Uni Bamberg News

Alina Schmitz and Rasmus Hoffmann publish “SHARE Finding of the Month”

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:33:32 +0100

Children's upward mobility is related to higher life satisfaction among parents – even when it brings no extra financial or practical support

A study of 80,000 Europeans finds the effect is strongest for the least educated parents, and grows with every additional child who surpasses them educationally.

For more information, please click here.

https://share-eric.eu/research-results-details/childrens-upward-mobility-is-related-to-higher-life-satisfaction-among-parents

Lecture on climate change by Rasmus Hoffmann at the Children's University in Bamberg

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:43:42 +0100

On November 15, 2025, the Children's University was part of the Sustainability Festival at the University of Bamberg. As part of this event, Prof. Dr. Rasmus gave a lecture on the topic of “Climate Change”:

What is happening to our environment and what we need to change

Everyone is talking about climate change. Some people think climate protection is very important, while others say it's exaggerated. But what is actually behind it? Why is the Earth getting warmer and what does that mean for us humans, for animals and plants? Together, we will look at how global warming is caused and what we need to do to ensure that we can continue to live well on Earth and from nature in the future.

This is not just about the environment and climate, but also about justice: rich people harm the climate much more than poor people, but suffer much less from the consequences. We take a closer look at how poverty and wealth are linked to climate change and consider how we ourselves can do something about climate change.

Children’s Upward Educational Mobility as a Booster for Parents’ Subjective Well-Being in Later Life

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:35:57 +0200

Many European countries have experienced sustained educational expansion. Although the subjective well-being of upwardly mobile individuals has been studied, less is known about the implications of intergenerational mobility in education on parental well-being. Using multivariate regression models based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), this study examines whether children’s educational mobility is associated with their parents’ well-being, as measured by life satisfaction, and if so, whether low-educated parents profit more than middle-educated parents, and through which mechanisms.

Parents with upwardly mobile children reported higher life satisfaction than those with nonmobile and downwardly mobile children. The effect was slightly stronger for parents with low education than for those with medium education. For parents with more than one child, each additional upwardly mobile child amplified the positive association with life satisfaction. However, we were unable to identify the substantial mechanisms responsible for the association between children’s educational mobility and parents’ life satisfaction. Emotional closeness, financial support, and instrumental help were associated with parental life satisfaction in general but did not differ enough between parents with and without upwardly mobile children to explain the mobility-related difference in parental life satisfaction.

Intergenerational mobility in education represents a potentially relevant and “new” category of social inequality in old age, as social class in later life may also be affected by the educational capital of adult children. We discuss the need for further studies to understand the role of educational mobility for parental well-being in later life.

Citation

Schmitz, A., Hoffmann, R. (2025) Children’s Upward Educational Mobility as a Booster for Parents’ Subjective Well-Being in Later Life. KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11577-025-01021-0

Populist Party Support and COVID-19 Vaccination: Explaining the AfD Vaccination Gap

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:06:59 +0200

The COVID-19 vaccination program in 2021 constituted a key public health policy measure to overcome the pandemic in Germany. However, research has identified substantial variations in vaccination uptake across social groups. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, research has indicated that party support influences vaccination uptake, which constitutes an underexplored dimension in Germany. Based on the health belief model, research on the populist right-wing party Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland; AfD) and inequality in the acceptance of public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, we investigated the emerging AfD vaccination gap. Based on monthly repeated cross-sectional data from the Institute for Applied Social Sciences (N persons = 7762) and logistic regression models, we found a pronounced vaccination gap of 28 percentage points between AfD supporters and nonsupporters. While this gap is not due to differences in sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 strain, the results from a Karlson–Holm–Breen decomposition reveal that differences in the perception of the pandemic as a threat to personal freedom and civil rights and feelings of missing political representation account for a large share of the AfD vaccination gap. Thus, our results indicate that the political climate prior to a pandemic influences the acceptance of public health measures and that civil movements occurring during pandemics, which address fears and worries related to civil rights and personal freedom, have the potential to substantially reduce the intended results of public health measures.

Citation

Patzina, A., Dietrich, H., Ruland, M., Hoffmann, R. (2025) Populist Party Support and COVID-19 Vaccination: Explaining the AfD Vaccination Gap. KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11577-025-01015-y

Health-Related quality of life and the impact of traditional, complementary and integrative Medicine - an Online - Representative Cross-Sectional survey in Germany

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:29:37 +0200

Background

Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) is widely used in Germany. Approximately 70% of the German population report lifetime use, with 32% indicating usage within the past year and 18% currently. This study examines the association between TCIM utilization and health-related factors, including sociodemographic characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Germany.

Methods

An online survey of 4,065 German adults (aged 18–75) was conducted in 2022. HRQoL was assessed with globally recognized and extensively validated instruments using the EQ-5D-5 L descriptive system and index values. We compared HRQoL based on age, gender, income, TCIM use and attitudes, medical conditions, dietary patterns, and social milieus (Sinus-Milieus^®). The EQ-5D-5 L index ranges from 1 (perfect health) to ≤ 0 (death), EQ VAS from 100 (best imaginable health) to 0 (worst imaginable health).

Results

The mean ± standard error and median (interquartile range) were 68.2 ± 0.4 and 73.0 (32.5) for EQ VAS, and 0.85 ± 0.00 and 0.92 (0.18) for the EQ-5D-5 L index. Lower HRQoL was observed among women, older adults, and individuals with lower socioeconomic status. TCIM users within the past 12 months (31.8%) had significantly lower EQ-5D-5 L index scores (0.82 ± 0.01; 0.90 [0.17]) than non-users (0.87 ± 0.00; 0.94 [0.17]; p < 0.001) and reported a significantly higher disease burden (88.0% vs. 68.6%). Musculoskeletal disorders were the most common condition (35.8%), associated with an EQ-5D-5 L index of 0.71 ± 0.01 and EQ VAS of 56.9 ± 0.6. Neurological conditions were linked to the lowest HRQoL, whereas allergies were associated with the highest. Dietary patterns significantly influenced HRQoL, with pescatarians reporting the highest and raw foodists the lowest scores. Among social milieus, the “Precarious Milieu” had the lowest EQ-5D-5 L index (median 0.86 [0.28]), while the “Performer Milieu” had the highest (0.97 [0.11]).

Conclusion

The findings underscore the influence of sociodemographic and socioeconomic determinants on HRQoL and highlight health disparities across social groups. The inverse association between TCIM use and HRQoL may reflect a higher burden of chronic conditions and unmet healthcare needs among TCIM users. Further research is warranted to investigate causal relationships and the role of TCIM in addressing complex health challenges.

Citation

Ortiz, M., Wischnewsky, M., Jeitler, M., Brinkhaus, B., Michalsen, A, Hoffmann, R., Kessler, C.S. (2025) Health-Related quality of life and the impact of traditional, complementary and integrative Medicine - an Online - Representative Cross-Sectional survey in Germany. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23908-5

Study Programs, Public Rankings, and College Enrollment Intentions: Results from a Survey Experiment on Study Program Content, Flexibility, and Support

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 08:23:58 +0200

Current research on college enrollment intentions predominantly focuses on the effects of individual and university characteristics, neglecting how specific study program features affect enrollment intentions. We examine three key elements in a study program: content, flexibility, and support. These elements shape individuals’ beliefs about costs, benefits, and their success probability, thus affecting enrollment intentions. Understanding these influences helps address disparities in access to higher education because an individual’s social background shapes information processing and thus, belief formation. Using data from a factorial survey experiment conducted with German high school students in their final year of school, we apply random-intercept regression models to investigate the causal (socially stratified) effect of study program features on enrollment intentions. Our results reveal significant effects of the investigated dimensions on enrollment intentions, suggesting that adjusting program content, flexibility, and support services enhances those intentions. However, the limited effect variation across social backgrounds implies that these adjustments will not reduce the social origin gap in higher education transitions.

Citation: Toussaint, C., Patzina, A., Dietrich, H., & Wolbring, T. Study programs, public rankings, and college enrollment intentions: Results from a survey experiment on study program content, flexibility and support. Sociology of Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/00380407251356274

The gendered effects of COVID-19 on well-being: a household perspective

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:15:02 +0200

We investigate the causal effect of COVID-19 incidence rates on changes in subjective well-being, with a special focus on gender differences. Specifically, we employ a household-level perspective and hypothesize that household composition (i.e. single and multiperson households), childcare duties or caregiving obligations for older adults, and household wealth (i.e. housing quality and financial resources) moderate the effect of COVID-19 incidence rates on men and women differently. Employing longitudinal household data from the Panel Labour Market and Social Security (PASS) and a difference-in-differences (DiD) approach, we find an overall negative effect. This effect is stronger for individuals with caregiving responsibilities. In contrast to our theoretical expectations, our results indicate stronger negative effects of COVID-19 incidence on well-being among individuals from households with high living standards and high financial resources. Strikingly, our findings indicate that the relevant changes in negative subjective well-being are concentrated among women with childcare duties and informal caregiving responsibilities.

Citation: Patzina, A., Collischon M., & Kroh J. (2025). The Gendered Effects of COVID-19 on Well-being: A Household Perspective. European Sociological Review. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcaf022.

Attitudes towards conventional and non-conventional medical approaches and their relation to COVID-19 vaccination: Insights from Germany

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:11:59 +0200

The main objective of this study is to investigate whether different medical attitudes relate to COVID-19 vaccination uptake and approval of vaccine mandates. The theory of planned behavior and the health belief model suggest that individual attitudes towards medical approaches are important for vaccination uptake. We use data from a German online cross-sectional study comprising 4065 respondents conducted between September and October in 2022 on the use and acceptance of five pre-defined medical approaches: conventional medicine, Traditional European Medicine (Naturheilkunde), complementary medicine, integrative medicine, and alternative medicine. The two main outcome measures are: (1) COVID-19 vaccination uptake, differentiating between (a) rejected, (b) socially pressured and (c) endorsed vaccination; (2) attitudes towards mandatory COVID-19 vaccination, i.e., whether or not individuals endorse vaccination mandates. We employ logistic and multinomial logistic regressions to calculate average marginal effects (AME) and to account for the influence of different medical attitudes and for confounding variables. While vaccination uptake in general is high (91.0 % in the analytical sample), our multivariate results reveal that individuals with a positive disposition towards Traditional European Medicine (AME = 0.05; p < 0.01) and alternative medicine (AME = 0.02; p < 0.10) were, comparatively, more likely to reject COVID-19 vaccination. A positive disposition towards conventional medicine is associated with higher vaccination uptake (AME = 0.17; p < 0.001). Positive attitudes towards alternative medicine correlate with increased levels of feeling socially pressured into accepting the vaccination (AME = 0.05; p < 0.01). Approval levels for universal mandatory vaccination are low (43.9 %). Positive attitudes towards alternative (AME = -0.03; p < 0.1) and Traditional European Medicine (AME = -0.04; p < 0.05) negatively correlate with approval of vaccination mandates, while positive attitudes towards conventional medicine (AME = 0.05; p < 0.01) increase approval. Our findings suggest that different medical attitudes are simultaneously associated with vaccination uptake and mandate approval. This provides important knowledge for policy makers when designing vaccination schemes and for health professionals when consulting their heterogeneous group of patients.

Citation: Patzina, A., Trübner, M., Lehmann, J., Brinkhaus, B., Kessler, C. S., & Hoffmann, R. (2025). Attitudes towards conventional and non-conventional medical approaches and their relation to COVID-19 vaccination: Insights from Germany. Vaccine, 61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127403

Research Associate (preferably post-doc) or Lecturer (m/f/d)

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:13:48 +0200

The Chair of Sociology, with special emphasis on Social Inequalities at the University of Bamberg has a vacancy (starting between August and October 2025) for a Research Associate (preferably post-doc, 50% - 100% time working hours; German public service paygrade TV-L E 13; part-time also possible) or Lecturer (m/f/d) (Akademische/r Rat/Rätin, 100% full-time working hours; German civil service paygrade A 13) for an initial period of three years in a fixed-term employment relationship as a research assistant or, if the necessary requirements are met, as a civil servant.

Health information-seeking behavior among users of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM)

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:10:09 +0100

Background

The use of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) is widespread among the German population and driven by various motives, including both supplementing and avoiding treatments with conventional medicine. The aim of this article is to examine how these motives relate to different health information-seeking behaviors.

Methods

The study uses regression analysis based on data from a German online access panel, which explored the use and acceptance of TCIM in Germany in 2022. From this study, we use information on 1,696 individuals (aged 18–75 years) who vary in their motives for using TCIM (subjective statements on five-point Likert scales) and have used TCIM to treat health problems.

Results

Overall, TCIM is considered more a health-promoting measure than it is driven by aversion towards conventional medicine. Our analysis of information-seeking behavior for certain therapeutic procedures reveals that, as respondents’ propensity to use TCIM as a health-promoting measure rises, they are more likely to perceive themselves as being influenced by scientific studies (AME: 0.04, p = 0.004), personal advice (AME: 0.09, p = 0.000), and their social circle’s experiences (AME: 0.08, p = 0.000). In contrast, respondents who use TCIM more due to aversion to conventional medicine are less likely to perceive themselves as being influenced by scientific studies (AME: -0.04, p = 0.004) and doctors (AME: -0.07, p = 0.000). When analyzing respondents’ most important medical information source, our results reveal that the more individuals indicate using TCIM out of aversion, the more likely they are to consider (online) media outlets their most important medical resource (AME: 0.05, p = 0.000), while the likelihood of considering medical professionals most important decreases (AME -0.06, p = 0.000).

Conclusion

Motives behind TCIM use vary and correspond to differences in individuals’ health information-seeking behavior. Beyond these motive-related differences, TCIM users value sources of health information other than their medical practitioners. This calls for an intensification of TCIM training among medical professionals to provide high-quality consultation and the creation of reputable online portals to ensure the provision of trustworthy information about TCIM.

Citation: Trübner, M., Patzina, A., Lehmann, J., Brinkhaus, B., Kessler, C. S., & Hoffmann, R. (2025). Health information-seeking behavior among users of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM). BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 25, 111. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-04843-9