Successful funding of DFG research group on self-management of chronic illnesses via digital media – IfK sub-project of Prof. Dr. Julia Metag investigates public discourse on the topic
(04.07.2023) Chronic diseases are among the most common health problems in industrialized countries. One important factor in coping with these diseases is personal management – which can be supported and optimized by digital media. A newly founded research group of the German Research Foundation (DFG) is currently investigating the advantages of digital media for self-management of diseases, but also potential negative consequences. One of the six sub-projects of the research group is headed by Prof. Dr. Julia Metag and is funded by the DFG with around 377,000 euros.
Media are one of the most important sources of health-related information. To better understand the relevance of digital media in disease self-management, cross-perspective research is needed that brings together personal and societal dimensions. The new DFG research group "Digital Media in Chronic Disease Self-Management" (DISELMA) aims to do just that. It aims to enable affected people to better manage chronic illnesses by taking an integrated view of various subprojects and research designs. The spokesperson for DISELMA is Prof. Dr. Constanze Rossmann from the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich.
So far, there has been no systematic investigation of media coverage of the use of digital media in connection with chronic diseases. This is precisely where the subproject at the IfK led by Julia Metag comes in: On the one hand, the project will analyze this very media coverage on the basis of the framing approach and news value theory. On the other hand, the role of scientific findings on the benefits and risks of using digital media for personal disease management will be investigated. For this purpose, results of an automated content analysis as well as a manual content analysis will be generated and finally merged. Among other things, the subproject aims to provide journalists with information on how to deal with scientific findings regarding the use of digital media. It is funded by the DFG with a grant of around 377,000 euros for an initial period of four years. The project will start in November 2023.
In addition to Julia Metag's project on public discourse, the DISELMA research group comprises five other subprojects. On the individual level, two subprojects analyze the patterns and determinants of continuous use and their effects. Two other projects are on the interpersonal level and deal with the role of health care and informal networks, whereas a fifth project deals with the organizational level.
DISELMA is funded by the DFG with approximately 3.5 million euros and is currently the only funded research group in communication science. There are currently a total of 185 research groups as well as 13 clinical and 18 collegiate research groups funded by the DFG. The alliances enable researchers to address current and pressing issues in their fields and are funded for up to eight years.