Neusser S, Friedrich L, Höfer K
… +16 more, Blase N, Schlierenkamp S, Werner S, Schlesiger PB, Best D, Lubisch B, Hentschel G, Weigel F, Wieczorek D, Marschall U, Schaff C, Meisel B, Timmermann H, Walendzik A, Wasem J, Abels C
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 42208584
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BACKGROUND: General practitioners play a key role in caring for people with mental disorders. In most cases, they are the first point of contact within the healthcare system. They often coordinate referrals for psychothe...BACKGROUND: General practitioners play a key role in caring for people with mental disorders. In most cases, they are the first point of contact within the healthcare system. They often coordinate referrals for psychotherapeutic treatment. Accordingly, the reform of the Psychotherapy Directive (2017), which introduced psychotherapeutic consultations as a new service, has had a direct impact on general practitioners. This article aims to reflect general practitioners' assessment of this reform. METHODS: As part of the project 'Evaluation of the Psychotherapy Guideline', a standardized cross-sectional survey of 3,400 general practitioners in the statutory health insurance system was conducted. The survey was analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: Out of a total of 256 general practitioners who participated in the survey, 72.7% of participants were aged 51 or over, and 53.8% were female. While most general practitioners said that the waiting time for a psychotherapy consultation was 4 weeks or more, around two-thirds also said that it took 9 weeks or more to start guideline-based therapy. Only a few saw an improvement in the situation after the reform. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of general practitioners, there is still potential for improvement in patients' access to psychotherapeutic care. Additionally, communication regarding patient pathways could be improved, as general practitioners report receiving feedback from only around a quarter of patients after the consultation.
Rohr M, Pawellek M, König M
… +2 more, Melter M, Brandstetter S
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 42208583
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BACKGROUND: Medical care for children and adolescents is unequally distributed across regions; specialist services are particularly scarce in rural areas. In the model project 'KUNOLand', postgraduate trainees in child a...BACKGROUND: Medical care for children and adolescents is unequally distributed across regions; specialist services are particularly scarce in rural areas. In the model project 'KUNOLand', postgraduate trainees in child and adolescent medicine rotate for six months from the hospital to two general practices in a rural district of Eastern Bavaria in Germany to strengthen local care. This study aims to provide a formative and summative evaluation regarding feasibility, acceptance, and effectiveness. METHODS: The mechanisms of action of the model project were specified using a logic model. During the evaluation period (April 2022 to March 2025), the following data were collected: semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, documentation of hospital contacts, routine practice data, and an online survey among parents. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively; qualitative data were analyzed using computer-assisted content analysis following Kuckartz (2012). RESULTS: The concept outlined in the model project is feasible under certain conditions: for example, through the continuous involvement of medical practices, the provision of protected time for assistant physicians by the hospital for the pilot project, and the structured integration of rotation into specialist training. Postgraduate trainees clinical work could be successfully integrated into daily practice. Communication with the hospital occurred mainly by phone (median: 2.5 contacts/month); the data-protection-compliant telemedicine app was rarely used. Treatment numbers increased significantly, especially among younger children, and the range of services expanded. Parents reported high satisfaction, and additional physician visits could often be avoided. Trainees and practice staff reported substantial competency gains. The project attracted new pediatric patients and strengthened regional care. CONCLUSIONS: The model project demonstrates that structured integration of postgraduate trainees in child and adolescent medicine into general practices in rural areas can strengthen both care and training. The findings suggest good transferability to similar regions. By enhancing training, the project can make an effective contribution to recruiting future pediatricians.
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 42202858
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BACKGROUND: Individuals with cardiological and pneumological diseases, as well as pregnant women, are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. Studies indicate that these groups utilize healthcare...BACKGROUND: Individuals with cardiological and pneumological diseases, as well as pregnant women, are particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. Studies indicate that these groups utilize healthcare services more frequently during periods of heat and increased air pollution. Within the LOEWE-Schwerpunkt "HABITAT", this study aimed to assess the current healthcare situation in Hesse in the fields of cardiology, pneumology and obstetrics with a focus on the availability of outpatient and inpatient healthcare services accessible within reasonable travel time. METHODS: This study is a regional, descriptive, tertiary data analysis with spatial accessibility analysis. Publicly available data were used to link disease prevalences with demographic variables (notably age and social deprivation) and healthcare facility accessibility. RESULTS: Marked regional disparities were observed in the prevalences of COPD, bronchial asthma, heart failure and coronary heart disease across districts. The incidence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy also varied regionally. The results showed that pneumological and cardiological diseases were particularly prevalent in districts such as the Vogelsbergkreis or Hersfeld-Rotenburg, which are characterized by higher average age and higher social deprivation. These regions also exhibited a lower density of healthcare facilities. Except for a few rural communities in Vogelsbergkreis, all outpatient healthcare facilities could be reached by car within 30 minutes. CONCLUSION: Overall, the number of healthcare facilities and their accessibility by car in Hesse is adequate. Demographic and socioeconomic disparities further highlight that car accessibility alone is insufficient, particularly for population groups reliant on public transport.
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 42202857
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BACKGROUND: Outpatient primary care in Austria is characterized by a pronounced lack of systemic transparency and existing barriers to care along the entire patient journey. This necessitates the improvement of comprehen...BACKGROUND: Outpatient primary care in Austria is characterized by a pronounced lack of systemic transparency and existing barriers to care along the entire patient journey. This necessitates the improvement of comprehensive patient and resource management through coordinated workflow organization and integrated collaboration. The question arises: How should comprehensive patient management in outpatient primary care be designed and further developed from the perspective of the healthcare professionals involved? METHOD: An online survey was conducted (June 11, 2025 - June 20, 2025) among physicians (n=123) working in primary care units (PCU) and physiotherapists with a public health insurance contract (n=153). The response rate was n=46 and rr=16.7%, respectively (PVE physicians: n=23, rr=18.7%; physiotherapists: n=23, rr=15.0%). RESULTS: From the perspective of the health professionals, the prioritized objectives of patient management lay in tactical and operational goals such as relief, cure, prevention, coordinated diagnostics, and continuous care. The PVE physicians weighted these overarching goals more highly than the physiotherapists who were also involved, indicating the latter's primary responsibility for comprehensive patient management. CONCLUSION: Visualization, analysis, and dialogue based on a patient journey are suitable methods for consolidating the identified solutions and areas of action for comprehensive patient management. In this context, important areas of action, such as prevention, home exercise programs, therapy adherence, and coordination and communication between stakeholders and patients, can be assigned concrete potentials for improvement, such as access design, technology use and organizational methods using educational videos, quality-oriented remuneration, AI-supported therapies, and multi-professional quality circles.
Kreyenschulte T, Reske D, Zielasek J
… +13 more, Boettche M, Boettcher J, Burchert S, Glaesmer H, Knaevelsrud C, Konnopka A, Nilles H, Nohr L, Renneberg B, Stammel N, Wagner B, Gouzoulis-Mayfrank E, Reinhardt I
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 42202856
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BACKGROUND: Refugees are a particularly vulnerable target group in healthcare. Innovative digital treatment options offer the opportunity to reduce or even close gaps in care for this particular group. Despite promising...BACKGROUND: Refugees are a particularly vulnerable target group in healthcare. Innovative digital treatment options offer the opportunity to reduce or even close gaps in care for this particular group. Despite promising evidence, only a few digital interventions have been used in inpatient psychiatric care in Germany to date. The I-REACH project investigated the implementation of "blended care" (the use of a digital support in addition to face-to-face (F2F) routine care services) in inpatient psychiatric care for refugees. The aim was to describe the factors promoting and hindering implementation from the perspective of professionals in order to support implementation efforts. METHODOLOGY: As part of the I-REACH project, a qualitative survey was conducted to explore support factors and barriers to the implementation of a blended care application ("blended Almamar-App" in combination with face-to-face diagnostics and therapy). Between August and November 2024, 15 guided interviews were conducted with eight healthcare professionals and seven local study coordinators from the participating study centres. The interviews were coded and evaluated using a qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz. RESULTS: Key promoting factors and barriers were identified deductively and inductively in accordance with the interview guide from the perspective of professionals involved in the project. Technical, patient-related, practitioner-related, organizational, and structural factors were described. CONCLUSION: In order to integrate digital interventions such as the "blended Almamar-App" into routine care, technical requirements such as existing devices and reliable network connectivity, continuous information and training for users, and structured organization are particularly important. It is advisable to integrate data into existing digital hospital information systems wherever possible and to provide resource-oriented support to practitioners in implementing digital treatment options.
Baum F, van Baal K, Augustin J
… +24 more, van de Sand H, Lorenz-Dant K, Lindemann C, Baltruks D, Büker C, Deutschbein J, Geffert K, Gothe H, Herrmann A, Hornberg C, Konnopka C, Kuehne A, Luhmann E, Metzendorf MI, Meyer I, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Schmitt J, Steinmann M, Thürmann P, Wolf J, Ziech P, Ziegler A, Härter M, Panchyrz I
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 42103301
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Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 Jun · PMID 42097155
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AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to conduct a medical-historical analysis of the origins of school entry examinations (SEE) in Germany and their subsequent development up to the first formal supra-regional sta...AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to conduct a medical-historical analysis of the origins of school entry examinations (SEE) in Germany and their subsequent development up to the first formal supra-regional standardization in the 1960s. METHODS: Based on a systematic evaluation of archival primary sources from federal and state archives, a historical-critical analysis of the institutional, normative, and administrative development of school entry examinations was conducted. Selected subject-specific scientific publications were additionally incorporated. RESULTS: In Prussia, the earliest forms of school medical examinations can be traced back to 1838. In the course of the implementation of compulsory schooling, all German states had established school health surveillance instruments of varying scope and structure by 1871. Over time, these instruments were continuously formalized and adapted to prevailing health policy paradigms. Initially, SEE primarily served military and population health objectives. During the Weimar Republic, social compensatory and individual medical aspects gained increasing importance, before the examinations were ideologically instrumentalized for racial selection during the National Socialist period. After 1945, somatic health aspects initially dominated in West Germany. However, the federal structure of the Federal Republic resulted in substantial regional heterogeneity in content and implementation. From the mid-1960s onward, this heterogeneity led to the first supra-regional harmonization efforts, culminating in the so-called Bielefeld Agreement. CONCLUSION: The development of SEE in Germany represents a historically evolving and dynamic process, closely linked to changing political, social, and public health frameworks that shaped their functions and objectives over time.
Iseni J, Haxholli E, Netzband S
… +2 more, Brechlin A, Swoboda W
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 42086486
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BACKGROUND: In the context of workforce shortages in geriatric long-term care facilities, monitoring of job-related satisfaction is gaining importance in order to systematically observe developments and support organizat...BACKGROUND: In the context of workforce shortages in geriatric long-term care facilities, monitoring of job-related satisfaction is gaining importance in order to systematically observe developments and support organizational learning processes. At the same time, digitalization initiatives require practice-oriented and reproducible data analysis structures. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to descriptively assess job-related satisfaction among nursing staff and to demonstrate a standardized, FHIR-based data and analysis workflow. METHODS: A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted in a geriatric long-term care facility in Bavaria, Germany (survey waves November-December 2023 and November-December 2024). Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire (scale 0-5; 0=very dissatisfied, 5=very satisfied) via REDCap. Data were pseudonymized, transformed into HL7 FHIR format, and analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: A total of n=68 employees participated (2023: 37/84; 2024: 31/83). Mean values in both waves were predominantly in the upper range of the scale. Between 2023 and 2024, mostly small changes were observed, including in selected aspects of work equipment and team communication. Items newly introduced in 2024 addressing respect and appreciation showed predominantly higher ratings on the scale. CONCLUSION: In the investigated facility, high overall mean scores regarding job-related satisfaction were observed across both survey periods. A standardized FHIR-based workflow can support reproducible analyses and thereby enable continuous monitoring.
Falls and their consequences have significant health-economic implications in Germany. Tailored exercise training is among the most effective interventions for fall prevention in older adults. However, conventional in-pe...Falls and their consequences have significant health-economic implications in Germany. Tailored exercise training is among the most effective interventions for fall prevention in older adults. However, conventional in-person training programs alone are insufficient to provide nationwide fall prevention and effectively reduce fall-related injuries. Digital interventions have the potential to complement and enhance traditional fall prevention programs, improving accessibility and reaching a broader population. Despite this potential, no evidence-based digital fall prevention programs are currently available in Germany. Moving forward, it is essential to develop, evaluate, and implement digital, evidence-based solutions to strengthen fall prevention efforts. Achieving this goal requires regulatory frameworks that support innovation rather than impede it with excessive bureaucratic hurdles. Additionally, digital applications should be designed to be intuitive and accessible for users while ensuring compliance with current data protection standards.
Secondary data analyses with health insurance data are a central component of health services research, especially with regard to studies of the G-BA's Innovation Fund. It is, however, not always possible to systematical...Secondary data analyses with health insurance data are a central component of health services research, especially with regard to studies of the G-BA's Innovation Fund. It is, however, not always possible to systematically access the health insurance data required for the evaluation. As a result, intervention participants insured by health insurers not involved in the project cannot be included in the evaluation. The collection and analysis of individual patient receipts represents an alternative to the systematic use of routine data by participating health insurances. The heterogeneity of individual patient receipts, the predominantly paper-based transmission and individual digitization pose challenges in dealing with individual patient receipts.
BACKGROUND: Outpatient psychosocial cancer counseling centers (KBS) are a central pillar of psycho-oncological care, offering a comprehensive range of services. Standards for quality assurance at KBS have been in place s...BACKGROUND: Outpatient psychosocial cancer counseling centers (KBS) are a central pillar of psycho-oncological care, offering a comprehensive range of services. Standards for quality assurance at KBS have been in place since 2016. Since 2020, health insurance companies have been able to cover part of the costs of KBS. OBJECTIVE: This article provides an overview of the services offered by KBS and compares the quality characteristics of KBS for adult cancer patients in 2015 and 2023. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The quantitative analysis is based on two nationwide KBS surveys. A questionnaire was sent to all KBS registered with the Heidelberg Cancer Information Service after contact was established. The survey covered the general conditions of the KBS and quality characteristics (e. g., staff, quality assurance, services). The data were evaluated univariately (absolute and relative frequencies, mean comparisons). Significance was tested using the Chi2 or ANOVA test. The effect size was indicated using Cramer's V or Eta, depending on the data level. RESULTS: In 2023, 117 (of 191) KBS participated in the study, compared to 106 (of 151) KBS in 2015. There were no differences between the survey dates in terms of the general conditions of the KBS (e. g., length of existence). Positive changes can be seen in the personnel structure in 2023, particularly with regard to multi-professional teams (64% vs. 46% of KBS; p<0.01) and the number of permanently employed counselors (4.1 vs. 2.6; p<0.001). A significant increase in the degree of fulfillment can also be observed for other quality characteristics in 2023. The range of services has hardly changed, but was significantly expanded in 2023 with regard to psychoeducation (89.7% vs. 64.2% of KBS, p<0.001). The 2023 data show a need for optimization, including with regard to psychological counseling services. At both points in time, the KBS were mixed-financed, but in 2023, health insurance funding predominated. CONCLUSION: Our 2023/2015 analysis shows significant improvements in many areas with regard to the quality characteristics of the KBS. This should also be seen in the context of health insurance funding for KBS (§65e SGB V). Analyses are still pending on the extent to which this changes the existing care situation (e. g., comprehensive outpatient services) and how the quality improvements at KBS are reflected in patient benefits and satisfaction.
BACKGROUND: The number of people in Germany in need of long-term care has increased more sharply in recent years than previously projected. The question of what role healthcare utilization plays in the lead-up to potenti...BACKGROUND: The number of people in Germany in need of long-term care has increased more sharply in recent years than previously projected. The question of what role healthcare utilization plays in the lead-up to potential long-term care dependency has rarely been addressed to date. The aim of the present study was to describe healthcare utilization over a five-year period preceding the onset of care dependency. METHOD: This cohort study analyzed routine data from AOK-insured individuals for the period 2016-2021. The data basis consisted of linked routine data from all AOK health and long-term care insurance funds. The sample included AOK insured persons aged 60 and over who received a care degree classification for the first time in 2021. Inpatient hospital stays, general practitioner services, and prescriptions for therapeutic appliances and assistive aids were analyzed for the 20 quarters prior to the onset of care dependency and stratified by age (<80 /≥80 years) and gender. RESULTS: In 2021, 345,945 AOK-insured individuals (58.9% women, mean age 79.7 years) were newly classified with a care degree. In the last quarter before the onset of care dependency, the proportion of people with hospital stays increased significantly, especially for men aged 60-79. The use of general practitioner services remained consistently high - over 90% per quarter - for the cohort aged 80+, while a continuous but lower-level increase was observed among the younger male cohort. The utilization of assistive aids increased over the observation period (14-33%). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that there is prevention potential particularly among the cohort aged 60-79, which should be more intensively utilized. To this end, more detailed insights into diseases and events that lead to a spike in hospitalizations shortly before the onset of care dependency are needed. Furthermore, research is required into the protective effects of specific therapeutic and assistive aids, and whether they are currently being used appropriately. Finally, the findings point to possible access barriers in health care, which should ideally be explored through a linkage of routine and survey data.
This article reports on a small study on crisis management by health authorities in Germany during the coronavirus pandemic. One aim of the study was to analyse the challenges, successes and role of digital innovations i...This article reports on a small study on crisis management by health authorities in Germany during the coronavirus pandemic. One aim of the study was to analyse the challenges, successes and role of digital innovations in the context of the pandemic. To this end, eight guided interviews were conducted with nine managers and employees from various health authorities. At the beginning of the pandemic, the lack of digitalisation (fax-based reporting processes) and scarce human resources were the main challenges. Flexibility and pragmatic action on the part of managers, as well as good teamwork, proved to be essential factors for efficiency and resilience. Digital tools, often even applications developed in-house, also contributed significantly to contact tracing and more efficient reporting. For future crises, respondents called for a legal framework that would enable health authorities to be more agile in their work, as well as faster digitalisation with interoperable interfaces and uniform standards. In addition, they recommended structured knowledge management, a modular toolbox for crisis plans and the expansion of intersectoral and supraregional networking structures.
Hoffmann W, van den Berg N, Schmitt J
… +28 more, Ihle P, Anton G, Datzmann T, Franke B, Geraedts M, Gloystein S, Hanß S, Heinrich P, Henke E, Hennings A, Heuschmann P, Illig T, Kraus M, Lang C, Müller G, Neumann A, Ortmann S, Priya V, Reese JP, Sax U, Scheithauer S, Schoffer O, Sedlmayr M, Semler SC, Swart E, Wissing F, Zeißig SR, Heyder R
Linking project data and data from routine clinical practice with healthcare-related data is essential for German healthcare research in order to answer complex questions validly and efficiently. Currently, fragmented da...Linking project data and data from routine clinical practice with healthcare-related data is essential for German healthcare research in order to answer complex questions validly and efficiently. Currently, fragmented data sources, heterogeneous legal requirements, and a lack of infrastructure prevent the optimal use and linking of these data. The Network University Medicine (NUM) is therefore developing a dedicated data infrastructure to link primary study data and routine clinical data with external healthcare-related data (e. g., data from statutory and private health insurance companies, data from cancer registries of the federal states, and data from registration offices). The position paper describes the various data worlds, including examples from epidemiological and clinical research that illustrate the added value and challenges of data linkage. In particular, it presents the new structures of the data acceptance and processing center (DAAeD) in the NUM, which is intended to enable quality-assured, data protection-compliant receipt and linkage of data. Standardized application and approval procedures as well as innovative privacy-preserving record linkage procedures are central to this. International experience, including from Scandinavia and the UK, demonstrates the benefits of such infrastructures for research and healthcare. In conclusion, we advocate rapid political and institutional implementation of the recommendations described in order to make health research in Germany competitive in international comparison and to ensure sustainable, patient-centered health care.
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 Jun · PMID 41985479
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The interdisciplinary subject area Q3 "Health Economics, Health System, and Health Care" integrates system-level health competencies into the medical curriculum. The aim of this study was to pro...BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The interdisciplinary subject area Q3 "Health Economics, Health System, and Health Care" integrates system-level health competencies into the medical curriculum. The aim of this study was to provide a systematic overview of the organizational framework, thematic priorities, and teaching methodologies employed, as well as to identify potential areas for further development of Q3 at medical faculties in Germany. METHODS: A standardized online survey was conducted among the faculty members responsible for Q3 at all medical faculties. The questionnaire collected data on institutional anchoring, didactic design, evaluation practices, use of teaching materials, and perspectives on future teaching development. Data were analyzed descriptively and through qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Responses from 29 faculties (response rate: 73%) revealed substantial curricular heterogeneity. Q3 is most commonly offered in the third year of study and is predominantly coordinated by social medicine-related disciplines. Interdisciplinary teaching concepts were widespread (72%), yet lectures remained the dominant teaching format (90%). Interactive and practice-oriented methods were used only sporadically. Student assessment was conducted almost exclusively via written examinations; five faculties did not assess Q3 at all. The National Competence-Based Learning Objectives Catalogue of Medicine (NKLM) served as the curricular reference at most institutions. While a nationwide standardization of Q3 was largely rejected, 76% of respondents supported interfaculty collaboration. CONCLUSION: Teaching in Q3 is methodologically conservative and structurally fragmented. Despite existing reform initiatives, a coherent, competency-based overall concept is lacking. To strengthen system-level health competencies and adapt to societal challenges, curricular standardization, methodological diversification, mandatory assessments, and supraregional networking are urgently needed.
People with disabilities encounter a variety of barriers in hospitals, like inadequate signage, a lack of barrier-free access and a lack of communication aids. Despite legal requirements for the removal of barriers in th...People with disabilities encounter a variety of barriers in hospitals, like inadequate signage, a lack of barrier-free access and a lack of communication aids. Despite legal requirements for the removal of barriers in the healthcare sector, there is a lack of structured data on accessibility in German hospitals.This study aims to close these gaps and provide an overview of accessibility in hospitals in Germany. A secondary data analysis of the 2019 mandatory quality reports based on 2.242 German hospitals was conducted, analyzing 40 self-reports on accessibility variables from eight areas using descriptive statistics.According to the quality reports, hospitals fulfil an average of 17.2 out of 40 accessibility criteria surveyed. Measures for sensory and mental disabilities are less often provided than for physical impairments. Many hospitals are neither accessible nor do they offer barrier-free communication systems.The self-reported accessibility in German hospitals is contrary to modern standards for patient-oriented healthcare. There is potential for development. There is a need for further research on the health effects of accessibility in hospitals.
Beyer M, Hasseler M, Rohr M
… +4 more, Gerhardinger K, Brandstetter S, Apfelbacher C, Hörold M
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 May · PMID 41927032
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BACKGROUND: Based on the increasing use of social media and the paradigm shift in allergy prevention, the aim was to examine the type and content of Instagram posts on the prevention and prediction of food allergies. In...BACKGROUND: Based on the increasing use of social media and the paradigm shift in allergy prevention, the aim was to examine the type and content of Instagram posts on the prevention and prediction of food allergies. In addition, the extent to which the content of the posts reflects the current S3 guideline on allergy prevention was examined. METHODS: Based on Stieglitz and Dang-Xuan's (2013) framework for social media analysis, 103 Instagram posts were identified and processed using a hashtag search from June 8 to June 15, 2023. A content-structuring content analysis according to Kuckartz (2018) was conducted to evaluate the content and describe the authors and addressees. The content was assessed for its alignment with the current S3 guideline on allergy prevention using an evaluative content analysis according to Kuckartz (2018). RESULTS: Dietitians represented the largest group of authors with 31.1%, while the remaining authors were divided in 14 other categories. The main addressees of the posts are parents (81.6%). The information available on Instagram regarding the prevention and prediction of food allergies is heterogeneous, but mostly in line with guidelines regarding the introduction of complementary foods and breastfeeding. Overall, 13.2% of the articles contained statements on allergy prevention that were not in line with the current S3 guideline. This was particularly evident in posts about breastfeeding, hydrolyzed infant formula, and introduction of complementary foods, which were posted before the current guideline was published. In addition to prevention and prediction, the Instagram posts also covered other topics, such as the definition of food allergies, including the description of causes, allergens and cross-allergies, as well as their distinction from intolerances. In the comments, mothers in particular shared their experiences and asked questions about the introduction of complementary foods. CONCLUSION: Specifically, prevention recommendations that have been updated from the previous version of the guideline are often not presented in their current form on Instagram. Accordingly, the content should be evaluated critically by users. There is a need for further research in the area of the user perspective, particularly with regard to parental usage and its impact on the prevention and prediction of food allergies in children.
Suslow A, Flemm C, Chikhradze N
… +2 more, Christian Vollmar H, Otte IC
Gesundheitswesen
· 2026 Mar · PMID 41850302
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Palliative care in Westphalia-Lippe is characterized by an interdisciplinary network of palliative medical consultation services. This network enables care without a strict distinction between general and specialized out...Palliative care in Westphalia-Lippe is characterized by an interdisciplinary network of palliative medical consultation services. This network enables care without a strict distinction between general and specialized outpatient palliative care. This study aimed to analyze the special features and challenges of this network.In a qualitative study within the VESPAL project (VESPAL - "care quality in ambulatory palliative care with Westphalia-Lippe as example"), 50 care providers in the Palliative Care Model Westphalia-Lippe were interviewed individually and in focus groups. In addition, non-participant observations were carried out in order to provide a more accurate depiction of the reality of care. Afterwards, the observations and interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis based on Kuckartz using MAXQDA software.Providers emphasized the advantages of interdisciplinary cooperation, which enabled quick solutions and individual patient care. Challenges arose due to on-call duty, coordination problems, and logistical difficulties, particularly in rural areas.The palliative care model Westphalia-Lippe offers flexible, needs-oriented care with short service routes and networked teams. However, it requires adjustments to improve communication and coordination.