "quality-of-life assessment in health services research". Within the context of the health sciences, quality of life (QL) encompasses the subjective well-being and functioning in the physical, psychological and social domains. QL informs about the aspects of health care that "actually get to the patient". QL is what patients primarily experience, what they talk about and what to a large degree affects the acceptance of health-care services and processes in the society. Therefore, QL can be considered as a highly important endpoint within health services research. The importance of the construct quality of life is also emphasised in German treaties on social law and utility analyses. This paper is the first account on the relations between health services research and the concept and assessment of QL. Our working group has specified key criteria for QL assessment within studies on health services research. (1) Assessment instruments need to comply with standard quality criteria (reliability, validity, sensitivity, interpretability) and the decision for a particular instrument has to be reasonably justified. (2) Study design and study population have to match with the scientific research question and the sample size has to be biometrically sound. (3) QL assessment including time points over the course of the study has to follow a standardized protocol. (4) Criteria for analysis and interpretation have to be prospectively specified. (5) Studies focusing on diagnostic/therapeutic issues need to specify standards for diagnostic criteria and related therapeutic interventions., (Copyright Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.)