Temporal development of subjective health against the background of the increase in higher school-leaving qualifications - A gender- and age-group-differentiated analysis of structural, psychosocial and behavioral influencing factors from 1994 to 2019

• Applicant: Privatdozentin Dr. Stefanie Sperlich
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 527794863

The future development of population health is highly relevant for the development of health care and for social policy. In view of the aging population and the associated rise of chronic degenerative diseases, also health care expenditures are expected to increase. On the other hand, the rise in higher school-leaving qualifications in the population and related improvements of working and living conditions as well as in health-related behaviors could have contributed to a positive health trend. However, only a few empirical studies have examined this assumption so far. Against this backdrop, the planned research project investigates the effects of the increase in higher school-leaving qualifications on the temporal development of self-rated health and health-related quality of life in Germany. The analysis is primarily based on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSEOEP) covering the years 1994 to 2019. In addition, representative data from the Robert Koch Institute (GSTEL03 and GEDA) for the years 2003 to 2019 are used. The research framework is based on structural, psychosocial and behavioral factors that have been identified as key determinants in the explanation of social inequalities in health. Building on a gender- and age-cohort-specific approach that focuses on the three age groups 30-49, 50-64 and 65-79 years, the project examines the following research questions: 1. What are the effects of rising school education on the development of subjective health? 2. Do educational inequalities in health decrease or increase over time? 3. How do gender inequalities in health evolve over time? The project aims to provide empirical evidence on the question of how medical and preventive health care needs will develop in the future. The study also provides insights into how successful previous measures have been to reduce health inequalities and what efforts are necessary in the future in order to come closer to the goal of health equality. Beyond the description, the planned project shall contribute to the explanation of health trends by examining the importance of educational expansion and associated changes in structural, psychosocial and behavioral health determinants. Gender- and life-phase-sensitive analyses of the explanatory approaches should contribute to developing target group-oriented health promotion and prevention measures.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants