Olaf Von Dem Knesebeck
Biographic Data
| ID | 319195 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Olaf Von Dem Knesebeck |
| GIVEN NAMES | Olaf Von Dem |
| FAMILY NAME | Knesebeck |
| SIGNATURE | VON DEM KNESEBECK O |
| AFFILIATIONS | Universität Hamburg |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6310-5879 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 53 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 226 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 53 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1997 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
Health care system distrust in Germany: Magnitude, inequalities, and associations with unmet need and non-adherence in a population-based survey
Depressive symptoms, education, gender and history of migration - an intersectional analysis using data from the German National Cohort (Nako)
We observed a robust educational gradient in depressive symptoms, but gender and history of migration had substantial contribution on the magnitude of educational inequalities. An intersectional perspective on inequalities in depressive symptoms enhances current knowledge by showing that different social dimensions may intersect and contribute to inequalities in depressive symptoms. Future studies on inequalities in depression may greatly benefit…
Frequency of interpersonal discrimination experiences – differences between inpatient and outpatient care and associations with delayed and forgone care
Experiences of interpersonal discrimination in health care were a frequent phenomenon in Germany and were significantly associated with unmet need. Such experiences must be considered an important issue for public health. Possible interventions to tackle discrimination include measures to reduce stereotypes and the abolition of the dual structure of statutory and private health insurance
Forgone and delayed care in Germany– inequalities and perceived health risk of unmet need
Unmet need is a prevailing issue in Germany and associated with perceived worsening of health, various indicators of social inequality, and health insurance. Reducing waiting times (e.g. through the further development of appointment service centres) and private co-payments as well as ensuring health care provision in deprived areas can contribute to a decrease of barrier-related unmet need and health risks. However, more in-depth studies are req…
Interpersonal discrimination experiences in outpatient care are associated with non-adherence – results of a population survey in Germany
The present study highlights a critical issue regarding health care delivery in Germany and contradicts the goals of health equity. Discrimination reinforces illness behaviour that is known to be detrimental for treatment outcomes. Tackling interpersonal discrimination and stereotype threat in health care should be a major goal in medical education and training. Physician communication skill trainings have been found to positively influence patie…
Social inequalities, psychosocial influences, and symptom development in patients with irritable bowel syndrome - a longitudinal qualitative analysis of the Soma.SOC study
To mitigate social inequalities in IBS symptom development, both, individuals' coping strategies and social power need to be strengthened, especially for those with intersecting social identities associated with oppression, like low socioeconomic status, female gender, or a history of migration. Thereby, work-related, medical, and psychoeducational interventions are needed addressing both the individual and structural level
Perceived discrimination in fatigue: A qualitative interview study in the Soma.SOC project
These findings need to be further researched and addressed in intervention strategies increasing resilience and public knowledge to reduce intersectional discrimination and health inequalities
The differential role of socioeconomic status dimensions in depressive symptoms of aging adults: Data from the Hamburg City Health cohort Study
Background Socioeconomic status (SES) has consistently been associated with depressive symptoms, however, it remains unclear which subset of SES variables is most relevant to the development of depressive symptoms. This study determined a standardized SES-Index to test the relationship of its sub-dimensions with depressive symptoms. Methods HCHS data ( N = 10,000; analysis sample n = 8,400), comprising participants 45+ years of age, was used. A s…
Intersectional inequalities in health anxiety: Multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy in the Soma.SOC study
Background: Intersectional approaches are needed to disaggregate the complex interaction of social identities contributing to (mental) health disparities. Health anxiety represents an overlooked public mental health issue. Therefore, intersectional inequalities in health anxiety were examined using multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (MAIHDA). Methods: = 2,413). Health anxiety was assessed with the Whiteley…
Variations in the intended utilization of emergency care in case of gastrointestinal diseases
Frequent utilization of emergency care and overcrowded emergency departments (EDs) are highly relevant topics due to their harmful consequences for patients and staff. The present study examines variations of intended health care use in urgent and non-urgent cases among the general population. In a cross-sectional telephone survey, a sample of N = 1,204 adults residing in Hamburg, Germany, was randomly drawn. At the beginning of the survey, one o…
Public knowledge and beliefs about the irritable bowel syndrome - results from the Soma.SOC study
Results indicate low levels of public knowledge about IBS regarding illness recognition in Germany. A majority disagreed that they have good knowledge about IBS symptoms. Against this background, it seems reasonable to develop and test interventions to improve IBS literacy by increasing knowledge about symptoms, causes and treatment options
Perceived discrimination in health care in Germany– results of a population survey
More than a quarter of the adult population in Germany reported experiences of discrimination in health care. Such experiences were more frequent among lower SES groups, migrants, women, and younger people. Results underline the necessity of interventions to reduce the magnitude and consequences of discrimination in health care. Future studies should apply an intersectional approach to consider interactions between social inequality indicators re…
Decline in Mental Health in the Beginning of the Covid-19 Outbreak Among European Older Adults—Associations With Social Factors, Infection Rates, and Government Response
Objective: Governments across the world have deployed a wide range of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Certain NPIs, like limiting social contacts or lockdowns, had negative consequences for mental health in the population. Especially elder people are prone to mental illnesses during the current pandemic. This article investigates how social factors, infections rates, and stringency of NPIs are associated…
Public Knowledge About Emergency Care—Results of a Population Survey From Germany
Background: Knowledge and beliefs about health and health care are part of the general concept of health literacy. Studies demonstrated that large parts of the population report inadequate health literacy. There are only few studies specifically addressing public knowledge and beliefs about emergency care. We examine magnitude and social variations of public knowledge about emergency care in Germany. Methods: Analyses make use of a telephone surv…
Effort–Reward Imbalance at Work and Prescription Drug Misuse—Prospective Evidence from Germany
This study examines how work stress affects the misuse of prescription drugs to augment mental performance without medical necessity (i.e., cognitive enhancement). Based on the effort-reward imbalance model, it can be assumed that a misalignment of effort exerted and rewards received increases prescription drug misuse, especially if employees overcommit. To test these assumptions, we conducted a prospective study using a nationwide web-based samp…
Burdening and Protective Organisational Factors among International Volunteers in Greek Refugee Camps—A Qualitative Study
A majority of the workforce in the humanitarian aid consists of volunteers who partly suffer from health problems related to their voluntary service. To date, only a fraction of the current research focuses on this population. The aim of this qualitative explorative study was to identify burdening and protective organisational factors for health and well-being among humanitarian aid volunteers in a Greek refugee camp. To this end, interviews with…
Migration and Sexual Health Services Use – Results from the German Health and Sexuality Survey (GeSiD)
Introduction Migration background is an important predisposing characteristic of health service use (HSU). In this cross-sectional survey, we aim to explore the association between migration background and HSU in the context of sexual health. Methods In a population-representative sample of 4,955 persons from all German federal states (data collection 2018/2019), we examined the HSU of first-generation (15.9% of the total sample) and second-gener…
Public Continuum Beliefs for Different Levels of Depression Severity
Introduction: The notion that depression is a disorder that moves along a continuum is well-established. Similarly, the belief in the continuity of mental illness is considered an important element in the stigma process. Against this background, it is the aim of this study to examine whether public continuum beliefs vary with the severity of depressive symptoms. Methods: Analyses were based on computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATIs) conduc…
Health Patterns among Migrant and Non-Migrant Middle- and Older-Aged Individuals in Europe—Analyses Based on Share 2004–2017
An increasing health gap in physical functioning in men is evidence of cumulative disadvantage. In women, evidence points towards the hypothesis of aging-as-leveler. These different results highlight the need for specific interventions focused on healthy ageing in elderly migrant men
Health-related quality of life among migrants and natives in Hamburg, Germany: An observational study
Differences between migrants and German natives in HrQoL were partially confirmed. Future research should differentiate more strongly between migration contexts as well as other determinants of health (e.g. early life, social support, unemployment) and their policy implications according to the WHO
Lost in Transition: Health Care Experiences of Adults Born Very Preterm—A Qualitative Approach
Introduction: Adults Born Very Preterm (ABP) are an underperceived but steadily increasing patient population. It has been shown that they face multiple physical, mental and emotional health problems as they age. Very little is known about their specific health care needs beyond childhood and adolescence. This article focuses on their personal perspectives: it explores how they feel embedded in established health care structures and points to hea…
Protective Behavior in Course of the Covid-19 Outbreak—Survey Results From Germany
Objective: The COVID-19 outbreak means far-reaching changes in the organization of daily lives. Disease-related literacy and factors like age, gender or education play a major role in shaping individual practices of protective behavior. This paper investigates different types and frequency of practicing protective behaviors, as well as socio-demographic factors that are associated with such behavioral change. Methods: Data stem from a cross-secti…
Social Inequalities and Loneliness as Predictors of Ageing Well: A Trend Analysis Using Mixed Models
Background : This study examines if education, income, and loneliness are associated with physical functioning and optimism in an ageing population in Germany. Furthermore, time trends of physical functioning and optimism as well as of associations with social inequality and loneliness are analyzed. Methods : The German Ageing Survey (DEAS), a longitudinal population-based survey of individuals aged 40 years and older, was used (four waves betwee…
Social Relationships, Age and the Use of Preventive Health Services: Findings from the German Ageing Survey
This paper investigates the associations between social relationships, age and the use of preventive health services among German adults. Data stem from the German Ageing Survey (10,324 respondents). The use of preventive health services was assessed by asking for regular use of flu vaccination and cancer screening in the past years. Predictors of interest were structural (having a partner, size of the social network) and functional aspects of so…
Educational inequalities in self-rated health and social relationships – analyses based on the European Social Survey 2002-2016
Socioeconomic status and health among the aged in the United States and Germany: A comparative cross-sectional study
Education and health in 22 European countries
Social capital and health among the aged: Comparisons between the United States and Germany
Overeducation and depressive symptoms: Diminishing Mental Health Returns to Education
In general, well-educated people enjoy better mental health than those with less education. As a result, some wonder whether there are limits to the mental health benefits of education. Inspired by the literature on the expansion of tertiary education, this article explores marginal mental health returns to education and studies the mental health status of overeducated people. To enhance the validity of the findings we use two indicators of educa…
Socio-economic position and quality of life among older people in 10 European countries: Results of the SHARE study
This study examines associations between quality of life and multiple indicators of socio-economic position among people aged 50 or more years in 10 European countries, and analyses whether the relative importance of the socio-economic measures vary by age. The data are from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in 2004. 15,080 cases were analysed. Quality of life was measured by a short version of the CASP-19 questionnair…
Social Productivity and Well-being of Older People: A Sociological Exploration
Work stress of primary care physicians in the US, UK and German health care systems
Income, financial barriers to health care and public health expenditure: A multilevel analysis of 28 countries
After unification: Gender and subjective health status in East and West Germany
Educational inequalities in self-rated health and social relationships – analyses based on the European Social Survey 2002-2016
What do physicians gain (and lose) with experience? Qualitative results from a cross-national study of diabetes
Income and functional limitations among the aged in Europe: A trend analysis in 16 countries
BACKGROUND: Analyses are focused on 3 research questions: (1) Are there absolute and relative income-related inequalities in functional limitations among the aged in Europe? (2) Did the absolute and relative income-related inequalities in functional limitations among the aged change between 2002 and 2014? (3) Are there differences in the changes of income-related inequalities between European countries? METHODS: Data stem from 7 waves (2002-2014)…
Wealth, income, and health before and after retirement
BACKGROUND: It was supposed that associations of wealth and health might be higher after retirement than in the economically active periods of life, but no comparisons were available. Most studies on wealth were based on net worth, a measure combining several elements of wealth into an index. We examined associations between different elements of wealth and health by comparing retired women and men with economically active ones. METHOD: Data were…
Self-help friendliness: A German approach for strengthening the cooperation between self-help groups and health care professionals
After unification: Gender and subjective health status in East and West Germany
Socioeconomic status and health among the aged in the United States and Germany: A comparative cross-sectional study
Social Productivity and Well-being of Older People: A Sociological Exploration
Social capital and health among the aged: Comparisons between the United States and Germany
Education and health in 22 European countries
Quality of work, well-being, and intended early retirement of older employees--baseline results from the SHARE Study
BACKGROUND: Given the challenge of a high proportion of older employees who retire early from work we analyse associations of indicators of a poor psychosocial quality of work with intended premature departure from work in a large sample of older male and female employees in 10 European countries. METHODS: Baseline data from the 'Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe' (SHARE) were obtained from 3523 men and 3318 women in 10 European c…
Emotional support, education and self-rated health in 22 European countries
Results indicate that it is important to consider socio-economic factors like education and country-specific contexts in studies on health effects of emotional support
Socio-economic position and quality of life among older people in 10 European countries: Results of the SHARE study
This study examines associations between quality of life and multiple indicators of socio-economic position among people aged 50 or more years in 10 European countries, and analyses whether the relative importance of the socio-economic measures vary by age. The data are from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in 2004. 15,080 cases were analysed. Quality of life was measured by a short version of the CASP-19 questionnair…
Women and Men with Coronary Heart Disease in Three Countries: Are They Treated Differently
It's About Time: Physicians' Perceptions of Time Constraints in Primary Care Medical Practice in Three National Healthcare Systems
BACKGROUND: As physicians are pressured to deliver an increasing number of preventive services, follow guidelines, engage in evidence-based practice, and deliver patient-centered care in managerially driven organizations, they struggle with how much control they have over their time. METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted with data from 3 parallel studies of clinical decision making in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States with …
Differences in the Diagnosis and Management of Type 2 Diabetes in 3 Countries (US, UK, and Germany): Results From a Factorial Experiment
OBJECTIVES: This article examines the diagnosis and management of type-2 diabetes when exactly the same "patient" is encountered by 192 randomly selected primary care doctors in 3 different health care systems--the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany. METHODS: We conducted a factorial experiment, employing 2 clinically authentic filmed scenarios, to examine country differences in the treatment of diabetes, while controlling the effects of …
Work stress of primary care physicians in the US, UK and German health care systems
What do physicians gain (and lose) with experience? Qualitative results from a cross-national study of diabetes
Does socioeconomic status affect the association of social relationships and health? A moderator analysis
The analyses indicate that the association of social relations and subjective health differs across SES groups as we find moderating effects of SES. However, results are inconsistent as nearly all RERI scores are positive but do not reach a significant level. Also moderating effects vary between women and men and depending on the indicators of SES and social relations used. Thus, the hypothesis of differential vulnerability can only partially be …
The mediating effect of social relationships on the association between socioeconomic status and subjective health – results from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall cohort study
Social relationships substantially contribute to the explanation of SES differences in subjective health. Interventions for improving social relations which especially focus on socially deprived groups are likely to help reducing socioeconomic disparities in health
Overeducation and depressive symptoms: Diminishing Mental Health Returns to Education
In general, well-educated people enjoy better mental health than those with less education. As a result, some wonder whether there are limits to the mental health benefits of education. Inspired by the literature on the expansion of tertiary education, this article explores marginal mental health returns to education and studies the mental health status of overeducated people. To enhance the validity of the findings we use two indicators of educa…
Education and the public’s desire for social distance from people with depression and schizophrenia: The contribution of emotional reactions and causal attributions
BACKGROUND: Association between education and desire for social distance from people with mental illness is unclear. AIMS: (1) Is there an association between education and social distance from people with a depression or schizophrenia? (2) Can this association be explained by beliefs about causes of and emotional reactions to the mental disorders? (3) Are there differences between the two mental disorders? METHODS: Analyses are based on a teleph…
Quality of life of Turkish type 2 diabetics in Germany and Turkey – a comparison between Hamburg and Istanbul
Beyond strong similarities between the two samples in sociodemographics, physical and mental health the social and environmental quality of life was significantly assessed better by the Turkish diabetics living in Hamburg. This is most likely an effect of public investment in social security, infrastructure and health care which is also influencing the decision as to where to spend life in retirement
Wealth, income, and health before and after retirement
BACKGROUND: It was supposed that associations of wealth and health might be higher after retirement than in the economically active periods of life, but no comparisons were available. Most studies on wealth were based on net worth, a measure combining several elements of wealth into an index. We examined associations between different elements of wealth and health by comparing retired women and men with economically active ones. METHOD: Data were…
Self-help friendliness: A German approach for strengthening the cooperation between self-help groups and health care professionals
Is an insecure job better for health than having no job at all? A systematic review of studies investigating the health-related risks of both job insecurity and unemployment
Social inequalities in patient-reported outcomes among older multimorbid patients – results of the MultiCare cohort study
Results indicate social inequalities in self-rated health, functional status and health related quality of life among older multimorbid patients. As associations with education and occupational position were inconsistent, these inequalities were mainly due to income. Inequalities were partly explained by burden of disease. However, even among patients with a similar disease burden, those with a low income were worse off in terms of the three pati…
Socioeconomic inequalities in prostate cancer survival: A review of the evidence and explanatory factors
Are health care inequalities unfair? A study on public attitudes in 23 countries
In most countries a majority of the population perceives income-related health care inequalities as unfair. Large differences between countries were observed. Welfare regime classification is important for explaining the variation across countries
Income and health-related quality of life among prostate cancer patients over a one-year period after radical prostatectomy: A linear mixed model analysis
Medicine (45 works) · Psychology (33 works) · Population (24 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (23 works) · Gerontology (21 works) · Public health (21 works) · Demography (20 works) · Environmental health (20 works) · Nursing (20 works) · Health care (17 works)