Research | Projects

• Status: ongoing
• Project partners: Volkswagenstiftung, German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM), University of Wroclaw (Poland), University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland)
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling, Robert Koglek, Laura Feith González, Johanna Hofmann

The aging of society can be seen as part of a wide-ranging constellation of complicated social dynamics that involve a variety of impacts that affect not only the elderly, but all generations in society. Different countries have different approaches and priorities when it comes to addressing the challenge of an aging population. Through a cross-national comparison between Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Austria, the research team aims to explore questions about the relevance of societal aging in Europe for the lives of young people at the individual, local, national, and transnational level. The goal is to gain a better understanding of how young migrants are affected by and cope with aging as a social condition within and across different regions. In doing so, we are interested in their perceptions and life experiences, as well as the extent to which living in an "older" social and family context, in addition to migration and mobility, influences their decisions and arrangements regarding work activities, their living conditions, and life plans, including intergenerational relationships and household composition. The ultimate goal is to inform local, regional, national, and European policies that support young people in Europe and mitigate the negative consequences of aging societies in Europe.

As part of this project, we are looking for interview partners. You can find the flyer with more information here. We are interested in...

• the life experiences of young people who have moved to Austria and are working here
• their relationships with older generations
• and their experiences in the context of education and work
  
  
  
• Are you between 18-35 years old?
• Did you move to Austria from abroad?
• Do you live in Tyrol or Burgenland?
• Would you like to contribute to a research project?

Then we would be happy to hear from you (direct registration for an interview via the button "interview participation").

• Status: ongoing
• Project partners: TIPSI (Tyrolean interest group for psychosocial inclusion), Licht ins Dunkel
• Further project team members: Iris Staffler, Christina Lienhart

PeerCom aims to create a service that can relieve existing structures, inpatient settings and institutionalised care in such a way that experienced mental health peers act as multipliers in a 1:1 setting to support mentally ill people (and Long-Covid) in obtaining measures to secure their livelihood. The programme is therefore aimed at people with moderate to severe psychosocial disabilities and currently at people with Long Covid symptoms. Experienced mental health peers with psycho-social or peer training can act as advocates through their own experience with various problems in the context of mental illness and thus provide ego-strengthening support.

• Status: ongoing
• Project partners: Land Tirol
• Further project team members: Kathrin Liebl, International Health & Social Management students (3rd semester)

Against the backdrop of the new free HPV vaccination programme in Austria, which will be offered from July 2024 to the end of 2025, we are investigating how this offer is perceived by the age groups concerned. The Centre for Social & Health Innovation's research project is investigating the acceptance of the HPV vaccination among the Tyrolean population aged between 21 and 30. HPV stands for human papillomavirus, a group of viruses that are sexually transmitted and are responsible for various types of cancer, including cervical cancer. There are vaccinations that protect against the most common types of HPV and can therefore help to prevent cancer-causing infections, but just because the vaccination is available does not mean that it will be accepted. What prevents or motivates young people from being vaccinated? - A key issue in healthcare.

• Status: ongoing
• Project partners: Austrian Research Funding Agency (FFG), Land Tirol, Kettenbrücke Sanatorium, s*elsbethen Social Centre, Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK, Regional Office Tyrol), Völs Health Services
• Further project team members: Angela Wong, Ayman Fouda, Eugen Bogodistov, Jolanda Baur, Nils Mevenkamp, Raffael Heiss, Renate Windbichler, Siegfried Walch

Health, the quality of healthcare and equitable and transparent access to it, as well as the working conditions in the healthcare system, are essential for individual well-being, social development, social cohesion, security of care and also the economic performance of a society.

However, healthcare systems are facing major challenges, such as demographic change and financial constraints or rising costs in healthcare structures. In particular, the shortage of nursing staff and doctors as well as working conditions are key issues in the healthcare sector and digitalisation brings both opportunities and challenges for efficient and resource-optimised healthcare.

As part of these developments, the CSHI is therefore developing a three-year project that aims to 1) develop holistic HR strategies for the healthcare industry together with partner organisations in order to retain and promote qualified personnel in the long term; 2) identify challenges in the use of digital healthcare applications for different groups of people (e.g. ÖGK applications); 3) evaluate and scientifically support the implementation of digital innovations in the healthcare sector (e.g. online appointment scheduling and waiting time management). The project involves close cooperation with institutions in the healthcare sector, including the Kettenbrücke sanatorium, the S*elsbethen social centre, the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (Tyrol regional office) and the Völs health services.

• Status: ongoing
• External project lead: Mag. Ursula Griebler, PhD MPH
• Project partners: Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation (University for Continuing Education Krems)

The objective of this project is to develop a user-friendly, validated tool for assessing the reliability of health information on social media. These platforms, which facilitate social interactions and the rapid spread of information, are often sources of health information. However, the prevalence of misinformation on these platforms can have detrimental health consequences, particularly as many users lack the necessary health literacy to evaluate such content accurately. To date, there are no simple tools available for assessing the reliability of this information. Citizen scientists, who have experience with these types of health information, will play a crucial role in designing and disseminating the assessment tool. The project will include a systematic review of literature to identify factors influencing laypeople's reliability judgments, the identification and validation of reliability indicators, the co-design of the tool using these indicators, and a test of the tool’s effectiveness in a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

The project will be led by Ursula Griebler (Universität für Weiterbildung Krems). MCI will support all phases of the project and will lead the work package on testing of the developed tool in a web-based RCT.

• Status: ongoing
• Project partners: Office of the Tyrolean Provincial Government (Department of Public Health Services), Health University of Applied Sciences Tyrol (FHG), UMIT Tyrol

The research project "Target Group-specific Survey on Women's Health in Tyrol" addresses the growing importance of women's health, the specific challenges of which have not yet been adequately researched. Taking into account psychological stress, unequal care work and biological differences, various aspects of women's health in Tyrol will be examined by means of a comprehensive survey. The aim is to gain a differentiated understanding in order to enable targeted interventions and improved health care. The three-part methodology consists of a quantitative survey with validated, region-specific questionnaires, a mixed-mode survey (online and by telephone) and a qualitative survey. Particular emphasis will be placed on representativeness through the combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Experts from different fields will enrich the results and contribute to the targeted generation of measures. Recruitment will take place through various channels, including counselling services, health and social services and social media. The aim of the project is to gain a holistic understanding of women's health in Tyrol and to develop well-founded measures for targeted improvement.

• Status: ongoing
• Further project team members: Nils Mevenkamp

The aim of this research project is to contribute valuable insights to the ongoing discourse on poverty reduction in Austria by analysing and informing the current methodologies for calculating the risk of poverty. Building on the historical EU context, the project looks at the poverty reduction methods of the Austrian welfare state, focussing on the case of Tyrol as a representative example. With the help of a secondary data analysis, poverty data, consumption expenditure and housing costs, among other things, are used for a realistic calculation of state-specific at-risk-of-poverty thresholds. By taking into account regional differences in income, cost of living and economic circumstances, the research aims to highlight the limitations of standardised poverty metrics and provide a more nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by population groups in specific Austrian regions. Ultimately, the project aims to identify practical recommendations for policy makers and social assistance programmes that address the need for region-specific adjustments to ensure more effective anti-poverty measures.

• Status: ongoing
• Project partner: arbeit plus

In an effort to measure the success of socio-economic enterprises in Tyrol and to improve the living conditions of participants, a comprehensive approach is being developed. The project aims to identify and measure key success criteria and integrate them into a database to create a prototype for measuring individual and programme-specific outcomes. The objective is to highlight the critical role that these organisations play in making a positive difference to people's lives. The methodological approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods to capture both tangible and less tangible benefits, going beyond traditional metrics. The inclusion of a co-creation methodology ensures stakeholder participation in the design of success criteria and impact measurement tools to visualise the wider impact of social enterprises and support their further development.

• Status: ongoing
• External Project Lead: Claudia Zoller, PhD
• Project partner: Gesundheit Österreich GmbH
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling, Pia Reichmann

The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the relevance of health literacy in general and psychosocial health literacy of children and adolescents in particular, as well as potentials with regard to promoting health literacy of this age group, and has intensified the need to measure mental health literacy. Psychosocial health is poorly or insufficiently covered by existing measurement instruments for measuring health literacy in children and adolescents. Therefore, there is a need for a systematic review of this complex topic for the target group of 10- to 13-year-olds, especially with regard to the consequences for psychosocial health and well-being in the midst of the Corona pandemic. Within the framework of this project, a questionnaire will be designed in close cooperation with experts, which will enable a reliable measurement of psychosocial health literacy for pupils in Tyrol. Based on an extensive literature review and qualitative interviews with school psychologists, pedagogues and social workers, core categories are identified and translated into an age-appropriate quantitative measurement instrument. On the one hand, the questionnaire measures the children's subjective self-assessment of psychosocial health, and on the other hand, objective quiz questions provide insight into applied health literacy. Quantitative testing of the questionnaire provides initial insights into the currently prevailing situation of psychosocial health and well-being among Tyrolean children and adolescents. The project thus creates scientific added value on the one hand and at the same time elicits important implications for educational institutions as well as decision-makers. With the help of the questionnaire, informed and scientifically supported decisions for the targeted promotion of psychosocial health among children and adolescents in Tyrol can be made in the future.

• Status: ongoing
• Project partner: Kathrin Karsay (KU Leuven / University of Vienna)

Social media have become an important source of health-related information, especially for young people. Everyone can create and share health-related content on social media and some individual users attract large numbers of young followers. Such users are also called “influencers” because their content has high outreach and can influence the attitudes and behavior of the recipients. The research team is particularly interested in so-called “health influencers”. These influencers can have a health-promoting effect, for example, when they share evidence-based information and inspire young people for healthy lifestyles. However, they can also have adverse effects on public health when serving commercial interests or sharing misinformation. The project team investigates three key questions in this context: (1) Who are the most prominent health influencers young people engage with? (2) Which health topics are they covering? (3) How does following these health influencers affect adolescents’ health attitudes and behavior? To identify health influencers, the researchers will initiate a citizen science process with young people. Therefore, school students all over Austria will take on the roles as professional researchers and will be invited to engage in a crowdsourcing process, like creating a unique database of health influencers. To analyze the content of the identified health influencers, the researchers will conduct a content analysis of their social media accounts and posts, both on the profile level (e.g., gender, outreach, expertise) and the post level (e.g., topics of the posts, level of evidence, frames). Finally, the research team will implement a longitudinal survey with adolescents to understand the impact of following health influencers on social media. Taken together, the project results will provide a holistic perspective on the role of health influencers in young people’s information diets. The researchers will identify key health influencers, open the black box of the content they post and provide first evidence on the impact of following these influencers across time. Based on the results, the research team will derive guidelines to tackle health misinformation and leverage health influencers’ positive potential in high-choice and personalized media environments.

• Status: ongoing
• External Project Lead: Claudia Zoller, PhD
• Project partners: VASCage, Land Tirol, Standortagentur Tirol, Sebastian Schneider (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods), Matteo Galizzi (London School of Economics)
• Further project team members: Simon Czermak

Cardiovascular diseases are among the most common health problems worldwide. Classic risk factors are, for example, obesity, elevated blood lipids, or lifestyle factors such as smoking or lack of physical activity. The umbrella clinical trial EVA4YOU addresses the prevalence and causes of early vascular aging in adolescents and aims to (1) assess risk factors for cardiovascular disease and early vascular aging in adolescents, (2) follow adolescents for one year, and (3) increase adolescents' physical activity.

Scientific studies show that health-related attitudes and behavioral habits are developed while growing up and are difficult to influence in adulthood. Consequently, interventions have a much greater impact on children and adolescents than on adults.

As part of the EVA4YOU study, the research project accompanies 500 Tyrolean adolescents aged 14 to 16 over a period of 12 months. During the first six months, a scientific health intervention focusing on physical activity is carried out. For this purpose, the students receive fitness trackers, which they wear over a period of 12 months and which record their physical activity behavior. At the same time, it will be examined whether interventions in the form of motivational mechanisms contribute to an increase in physical activity among adolescents. During baseline assessment and interviews at the beginning of the study, additional economic decision-making games will be conducted to measure time and risk preferences.

The long-term measurement allows the observation and explanation of intraindividual developments in health awareness, lifestyle, and vascular health of adolescents. The effect of a controlled intervention on the physical activity of 500 participants will be evaluated by quantitative methods.

• Status: ongoing
• External Project Lead: Claudia Zoller, PhD
• Project partners: ÖGK - Landesstelle Tirol, Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (under the leadership of Robert Griebler)
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling, Barbara Lill-Rastern

Health literacy can be viewed from two perspectives: on the one hand, as a basis for health promotion or as a skill that helps people to make health-promoting decisions, and on the other hand, as a goal of health promotion. Data on health literacy of Austrians is currently available primarily for adults and adolescents aged 13 years and older and refers to the results of the Europe-wide HLS-EU study. The target group of the project therefore includes children of both sexes in the 4th - 6th grade (thus aged 9 - 13 years) and is limited to the province of Tyrol. Due to the lack of adequate instruments to measure health literacy of children and adolescents in the relevant age group, the first part of the project deals with the conceptualization, discussion and design of a survey instrument. The second part comprises the implementation of qualitative focus groups to evaluate and substantiate the survey instrument as well as a written survey of about 1000 children and adolescents. Part three of the Health Literacy Project comprises the evaluation, reporting and dissemination of the study. The quantitative results of the study will then be discussed with the local representatives of the Tyrol Working Group, as well as national and international experts in expert workshops and recommendations for action will be derived from the study results. The literature review compiled for the development of the instrument and the interim results of the survey instrument were presented at the 6th Austrian Platform for Health Literacy (ÖPGK) in October 2021.

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: LAG KUUSK, LAG Kitzbühler Alps

The research project "Survey and analysis of the care situation in the KUUSK and Kitzbühel Alps regions" is being carried out as part of the PulsCare project and addresses the increasing importance of carers in the face of demographic change and the shortage of skilled workers in the healthcare sector. The aim is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the care situation in these regions, to analyse structures, challenges and resources, and to provide a sound basis for sustainable action. By involving care facilities, health care providers and other stakeholders, the aim is to develop not only an immediate response but also a long-term network. The methodology includes a literature review based on previous studies, focus groups with different stakeholders and the use of co-creation by a project steering group to enable continuous reflection and interdisciplinary exchange. The results of the research will be used to develop innovative strategies to meet the challenges in the care sector and to improve the quality of life of people in need of care in a sustainable way.

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: unicum:mensch, Innovia, Österreichischer Gewerkschaftsbund (ÖGB), Arbeiterkammer Tirol, Rotary
• Further project team members: Eva Fleischer, Andreas Exenberger

The effects of the pandemic-related measures in Austria can be seen and felt in wide areas of society. It is difficult to quantify the immediate effects, but it is clear from the unemployment figures that they are far-reaching and massive. In December 2020, for example, a total of 520,919 people were out of work, around 113,000 more than in December of the previous year. In the same period, the number of long-term unemployed has increased by 37,000 people to 136,3620. Austria-wide, nearly 420,000 people were on short-time work as of December 2020. More than a quarter of the workforce had to live with wage losses due to the pandemic, which were mainly due to short-time work. Even during the first lockdown, 30% of households had only a lower income at their disposal. Furthermore, the increase in families at risk of poverty already became apparent in spring 2020 and visibly intensified in the course of the year. Tyrol is massively affected by these developments. Compared to December 2019, there were 145.4% more people unemployed or in AMS training courses as of December 2020. The increase in long-term unemployed in Tyrol is 76.4 % since December 2019. The pandemic as an exogenous shock for the health and social systems also represents a long-term challenge on an individual level.

The project started in April 2021. A qualitative survey was used to process and analyze the input from those affected, but also from advisory bodies. In the course of the project, a voice was given to those people who have lost their jobs in recent months, come under severe financial pressure and whose income or training opportunities have been lost. It was about capturing experiences of poverty, precariousness, fears or experiences of descent, loss of housing or worries about it. But also resilient strategies in dealing with these events under the crisis-like developments and effects of the pandemic were to be illuminated.  The focus was on the influence of social networks as well as the existing welfare state infrastructure or individual practices of saving, avoiding consumption (what to do without, how to prioritize) or community support.

• Status: terminated
• Project lead: Scarlett Voit (MCI student, International Health & Social Management)
• Further project team members: Steven Woloshin (Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Research)

Prescription errors present considerable risks to patient safety, with significant consequences across the healthcare system. The current system does not adequately support physicians in the complex task of accurately prescribing medications. Challenges such as limited consultation time, patient pressure and inaccurate diagnoses lead to over- and underprescribing. To tackle this issue, an online survey has been designed as part of a master's thesis project aimed at directly capturing insights from those at the forefront of medication prescription: Austrian physicians. This comprehensive survey seeks to assess physicians' attitudes, their professional practices, and information levels.

Physicians who regularly prescribe medications across various medical specializations are encouraged to contribute.

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, London School of Economics
• Further project team members: Madeleine Waser, Jakob Moritz Eberl (LMU Munich), Michelle Falkenbach (Cornell University)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of misinformation on social media increased significantly. In this project, we asked ourselves what measures (responses) governments and public health organizations in Europe have taken to combat misinformation. These strategies include: Mobilizing task forces, online communication, engaging experts, restricting the flow of information, and strengthening media and health literacy.

A paper on the findings was published here.

• Status: terminated
• (External) Project Lead: Claudia Zoller, PhD, & Lukas Kerschbaumer, PhD
• Project partners: MoveEffect GmbH, VASCage GmbH
• Further project team members: Lorena Stern, Esther Röthlingshöfer, Petra Luttinger, Friederike Sahling

The Center for Social & Health Innovation supported the project "Life Coach" with expert knowledge in the conceptual design and data evaluation of different incentive systems to increase motivation in the aspects of exercise, nutrition and mental health. The scientific support was based on two objectives, both of which are fundamental for the achievement of positive health goals: 1) motivational factors and incentive systems for active use and interaction with the life coach, and 2) motivational factors and incentive systems for successful implementation of behavior change. The scientific monitoring comprised three central activities that were part of an ongoing optimization cycle. First, an analysis of the current state of research was conducted and the findings from this were fed into the development of the prototype. Second, the process of testing was accompanied by qualitative interviews that elicit individual experiences with the app. Third, the quantitative data collected in the app system was evaluated with inferential statistical analyses. The results of the accompanying scientific research were then utilized in the further development of the app.

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: Innovia, Land Tirol, Arbeiterkammer Tirol

Working Poor, In-Work-Poverty, or Work and still poor are terms used to describe those circumstances in which the income generated through employment is insufficient to support daily subsistence. According to Eurostat’s definition, persons of age between 18 and 64 are at risk of poverty if they work for more than six months with an annual equalized disposable income below 60% of the national median household income. According to the Austrian Poverty Conference, the current at-risk-of-poverty threshold (May 2020) is €1,286 per month for a one-person household. The value increases by a factor of 0.5 per additional adult person in the household and by a factor of 0.3 per child (under 14). In Austria, 16.9% of the population (1,472,000 people) were classified as ‘at risk of poverty or exclusion’ in 2019. In Tyrol, 19.7% of Tyrolians were affected during the assessment period from 2015 to 2017. The reasons are diverse and accumulate among children and young people from single-parent households, families with three or more children, single parents, people with a migration background, unemployed, and people over 65. In many cases, work is the decisive (certainly not exclusive) factor that defines participation opportunities.

The aim of the qualitative project, which started in April 2021, was to provide an unbiased and open insight into the everyday lives of people who are poor despite working. The experts on precarious living situations, the people affected themselves, had their say. In addition, the unique opportunity was used to interview people who are accompanied within the framework of the ESF-funded project "Case Management for the Working Poor" in Tyrol, in order to also be able to record the access routes, helpful and inhibiting influences and experiences of targeted support measures. Finally, the project aimed at providing evidence for the prevention and termination of in-work-poverty. In addition, the Corona measures took a general look at poverty situations in the Tyrol. The project was funded by the province of Tyrol.

• Status: terminated
• Project partner: Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling, Valerie Reinthaler, Jakob Spencker, Nina Wüstner, Magdalena Meindlhumer

The Center for Social & Health Innovation was commissioned by the province of Tyrol to work on the topic "Care in Tyrol - Ideas, Perspectives, Stragies & Future". The project pursued the explorative approach to new ways in care and scientific and evidence-based support of the political discourse to define a care strategy for the province of Tyrol. This was done with the inclusion and processing of existing expertise, already available data and the mood on the topic of care in Tyrol.

In the meantime, the results have been handed over to the province in the form of a final report. A more detailed presentation of the results as well as the project process, methodology and best practice examples can be found in the final report "Care in Tyrol - Ideas, Perspectives, Strategies & Future", which is available for download.

In addition, the documentation of the event "Pflegevorsorge Tirol: Bedarf - Bedürfnisse - Würde" (Care provision Tyrol: Needs - Dignity), which was carried out in the context of the project in cooperation with RollOn Austria, can be found here in order to "...give a voice to people who are cared for and people who care for, and to capture their expertise and experiences".

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: L&R Sozialforschung, Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling

The term sexism denotes the systematic discrimination of people on the basis of their gender. Sexist behavior - like other forms of discrimination - can occur unconsciously and consciously. All people can be affected by sexism, although women are usually affected in a different form and to a much greater extent than men. Social relations of inequality and gender stereotypes form the basis of sexism. Traditional role models, ways of dealing with others and unequal social conditions are taken as given. Sexism has multiple manifestations and shows up in all areas of society: in the workplace, in institutions, in advertising, in language, on the Internet, in everyday life, in different places and in different forms. Since sexism can be seen as one of the central foundations of violence against women, dealing with this issue and developing counter-strategies has become (again) particularly explosive in view of the high number of femicides in Austria in the recent past. Sexism is still a widespread phenomenon, as was also proven in a recently published study in Germany. 44 percent of all women and 32 percent of all men experience situations in which they are personally the addressee of sexist signs and assaults. Accordingly, sexism is omnipresent, is not limited to an everyday area and is not restricted to certain groups in society (BMFSFJ 2020). In Tyrol, the topic of sexism has been increasingly discussed publicly in recent years. In July 2020, 15 Tyrolean women's organizations launched a call for dialogue on sexism and issued a joint statement calling for people to "get involved and stand in solidarity" . Also in the summer of 2020, the Tyrolean parliament decided to commission a study on the topic of "Sexism in everyday life - perceptions and manifestations in Tyrol", from which measures to improve the situation are to be derived.

In November & December 2021, focus groups were conducted on behalf of the Federal State of Tyrol as part of the pilot study "Sexism in everyday life - perceptions and manifestations in Tyrol". In addition, our project partner L&R Social Research conducted an online survey on "Sexism in everyday life: attitudes and experiences in Tyrol". The results of both surveys will be used to learn about the experiences, assessments, and perspectives of people living in Tyrol on this topic. The results from the focus groups can be found in the following report.

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: Standortagentur Tirol, Institut für Ökomedizin (Paracelsus Universität Salzburg)
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling, Petra Luttinger

The Standortagentur Tirol and the MCI jointly conducted a research project on health in Tyrol as a business location in the field of prevention. This project served to accompany the health study "Perspektive Gesundheit Tirol" (Perspective Health Tyrol) to be carried out by the Standortagentur Tirol in the first quarter of 2021.

The study dealt with the question of how Tyrol can develop into a top region in Europe in the area of health economy and quality of life by 2030. On the one hand, the health literacy of the population was targeted. The aim is to provide the population with access to scientific results and to impart health knowledge in order to maintain and improve a good quality of life throughout the life course. To this end, it is necessary to incentivize health-promoting behavior and to establish and institutionalize indicator-based, measurable, area-wide approaches such as Healthy Communities and Healthy Schools. The extent of healthy, independently manageable life years (not life expectancy alone) serves here as a yardstick for success. In sum, health knowledge, health behavior, and health-promoting and health-enabling structures must be expanded and improved in equal measure.

The study also focused on health promotion and prevention. The aim was to interlink public and private health services in order to reduce the extent of the creeping pandemic of "diseases of civilization". Indicators here are the effect of health promotion and prevention on the risk factors for diabetes mellitus type II, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases or mental illnesses.

Finally, two aspects wanted to be explored for Tyrol:

• Evidence-based use of resources for health promotion and prevention.
• Multi-professional primary care, e.g. through the involvement of social work

• Status: terminated
• Project partner: Land Tirol - Abteilung Gesellschaft und Arbeit
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling, Nils Mevenkamp, Bastian Oechsle

The influence of institutional support systems in childcare is of high interest for all economic and socially oriented scientific subfields. It is well known that socio-political, in particular family-political framework conditions as well as social conventions are decisive determinants of employment, and mothers in particular are affected by them to a great extent. According to § 38 para. 1 of the Tyrolean Child Education and Child Care Act (TKKG), the province of Tyrol has to grant subsidies to the maintainers of Tyrolean child care facilities. The following research interests or target dimensions were given:

• Retrospective experiences, implementation strategies and administrative implications in connection with the amendment of the TKKG (LGBI. Nr. 66/2019) to be recorded and processed. Which factors of the new funding system have an inhibiting or promoting effect in the practice of care provision or expansion at the local level?
• Deriving from this objective dimension, it is necessary to collect statistical data on the financial situation, the handling of parental contributions, the number of staff and the structure of the Tyrolean childcare providers outside the subsidies of Tyrol, in order to put them in relation to the reported empirical values. Consequently, the subsidies provided by the state are to be included in order to incorporate the overall budgetary situation of childcare providers into the study in an evidence-based manner.

The CSHI interpreted the amendment LGBl. Nr. 66/2019, as well as the funding guideline of the provincial government, regarding the financing of childcare facilities in the larger context of societal, political, economic and social contexts. In addition, this should contribute to the possible improvement of childcare structures in Tyrol and the related claim to reconcile family and work. A mixed methods research approach was used to elaborate the formulated research interest. The survey design followed a fully mixed concurrent equal status design or a convergent parallel mixed method approach. The base population was assumed to be 897 childcare facilities in Tyrol, with the number of maintainers trending around 500. The qualitative sample was created based on the criteria of theoretical sampling and included 31 expert interviews to collect retrospective experience data. A quantitative full survey, comprising about 900 facilities, was also aimed at in order to collect budget data, provider structures, staff capacities and contribution payments of parents or guardians.

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: Diakonische Werk des Evang.-Luth. Dekanatsbezirks Rosenheim e. V., Diakoniewerk Tirol, AMS Tirol, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt und Berufsforschung Nürnberg (IAB), Stadt Rosenheim, Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung - Servicestelle Gleichbehandlung und Antidiskriminierung, Deutscher Verein für öffentliche und private Fürsorge e. V.
• Further project team members: Ajla Nesimovic, David Sporschill, Philipp Weinkogl

For people with disabilities, needs-based care as well as the right to choose the service provider freely are generally more difficult to realise in rural areas than in urban contexts. Although the same language is spoken in Germany and Austria and people now live quite naturally in one country, work, shop or go to hospital in the other, people with disabilities mainly take part in participation services in their respective home countries. This is due not only to a lack of cross-border services but also to a lack of knowledge of the service structures and the ways to access the neighbouring country services. Additionally, there is also a lack of knowledge about personal rights. This project captured existing offers and services in the social space. By conducting 5 focus groups (2x affected persons, relatives, institutions, politics) and interviews, knowledge about the perception of participation services in the social space, hindering factors and perspectives as well as unmet needs, were generated. Additional knowledge was generated through a moderated large group event where affected persons and experts participated. First findings were multiplied here. A legal opinion was created at the same time, which highlights legal and administrative barriers and opportunities for cross-border service participation. The findings from the focus groups and the large group event were included. Recommendations for actions for further offers for the social space of the border region were derived from the gained knowledge. These recommendations were made available to those affected, to specialists and to social policy makers. This was done via a brochure (professional public and social policy) as well as by means of an online platform. There, the results were presented in an understandable way, services and offers in the social space were presented and further information was provided.

• Status: terminated
• Project partners: Land Tirol, Land Vorarlberg
• Further project team members: Friederike Sahling, Hubert Siller, Janosch Untersteiner, Cora Mantel, Nadine Lackner, Petra Luttinger, Lorena Stern

The past years, months and weeks were and are still characterized by controversial debates about risks deriving from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Individual, as well as societal actions and life had to be aligned accordingly, which also applies to the tourism sector. The provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg are known for and depending on (winter) tourism, at the same the branch is discussed as a crucial factor among several others for the development of the infection incidence of COVID-19 in Europe. Accordingly, the tourism industry was already subject to close monitoring at the national and international level in the summer of 2020, especially in terms of the upcoming winter season. Crisis management alone was not enough to prepare for the 2020/21 winter season. Consequently, the expectations and demands for sound risk management in tourism for the winter season 2020/21 with COVID-19 were high.

With the start of the project in July 2020, the research project "COVID-19 – Risk Management Winter Tourism 2020/21" followed the approach of scientifically observing and evaluating the preparation of Tyrolean and Vorarlberg tourism, based on previous experience and existing knowledge, concerning the management of future risks in connection with COVID-19. With the support of the provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg, a survey was conducted to determine whether and to what extent decision-makers in Tyrolean and Vorarlberg tourism or other involved stakeholders can recognize the risks associated with COVID-19 contagion and identify, assess, and ultimately consider them in their own environment's processes.

A mixed-method approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative methods was used for this purpose. The theoretical basis was formed by current scientific findings, literature, and practical experience in the form of existing concepts for the management of infection risks and other publications (e.g. laws, handouts from ministries, and the WKO). The overall systematic analysis was preceded by focus groups with key tourism stakeholders in the model regions of St. Anton/Arlbergand and Alpbach as well as input from the Lech-Zürs region at the start of the project. A quantitative (online questionnaire) and qualitative survey (expert interviews) to identify potentials, needs, and challenges followed.

The publication of the results from this first research phase was realized with the guide for winter tourism – knowledge-based management of COVID-19: Model development risk management winter tourism. In the next step, the results from Phase I were transferred into a further online survey in the form of concrete proposals for measures for COVID-19 risk management in winter tourism and discussed by an extended target group. The results, analyses, methodology, the survey process, and derived needs for Tyrolean and Vorarlberg winter tourism of the entire research project can be found in the final report Knowledge-based Management of COVID-19: Model Development Risk Management Winter Tourism.

• Status: terminated
• Further project team members: Siegfried Walch, Esther Röthlingshofer, Claudia Zoller

The Center for Social & Health Innovation conducted an online panel survey to explore potential social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first wave, 1024 Austrians were surveyed; in the second wave, 632 individuals were followed up. Pre-defined demographic ratios were used based on Statistics Austria population data. The second wave took place in June 2020. Data collection was implemented by Dynata, a private market research firm. The survey includes indicators on people's information habits, their attitudes toward COVID government measures, their knowledge, and their fears related to the crisis.