Design thinking-based modelling of medialised proximity and app development for a self-help network

Duration: 05/2023 - 04/2026

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research ( Project 16SV9121).

In the DepriBuddy project, an application is to be developed in collaboration with those affected that provides low-threshold offers for creating, maintaining and expanding closeness and connectedness through shared experiences and everyday activities. Among other things, ASMR aesthetics, 360° video technology, gamification and moderated co-creation events will be used.

The key research question of the project is how technology-supported closeness and connectedness can be generated, maintained and consolidated through the bundling of different strategies, especially in target groups that find it difficult to actively seek and maintain contact.

Setting-sensitive conceptualisation and assessment of quality of life in telemedical care (TELE-QOL)

funded by the Innovation Committee of the Federal Joint Committee
Main objective

Existing QoL methods map the health-related QoL of various diseases, but contain hardly any aspects that are sensitive to the influence of TM applications (e.g. increase in perceived safety and subjective control). Conceptualisation and development of an instrument to assess these components are the main objectives of the project. It is expected that generic and specific aspects of QoL exist in TM settings.

Specific aims

1. Conceptual analysis and exploration of QoL in TM settings
2. Identification of ‘gaps’ between intended outcomes (target criteria) and utilised assessments (measurement instruments) in relation to the influence of TM on QoL
3. Development of a reference model for a conceptual extension of QoL in the context of TM applications
4. Construction of a setting-sensitive instrument for recording QoL in the TM care setting
5. Testing a framework model of QoL in the context of TM
6. Application and testing (piloting and validation) of a setting-sensitive instrument for recording QoL in the TM setting
7. Derivation of recommendations for the assessment of QoL and other patient-reported outcome/experience measures (PROMs/PREMs) in care approaches with TM

GDM-QOL - Testing and validation of a German-language disease-specific quality of life questionnaire for women with gestational diabetes.

Funded by the DAMP Foundation, 07/23 - 06/26

Project management: Prof. Dr Stubert, Rostock University Medical Centre.

‘M-Health’ applications as media of knowledge transfer: Ambivalences of the Universalisation of biomedical practices and forms of knowledge

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - FKZ 01 GP 1310
Duration: 11/2014 - 04/2017

‘M-Health’ (Mobile Health) generally refers to the use of mobile devices for communication, information and knowledge-based applications for health promotion and disease prevention. Disease-preventive and health-promoting relevant information and the ambulatory recording of self-reported indicators and sensor-based parameters are used for their implementation. Due to the widespread use of mobile devices, the high diversification of applications and the ‘low-threshold’ nature of their use, their potential reach can be considered very high. The research project aims to analyse 'M-Health' applications with regard to their societal, social and personal implications. In particular, the ambivalences that the use of ‘M-Health’ applications as a medium for knowledge transfer between life/health sciences and users will be analysed. These ambivalences relate primarily to conflicts of values and objectives as well as the weighing up of opportunities and risks. The focus is on applications for individual health care.

The project is implemented on the basis of a multi-method research design that combines the application of conceptual-theoretical analyses, qualitative approaches and quantitative methods. Conceptual-theoretical work is designed to last throughout the project and is aimed at contextualising M-Health and the comparative analysis of different (divergent) theoretical concepts. The first empirical study section pursues an explorative strategy for a ‘broad’ understanding of the field and includes the qualitative analysis of product descriptions and surveys of expert groups and (potential) users. A second study phase pursues a hypothesis-led strategy for a deeper understanding, including the use of quasi-experimental approaches (factorial survey, field experiment).

Portable diagnostic ‘lab-on-a-chip’ systems (LOCs) in the healthcare sector and in consumer contexts: Interdisciplinary analysis of risks and opportunities

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) - FKZ 01 GP 1005A
Duration: 11/2010 - 10/2013

The subject of the project network is the interdisciplinary analysis of the introduction of portable diagnostic ‘lab-on-a-chip’ systems (LOCs) for applications in the healthcare sector and in health-related direct-to-consumer contexts. Specific questions are aimed at analysing the potential change in behavioural patterns and self-perceptions of professionals and users, the decoupling of professional framing in direct-to-consumer applications, the possible development of new health experts (‘health advisors’), the potential of the introduction of portable diagnostic LOCs for the healthcare sector, the risks arising from errors or security gaps, the medium-term technical development, as well as fundamental ethical and legal aspects of the use of portable diagnostic LOCs.

The project network consists of four sub-projects that deal with the possibilities and risks of these technologies from a legal, ethical, epidemiological, psychosocial and technical perspective.

1. Psycho-social aspects of the use of lab-on-a-chip systems (LOCs) in the healthcare sector and in consumer contexts
2. Prospective analysis of the technological perspective and ontology of diagnostic lab-on-a-chip systems
3. Analysis of the potential of portable diagnostic lab-on-a-chip systems in primary healthcare, discussion of significance and future demand
4. Legal aspects of diagnostic lab-on-a-chip systems in the homecare sector and direct-to-consumer use

The results of the project network should provide potential decision-makers with information and suggestions for an ethical and legal framework and inform them about the possibilities and risks of using portable diagnostic LOCs.

Personalized health monitoring (PHM) - Interdisciplinary research to analyse the relationship between ethics, law and psychosocial as well as medical sciences.

funded by the European Commission - grant agreement no. 230602
period: 09/2009 - 08/2012

The aim of the proposed collaborative research project is to scientifically conduct inter-disciplinary research to analyse the dependencies between ethics, law and bio-psychosocial sciences in personalized health monitoring (PHM) in relation to the major types and steps of this very dynamic part of IT-development from a European perspective. The objective is to develop a European approach to the combined regulation of ethical, philosophical, legal and bio-psychosocial constraints.

In the first project phase, the development of PHM will be reviewed to identify core steps that delineate major changes from an ethical, legal and psychosocial point of view. A taxonomy will be elaborated based on the research evidence in each of the disciplines, and interrela-tions will be documented into a “map”. This research will be situated at the research and development phase of new technologies, however also at the early application phase. PHM-Ethics aims at deriving such a dependencies map as a tool to improve product development and at the same time to address relevant non technical-issues just on time. PHM-Ethics aims at coordinating the management of ethical analyses of technical lifecycles on a European level nevertheless addressing national specialities. As a major step in this phase, the implementation of ethical constraints contained in EU and international instruments into the national laws or regulations of member states will be analysed and a comparative analysis to identify areas of convergence and divergence will be conducted. Furthermore, gaps in the legislation and ethical regulation will be identified. At the end of project phase 1, the taxonomy and dependencies map will be validated in an international expert workshop.

The aims of the second project phase are to develop and test an interdisciplinary methodology or a standardized operating procedure that allows assessing PHM technologies regarding their ethical, legal and psychosocial consequences on specific steps of the taxonomy. A project objective is to develop both an interdisciplinary as well as an interactive ethical methodology, hence it will be a result of the project. The methodology will be interdisciplinary, since it will contain an ethical-philosophical, legal as well as a biopsychosocial module, which are interlinked with each other. The methodology is interactive since it includes the perspective of stakeholders (patients and providers) in its development. The modules will be pilot- tested on a qualitative basis and validated in selected personal health monitoring applications at different stages of the taxonomy. Results of an empirical study will be analysed in terms of differences between development stages as well as the differential impact of culture, gender, age and socio-economic status.

The third project phase is related to the dissemination and exploitation of knowledge and research products, with regard to policy making and implementation of technological innovations. The proposed project aims at providing an interdisciplinary research methodology that will allow the study of future PHM applications on different levels of the taxonomy concerning their consequences to serve both internal and external dissemination purposes within the 7th framework. In project phase 3, political actions that address the European coordination of the programme will be initiated, also aiming at projecting the methodology that has been developed to other technological fields.

KIDS-CAT: Development of a computer-adaptive test (CAT) for the assessment of quality of life (QoL) in healthy and chronically ill children and adolescents.

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Duration: 02/12 - 10/14