Fakultät für Gesundheitswissenschaften

Demographic processes, such as increasing longevity and migration, growing family dynamics and low fertility, fundamentally impact composition and structure of population in high-income countries and many middle- and low-income nations. As a result, the populations become more heterogenous with respect to age structure, household composition, residential locations and other characteristics. Although population diversity is an exceptional opportunity for a society to increase its cultural capital and enhance economies, it may also amplify social and health inequalities. Through empirical research, AG8 aspire to identify these health inequalities and to quantify how demographic, social, and behavioral characteristics impact individuals’ health and survival.

The AG8 research adopts lifecourse framework to study how early life conditions (e.g. parental long-distance commuting) and later life experiences (e.g. a health shock in a family) shape individuals’ health and health behaviors. All research projects have the potential to uncover novel results with important policy implications. Analyzing the causal effects and pathways will help to identify policy interventions targeted to improve health and reduce health inequalities and to meet challenges of healthcare provision in times of population aging.

Working Areas

• Gender differences in health and survival (G-HEALTH)
• Health of aging populations
• Health of immigrants
• Diversity in the use of e-health