Health, work and the life course

The key research area of health, work and the life course studies the social relevance of health and well-being during all stages of life, including far-reaching local, national and global inequalities. It examines how the health and well-being of societies, communities, families and individuals are influenced by structural conditions, educational and health care systems, political institutions and conflict, welfare states, work and organisational environments, communication infrastructures, intersectional inequalities and other social relationships and norms, as well as by care relationships and care structures. A particular focus is on life course research in the areas of education and qualification, the transition from school to work, work and employment histories, as well as family formation.

Through research into health-related resilience and healthy ageing, taking into account interrelations and inequalities at the individual and collective as well as national and international levels, scholarship contributes to more liveable societies. For this purpose, the social determinants of health are critically analysed, as are the areas of care work, work, family, work environments and school settings, health policy, medicine and science. Societal impact is achieved through close cooperation with many different global, national and local stakeholders, who are in charge of health-related or care-related issues or concerned with tackling respective challenges.