Bielefeld School of Public Health

Sub-project of the DFG research unit DISELMA: The influence of informal network contacts on the everyday integration of digital media for the self-management of chronic diseases

Duration: 01.12.2023 to 30.11.2027

Head: Prof Dr Doreen Reifegerste

Project member: Anna-Lena Esser

Head of the DFG research unit: Prof. Dr Constanze Rossmann (Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität Munich)

© Image by upklyak on Freepik

Chronic illnesses and the associated self-management of these are becoming increasingly important due to the rise in chronic illnesses in society. It has been shown that informal contacts (family, friends, acquaintances, peers) play an important role in the self-management of chronic illnesses, for example through interpersonal communication. Digital media can support the course of the disease and treatment as well as self-management. Communication with informal contacts can support the adoption of digital media for self-management. However, the extent to which informal contacts and networks influence the use and everyday integration of digital media for the self-management of chronic diseases has not yet been fully clarified, and the structure, content and impact of communication within informal networks have rarely been investigated in detail.

Therefore in our DFG-funded sub-project (the DISELMA research unit) we are investigating the influence of informal network contacts on the everyday integration of digital media for the self-management of chronic diseases. Our focus is on the chronic diseases diabetes and asthma/COPD.

To this end, we conduct three interlinked studies in which we (1) conduct a literature review that examines the structure, content and effects of metacommunication in the context of digital media adoption and use for chronic disease self-management. We will then (2) conduct quantitative surveys using egocentric network maps with asthma/COPD and diabetes patients to identify relevant alteri, their attributes and connection attributes, and gather knowledge about the content and perceived impact. To better understand the underlying mechanisms, (3) qualitative interviews with egocentric network maps will be conducted with part of the patient sample from study 2 to deepen and complement the results of the quantitative study.

The DFG research group is headed by Prof. Dr. Constanze Rossmann at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. You can find more information on the DFG project at: https: //diselma.de/