Materielle Bedingungen und Wohlbefinden Älterer in Deutschland und Polen: Institutionelle und regionale Variation individueller Risiken und Absicherungsmechanismen.
Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse
In this German-Polish collaborative project funded by the German Research Foundation within the BEETHOVEN Classic 3 framework, we focused on analyzing how individual- and regionallevel characteristics affect wellbeing in older age. Based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which was linked to a regional database created specifically for the project, this is the first project to combine individual and regional information in the context of the analysis of determinants of wellbeing in old age in a cross-country setting. The scientific results of the project make a significant contribution to the understanding of the determinants of wellbeing in old age and inform policy measures to enhance wellbeing of the older population. Our analyses demonstrate that population ageing and its consequences for daily life (including health-related risks in times of the COVID-19 pandemic) show considerable variation at the regional level. Wellbeing is generally higher in Germany than in Poland, and in both countries we can observe an East-West-gradient in wellbeing. This gradient can partly be explained by individual characteristics of the residents in the region, but is also related to infrastructural dimensions. Furthermore, the project identified regional depopulation as a key risk factor for wellbeing in older age. The lower wellbeing in depopulating areas can be attributed to lacking social integration and adverse material living conditions. At the same time, we identified policy measures to contribute specifically to strengthening wellbeing. The provision of professional care services proves to be central for the wellbeing of older adults, especially for individuals with health limitations. Measures of financial security are also important for individual wellbeing. Our analyses showed that homeownership and value of home property are associated with a higher level of subjective expectations of future conditions. The effects are most pronounced among residents of urban areas. Financial security results in higher investment in more risky financial assets for German homeowners, which in turn might further strengthen their material position. Despite of the restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we maintained a lively exchange with our Polish project partners, the SHARE team that was involved in the process of data preparation, and our scientific advisory board. The project results were presented (mostly online) at various (inter)national conferences. In addition, we conducted several dissemination activities, including a project homepage, policy briefs, as well as a public closing conference. The scientific impact of our project is reflected not least in three published peer-reviewed papers and four further articles, which are currently at the stage of working papers, and going to be submitted to peer-reviewed journals in the next few months.
Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)
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Ahead of future waves of Covid-19: A regional perspective on health risks and healthcare resources in Germany and Poland. FREE NETWORK Policy Briefs.
Brandt, M., Garten, C., Myck, M., Oczkowska, M. & Schmitz, A.
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Health Limitations, Regional Care Infrastructure and Wellbeing in Later Life: A Multilevel Analysis of 96 European Regions. Social Indicators Research, 164(2), 693-709.
Schmitz, Alina & Brandt, Martina
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Homeownership and material security in later life. FREE NETWORK Policy Briefs.
Garten, C., Myck, M. & Oczkowska, M.
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Homeownership and the Perception of Material Security in Old Age. SSRN Electronic Journal.
Garten, Claudius; Myck, Michal & Oczkowska, Monika
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Worries about inadequate medical treatment in case of a COVID-19 infection: the role of social inequalities, COVID-19 prevalence and healthcare infrastructure. BMC Public Health, 22(1).
Schmitz, Alina; Garten, Claudius; Kühne, Simon & Brandt, Martina
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Deaths during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from regional patterns in Germany and Poland. BMC Public Health, 23(1).
Myck, Michał; Oczkowska, Monika; Garten, Claudius; Król, Artur & Brandt, Martina
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What can we learn from regional patterns of mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic? FREE NETWORK Policy Briefs.
Myck, M., Oczkowska, M., Garten, C., Król, A. & Brandt, M.
