Project Details
Projekt
Social Inequalities, Aggravating Factors, and Persistent Somatic Symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Endometriosis: Does Peer Support Make a Difference? (SOMA.SOC.2)
Applicant
Professor Dr. Olaf von dem Knesebeck
Subject Area
Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
Term
since 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 445297796
Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and endometriosis are frequent conditions causing somatic symptoms that affect the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of afflicted individuals. Psychosocial and biomedical factors contribute to the aggravation of somatic symptoms in conditions like IBS and endometriosis. Research indicates that there are social inequalities in such aggravating factors (AF) and in somatic symptom severity. Peer support interventions (activity in self-help groups and organisations) have the potential to reduce social inequalities and to positively influence AF as well as symptom course. Results of first funding phase: The SOMA.SOC study revealed that the magnitude of psycho-social AF (health anxiety, (lack of) health literacy, stigma, and discrimination) as well as somatic symptom severity significantly varies according to the socioeconomic status (education, income, occupational position), gender, and migration history. Intersectional analyses showed that especially people with a low income are afflicted by high symptom severity. Objectives: The SOMA.SOC.2 study aims to examine the role of collective self-help (activity in self-help groups and organisations) for symptom persistence and AF in IBS and endometriosis in the context of social inequalities. Work programme: The study will collect quantitative and qualitative data. In terms of the former, a prospective cohort study will be conducted among patients affected by IBS or endometriosis. We will include N=1,500 patients (n=750 affected by IBS and n=750 by endometriosis, from which each in turn n=300 are engaged in collective self-help and n=450 are not). Online surveys will be conducted at two time points: at baseline and after 12 months. AF, somatic symptoms, and HRQoL will be assessed as outcomes. As we aim to approximate causal interpretations of the differences according to self-help activity, the propensity score method will be used. Complementary, longitudinal qualitative interviews will be conducted (at baseline, after 6 months, and after 12 months). We will include N=36 patients of which n=24 patients will be afflicted by IBS and n=12 by endometriosis. Both subsamples will be stratified by the socioeconomic status, gender (in case of IBS), and self-help activity. Qualitative con-tent analysis and longitudinal qualitative research will be applied. Expected impact: We expect patients with IBS/endometriosis who are active in collective self-help to show better outcomes regarding persistent somatic symptoms (PSS), AF and HRQoL. Furthermore, we expect social inequalities in AF and PSS to be less pronounced among patients who are active in collective self-help. The results will help to better understand self-help activity as a protective factor and the interplay with AF of PSS. Furthermore, the project will provide further valuable insights into the social context of PSS.
DFG Programme
Research Units
