Precautionary research
Our focus on healthcare research examines how diversity factors influence access to healthcare and its quality. The focus is on underrepresented groups and structural barriers in the healthcare system.
The research field
Health services research analyses how health services work in practice and are received by different population groups. In doing so, we systematically investigate the role that implicit prejudices, digital access and social determinants play in the quality of care. The aim is to visualise inequalities and develop evidence-based approaches for needs-based care.
Research projects
UnbiasMe: Bias sensitisation through interactive eLearning formats
Unconscious prejudices in the healthcare system can lead to unequal treatment. The project investigates implicit attitudes of healthcare professionals by means of systematic literature review, qualitative interviews and retrospective data analyses from haematology and oncology. Based on this, innovative training modules for medical education and training will be developed.
Project details
The UnbiasMe project investigates unconscious biases in the healthcare system and their impact on patient care and training. The focus is on implicit attitudes and heuristics of healthcare professionals, which often go unnoticed but can reinforce unequal treatment. A systematic literature review, qualitative interviews, and retrospective analysis of clinical data from the fields of hematology and oncology are used to comprehensively document the occurrence and consequences of such biases.
Based on this, the project develops innovative, practical training modules for medical education and continuing education. These are designed to increase sensitivity to diversity and reduce discrimination in care.
The combination of research and teaching enables a sustainable transfer into training and practice. The transdisciplinary approach combines medicine, psychology, sociology, and educational science to examine the problem from different perspectives. At the same time, the results are actively communicated to the public with the practice partner and institute start-up acadim in order to promote education and awareness.
In this way, the project contributes to making structural barriers in the healthcare system visible and breaking them down. In the long term, this should improve equal opportunities and the quality of care for all patients.
Project team
Prof. Dr. sc. med. Ina Otte
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Sebastian Paschen
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
sebastian.paschenacadim "«@&.de
Maike Kömp M. Sc.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 17815 Maike.Koemprub "«@&.de
DIAGNOSIS: Diagnostic effects of gender, norms and stereotypes - a study on the treatment of bias in medical examination settings
Cognitive biases lead to diagnostic misjudgements and subsequent inappropriate care. The project investigates how gender, social norms and stereotypes influence the recognition, assessment and treatment of acute and chronic pain in adult patients.
Project details
Bias as a cause of diagnostic misjudgements and subsequent incorrect care is a frequent and reproducible phenomenon in medical practice. In pain therapy in particular, studies show that cognitive biases - based on heuristics or prejudices against certain patient groups - can lead to incorrect or inadequate care.
The DIAGNOSE project investigates how gender, social norms and stereotypes influence medical decision-making processes. It centres on the question of how bias shapes the recognition, assessment and treatment of acute and chronic pain in adult patients. The aim is to systematically record and visualise existing inequalities. To this end, a systematic literature review will be conducted in accordance with the standards of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.
The results will serve as a basis for the development of discrimination-critical survey instruments. In the long term, they should support the development of evidence-based training programmes for doctors and nurses.
The research project is funded by the InnovationsFORUM of the Medical Faculty of the Ruhr University Bochum for a period of 9 months.
Project team
Prof. Dr. sc. med. Ina Otte
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Sebastian Paschen
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
sebastian.paschenacadim "«@&.de
Maike Kömp M. Sc.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 17815
iDEM-Support: Empowerment of family carers of dementia patients through an adapted and expanded version of the WHO e-health intervention iSupport
Most people with dementia live at home and are cared for by their relatives. The project expands iSupport, the WHO's digital training and support manual, to include a module on digital health literacy as well as functions for dialogue and networking. The needs of carers and their use of digital health information are being systematically surveyed in order to make targeted adjustments.
Project details
Dementia is the most common chronic disease in older adults. Most of those affected live at home and are cared for and supported by their relatives. This responsibility often comes with a high emotional and physical burden. When dealing with the disease, many carers look for information on the internet, but many people find it difficult to find, understand and use digital information services in a meaningful way.
The iDEM-Support project contributes to making iSupport, the digital training and support manual of the World Health Organisation (WHO), not only usable and widely available in Germany, but also to expanding the existing platform with a new module on digital health literacy and functions for the exchange and networking of carers. iSupport was developed by the WHO in English so that carers of people with dementia can receive online support, practical knowledge and concrete help in dealing with stress and strain.
In order to customise the platform to the needs of carers of people with dementia, their needs and their use of digital health information are systematically surveyed. The findings and existing scientific evidence will be incorporated into the new module to promote digital health literacy and into the overall development of the platform.
The iDEM-Support project is being funded for three years (2025-2027) with around 1.4 million euros by the Innovation Fund of the Joint Federal Committee (funding reference: 01VSF24033).
Project team
Prof. Dr. sc. med. Ina Otte
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Amelie Meibeck M. A.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 17798 amelie.meibeckrub "«@&.de
In cooperation with:
- Department of Medical Informatics and Biometry, Ruhr University Bochum
- Witten/Herdecke University
ÖGW NRW network: Strengthening the public healthcare system
Together with seven other medical faculties in NRW, Diversity Medicine is participating in the project to strengthen the public health system (ÖGW). The network is working on the integration of ÖGW content into medical training, the establishment of an elective subject in the practical year and the development of needs-orientated research questions.
Project details
Zusammen mit den medizinischen Fakultäten an den Universitäten in Köln, Aachen, Bielefeld, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Essen und Münster beteiligt sich die Abteilung für Versorgungsforschung am Institut für Diversitätsmedizin der Ruhr-Universität Bochum an dem Projekt zur Stärkung des Öffentlichen Gesundheitswesens (ÖGW) in NRW. Hintergrund des Projekts ist die pandemiebedingte Einsicht, dass der Status Quo im Öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienst (ÖGD) unter einer unzureichenden Verknüpfung zwischen ÖGD-Praxis und der Forschung im Bereich Public Health sowie Versorgungsforschung leidet. Auch ein starker Personalmangel schränkt den ÖGD in der Bewältigung seiner zahlreichen Aufgaben ein.
Um den ÖGD in der Ausweitung seiner Handlungsfähigkeit zu unterstützen, braucht es daher eine verstärkte Einbindung von ÖGW-spezifischen Inhalten in die Ausbildung von medizinischem Fachpersonal sowie vermehrte Aktivitäten in der Forschung über und mit dem ÖGD. Die am Projekt beteiligten Universitäten haben über die Schaffung des „Netzwerk ÖGW NRW“ eine Bündelung der Anstregungen auf diesem Gebiet forciert. Der hier stattfindende regelmäßige Austausch zwischen den Universitäten sowie die Beteiligung kommunaler Gesundheitsämter ermöglicht eine transparente und partizipative Vorgehensweise bei der Bewältigung der bestehenden Herausforderungen.
So arbeitet das Netzwerk in verschiedenen Arbeitsgruppen zu Aufgaben wie der Etablierung eines Wahlfachs ÖGW im Praxisjahr des Medizinstudiums, der Integration ÖGW-relevanter Inhalte in die Lehre an Universitäten und der Erarbeitung von bedarfsorientierten Forschungsfragen. Das Projekt wird gefördert durch Bundesmittel aus dem „Pakt für den Öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienst“.
Project team
Prof. Dr. sc. med. Ina Otte
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Maja Kuehl M. A.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
Maja.Kuehlrub "«@&.de
In co-operation with:
- Prof. Nicole Skoetz
- Institute of Public Health University of Cologne
Resilience of the civilian population in Ukrainian war zones
In cooperation with the LWL University Hospital Bochum, the project is investigating the resilience of civilians who remained in the suburbs of Kiev during the early phase of the war. The focus is on the question of how resilience arises in the context of an ongoing war and what resources people mobilise on an individual, social, institutional and structural level.
Project details
The project is being carried out in cooperation with the LWL University Hospital Bochum. Dr Jan Dieris-Hirche/Prof. Stephan Herpertz and Prof. Ina Otte are the scientific directors. Natalia Bekassow and Maja Kuehl are research assistants in the project.
The resilience of civilians who remained in the suburbs of Kiev during the early phase of the war is being analysed. The project follows a mixed-methods design that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches. The standardised PCL-5 questionnaire is used to record post-traumatic stress symptoms. In addition, 19 qualitative interviews were conducted with survivors in order to better understand their experiences and ways of coping. The interviews were systematically analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz.
The focus is on the question of how resilience arises in the context of an ongoing war and what resources people mobilise in the process. Particular attention is paid to individual, social, institutional and structural levels of resilience. The project thus makes an interdisciplinary contribution to a better understanding of resilience under crisis conditions.
Project team
Prof. Dr. sc. med. Ina Otte
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Maja Kuehl M. A.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
Maja.Kuehlrub "«@&.de
In co-operation with:
- LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum of the Ruhr-University Bochum; Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine; Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy
- Dr. Jan Dieris-Hirche
- Prof. Stephan Herpertz
Regional deprivation and health in Bochum
In this project, we are investigating how health and life expectancy differ between Bochum's neighbourhoods and what role socio-economic disadvantage plays in this.
Project details
The project is based on the "German Index of Multiple Deprivation" (GIMD). This is a method that measures how disadvantaged a region is - for example in terms of income, unemployment or environmental pollution. Studies show that people in more disadvantaged areas fall ill more often or die earlier. In Germany, such differences have so far only been analysed between cities or federal states.
We are now transferring this approach to the neighbourhood level for the first time by comparing the 30 statistical districts in Bochum. The aim is to visualise and better understand social differences in health. In this way, we can find out where there is a particularly great need for health support.
The results can thus serve as an evidence-based decision-making basis for a more needs-orientated distribution of resources and targeted municipal health promotion.
Project team
Prof. Dr. sc. med. Ina Otte
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Prof. Dr. Marie von Lilienfeld-Toal
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
+49 234 32 12385 info-dimrub "«@&.de
Maja Kuehl M. A.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
Maja.Kuehlrub "«@&.de
Tobias Sachs M. Sc.
Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Medizinische Fakultät
Institut für Diversitätsmedizin
Universitätsstraße 105
44789 Bochum
0234-32-17586Tobias.Sachsrub "«@&.de