Projektdetails

Aspects of social health, such as social contacts and participation in social activities, are gaining increasing importance alongside the construct of quality of life in research and practice for and with people living with dementia, with a view to improving their care and living situation [1]. Social health is understood here as a relational concept in which well-being is defined by how individuals relate to their social environment and how the social environment relates to individuals. The concept of social health can be divided into two levels (individual and social environment), each with three domains (capacities, independence, and social participation for the individual level; structure, function, and appraisal for the social environment level) [2]. For social health, the development and research of the effectiveness of new forms of care and treatment, such as non-pharmacological, psychosocial interventions, is necessary [3]. The measurability of social health is also essential: measurability creates visibility and is a prerequisite for quality, research, and further development [4]. Against this background, the doctoral project addresses the research question: "How can social health in people living with dementia be assessed and promoted through psychosocial interventions?" The project aims to conduct quantitative evaluations of psychosocial interventions promoting the social health of people with dementia. A mixed-methods approach will be used to develop a core outcome set for measuring social health. Within a shared theoretical framework, the doctoral project will follow a cumulative approach. This project will help establish the foundations for innovative, person-centered care concepts by providing measurable and evidence-based support for social health and enabling the implementation of effective psychosocial interventions in everyday care. The long-term goal is the sustainable improvement of care and the stronger integration of social health into the care of people living with dementia.

[1] Dröes RM, Chattat R, Diaz A., Gove D, Graff M, Murphy K: Social health and dementia: a European consensus on the operationalization of the concept and directions for research and practice. Aging & Mental Health 2016, 21(1), 4–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1254596 [2] Vernooij-Dassen M, Verspoor E, Samtani S, Sachdev PS, Ikram MA, Vernooij MW, et al. Recognition of social health: A conceptual framework in the context of dementia research. Front Psychiatry. (2022) 13:1052009:1–9. doi: 10.3389/ fpsyt.2022.1052009 [3] Tesky VA, Schall A, Pantel J. Nicht pharmakologische Therapien bei Demenz [Non-pharmacological Therapies of Dementia - an Update]. Ther Umsch. 2023 Jun;80(5):234-241. German. doi: 10.1024/0040-5930/a001442. PMID: 37203165. [4] Altona J, Wiegelmann H, Lenart-Bulga M, Vernooij-Dassen M, Verspoor E, Seifert I, Misonow J, Szcześniak D, Rymaszewska J, Chattat R, Jeon YH, Moniz-Cook E, Roes M, Perry M, Wolf-Ostermann K. Instruments for assessing social health in the context of cognitive decline and dementia: a systematic review. Front Psychiatry. 2024 Nov 13;15:1387192. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1387192. PMID: 39605998; PMCID: PMC11599264. [5] Misonow, J., Wolf-Ostermann, K., Altona, J. et al. A complex intervention to reduce hospital admissions for people living with dementia in shared-housing arrangements in Germany: results of the multicenter, cluster-randomized controlled DemWG-study. BMC Med23, 262 (2025). doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04090-2