Latest News
Latest News
Job advertisement for research assistants
The Department of Health Economics is seeking research assistants for the research project "Digital Transformation of Healthcare Provision in Rural Areas" (TransVer).
Further information can be found under the university's job vacancies.
FWJ in the Health Economics Department
The Health Economics Department offers places for a voluntary scientific year (FWJ).
Further information can be found here.
Anna Homann, new research assistant
Anna Homann is a new research assistant in the Department of Health Economics. We warmly welcome Anna!
Anna Homann, MSc, took up her position as a research assistant in the Department of Health Economics on 1 February 2026. She holds a Bachelor's degree in War Studies from King's College London and a Master of Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. We look forward to working with her!
New publication in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
Based on data from the KORA-Age study, the prevalence of cognitive sarcopenia and its health-related consequences in older age were investigated.
The study ''Cognitive Sarcopenia: Prevalence and the Risk for Mortality and Healthy Aging in the KORA-Age Study'', published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, investigates the prevalence of ''cognitive sarcopenia'' and its association with mortality and health-related limitations in older age.
The analysis is based on data from the population-based KORA-Age study (2008/2009), with follow-up assessments after three and seven years, and includes 1,055 participants aged 65 to 93 years. Cognitive sarcopenia was defined as the concurrent presence of sarcopenia (''muscle loss'') and cognitive impairment.
The results show that nearly half of older individuals with possible sarcopenia also exhibited cognitive impairments. The study highlights the importance of integrated prevention and care approaches that address both physical and cognitive aspects of aging.
The article is freely available as an open-access publication (link: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.70201).
New publication in Environment International
The study utilises data from the KORA study to investigate the relationship between environmental factors and subtypes of type 2 diabetes.
The study "Longitudinal associations of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution, residential greenness, and air temperature with type 2 diabetes subphenotypes: results from the KORA cohort study", published in the journal Environment International, investigates the relationship between environmental factors and different forms of type 2 diabetes.
Based on data from the KORA study from 2006 to 2008 and 2013 to 2014, people with type 2 diabetes were categorised into three subtypes. A distinction was made between insulin deficiency-related, age-associated and insulin-resistant diabetes.
The results show that higher exposure to particulate matter and soot particles is associated with an increased risk of insulin-resistant diabetes. In addition, combinations of air pollution, greater temperature fluctuations, lower average temperatures and low levels of greenery increased the risk of age-associated and insulin-resistant diabetes.
The study makes an important contribution to understanding the role of environmental factors in the development of diabetes and provides starting points for targeted prevention strategies.
The article was published as an open access article and is freely accessible (link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.110043).
Talea von Essen, new student assistant
Talea von Essen is a new student assistant in the Department of Health Economics.
Talea von Essen, B. Sc., started her position as a student assistant with us on 1 December 2025. We warmly welcome her!
New publication in the International Journal of Epidemiology
Cohort Profile: Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) 1984-2024
The long-term study "Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA)" looks back on 40 years of research into the causes and consequences of chronic diseases in Germany. The new cohort profile "KORA 1984-2024" has now been published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
KORA has been analysing health trends in the Augsburg region since 1984. Over 17,600 participants have been recorded in four large population studies and followed up several times. The research covers cardiovascular and lung diseases, diabetes, mental health, healthy ageing, the influence of environmental factors such as air pollution and climate as well as health economic issues.
The close collaboration between Helmholtz Munich, the University of Augsburg, LMU, TUM and other partners has resulted in key findings for population-based health research in Germany. During his time at the Helmholtz Centre Munich, Prof. Dr Lars Schwettmann played a key role in the development of new health economic issues as a member of the KORA Executive Board and continues to work closely with KORA.
With its extensive biological samples and environmental data, KORA will remain an important resource for research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases.
The article was published as an open access article and is freely accessible (link: https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaf187).
Pain knows no boundaries: Lecture on the xPEDition Pain in the Ems-Dollart Region
On 4 November 2025, Prof. Dr Lars Schwettmann and Stefanie Beinert from the University of Oldenburg were invited by "Grenzkontakten" to give a lecture entitled "Pain in the Ems-Dollart region: a hidden disease with far-reaching consequences" at Leer Youth Hostel
The lecture presented the cross-border project xPEDition Schmerz, a German-Dutch awareness campaign for the prevention of chronic pain, funded as part of Interreg VI Deutschland-Nederland.
Together with experts from both countries, questions such as:
- What is pain and why does it sometimes persist even though the body has long since healed?
- How do treatment, care and knowledge about pain differ between Germany and the Netherlands?
- And how can cross-border cooperation help to strengthen health literacy and reduce suffering in the long term?
The event combined scientific findings with practical examples and invited participants to think and discuss. It was possible to see how xPEDition Pain brings knowledge about pain to the region: digitally, locally and in two languages.
The aim of the campaign is to prevent chronic pain at an early stage and to empower people in the Ems-Dollart region to actively deal with pain through easy-to-understand information, social media offerings and local workshops in schools, businesses and communities.
More information about the project here.
We would like to thank the "Grenzkontakten " once again for the invitation and the participants for their great interest and stimulating discussions!
More information about the border contacts here.
Isabelle Roheger, new student assistant
Isabelle Roheger is a new student assistant in the Department of Health Economics.
Isabelle Roheger, B. Sc., started her position as a student assistant with us on 1 November 2025. We look forward to working with her!
DGEPI Annual Conference 2025
On September 23 and 25, 2025, the 20th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Epidemiology (DGEPI) took place in Münster.
The 20th Annual Conference of the German Society for Epidemiology (DGEPI) took place in Münster on 23-25 September 2025. Prof Dr Lars Schwettmann and Ida Schulze Kalthoff from our department took part.
Prof Dr Lars Schwettmann gave a poster presentation on "Socioeconomic Status, Alcohol Use and All-Cause Mortality: Results from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)", Ida Schulze Kalthoff presented the poster "Socioeconomic Status, Regional Deprivation and Alcohol Use: Results from the Baseline Examination of the German National Cohort (NAKO)".
Gender and diversity in pain prevention: presentation at the 11th IGM Congress
On 19 September 2025, Stefanie Beinert presented her research at the 11th International Congress of the International Society for Gender Medicine in Magdeburg.
On 19 September 2025, Stefanie Beinert presented her research at the 11th International Congress of the International Society for Gender Medicine in Magdeburg.
The presentation "Addressing Gender and Diversity Inequities in Chronic Pain: A Cross-Border, Participatory and Multi-Method Approach" presented key results of the doctoral project as part of the ExPEDition Schmerz/Pijn campaign.
The focus was on approaches for systematically integrating gender mainstreaming and diversity perspectives into chronic pain prevention. The presentation highlighted both the potential and challenges of gender- and diversity-sensitive prevention and presented new methodological tools with which these can be practically implemented and addressed.
It became clear that fairer care not only offers health benefits, but also economic advantages for society, the healthcare system and individuals.
"xPEDition Pain: Understand. Prevent. Moving forward." - Lecture at The Smart House Oldenburg
Prof Dr Lars Schwettmann and Stefanie Beinert presented the Interreg project xPEDition Schmerz in their lecture at The Smart House Oldenburg.
On 15 September 2025, Prof. Dr Lars Schwettmann and Stefanie Beinert from the Department of Health Economics at the University of Oldenburg presented the xPEDition Schmerz project in their lecture at The Smart House Oldenburg. They presented the background, objectives and scientific basis of the new awareness campaign, which is funded as part of the EU Interreg VI Germany-Netherlands programme, and took the audience on a vivid journey through the world of pain.
Together with the participants, key questions were explored: What is pain? How does it arise and why does it sometimes persist even though the cause has long since disappeared? What can we do to prevent chronic pain or live better with it?
The lecture combined scientific findings with everyday examples, interactive elements and short quizzes. Many visitors took the opportunity to contribute their own experiences and ask questions, resulting in a lively exchange between specialist knowledge and lived experience.
It was shown how the cross-border xPEDition Pain campaign brings these topics to the region through easy-to-understand information, digital formats and local events that help people to better understand and actively manage pain.
xPEDition Pain aims to convey a better understanding of pain, strengthen health literacy in the population and thus reduce chronic pain in the long term. The campaign is aimed in particular at people in the German-Dutch Ems-Dollart region and combines digital and analogue formats ranging from social media offers and explanatory videos to workshops in schools, companies and communities. The presentation made it clear that the project focuses on participatory, multilingual and scientifically based communication in order to make knowledge about pain accessible and initiate sustainable changes in dealing with chronic pain.
Further information on the project can be found here.
Miriam Schmale, new student assistant
Miriam Schmale is the new student assistant in the Health Economics department.
Miriam Schmale, B.A., started her position as a student assistant with us on September 1, 2025. We warmly welcome her!
Visit from Melanie Walter, Minister for Europe and Regional Development of Lower Saxony
Minister Melanie Walter visited the University of Oldenburg to learn about the "Health4DE-NL" project.
On her trip through the region - with the aim of gaining a direct impression of central projects in the districts and the impact of EU funding programmes - Melanie Walter, Minister for Europe and Regional Development of Lower Saxony, also stopped off at the University of Oldenburg.
Here she learnt about "Health4DE-NL", a project of the Cross-Border Institute of Healthcare Systems and Prevention (CBI).
"We are pursuing the goal of driving forward immediate improvements for the care of people in this region and at the same time developing approaches that can also be applied in other regions," explained Prof Dr Hans Gerd Nothwang, Dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences.
"With the HEALTH4DE-NL project, we are promoting sustainable cross-border cooperation between the relevant healthcare institutions in the northern German-Dutch border region. This networking has great potential for the healthcare of people in the region - and also for the regional economy," said Prof Dr Lars Schwettmann, project leader on the German side of the research network.
Further information on the project can be found in the article on the CBI website.
We would like to thank Minister Walter for her visit!
Photos: Daniel Schmidt/UOL