Due to structural conditions, the maritime transport sector poses risks in the area of communicable diseases. In order to minimise the spread of endemic and invasive pathogens, an effective approach to preventing and managing infectious incidents is of central importance. In Germany, five ports are designated under the IHR and must have certain core capacities in place at all times for immediate response to cross-border health threats. The overall objective of the research project is to harmonise and strengthen the necessary core competences of the German IGV ports for health security in shipping and to bundle resources on a scientific basis. This is to be achieved mainly by identifying areas of harmonisation and their design by means of a best practice study as well as the development and testing of concepts for overarching structures of the five IGV ports.

The research project is funded with 552,000€.

Funding: Federal Ministry of Health

The general (conceptual) objective of HEALTHY SAILING is to contribute to improve quality of passenger shipping services brought to society, facilitating recovery from COVID-19 pandemic, making the passenger shipping sector, safer, more resilient, competitive and efficient by producing evidence for infection control, validated prevention, mitigation, management measures and training to be used for policy making and ship operations, whose implementation will reduce public health incidents on-board large passenger ships.

27 partners consisting of university institutions and industry are collaborating on the project. The total funding amount is €3.7 million.

Funding: Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)

Several randomized trials from US and Europe have demonstrated the capability of low dose computed tomography (LDCT) to detect lung cancer early and significantly reduce mortality. Since the US have rolled out LDCT screening in 2013, several adjustments were needed to overcome difficulties of nationwide implementation, esp. regarding recruitment. Due to the heterogeneous landscape of lung cancer care in Europe, it is not realistic to believe that screening criteria and conditions from the highly scientific lung cancer screening trials are 1:1 transferrable to the real-world conditions in 27 different countries of the European Union. Backed by the expertise and network of all relevant European societies and stakeholders, SOLACE will assess the current state of play, needs and best practice of Lung Cancer Screening (LCS) in EU member states and produce a comprehensive guideline and implementation package covering all steps of the lung cancer screening pathway: evidence-based guidelines, technical papers, SOPs, documents regarding quality assurance, methodology, benefit-harm balance, cost-effectiveness. This package will be used to showcase de novo implementation. Moreover, SOLACE will design, plan and roll-out three pilot projects in 10 member states with more than 12000 participants to address key issues to increase participation: gender aspects, inequalities regarding hard-to-reach populations (social, ethnic, geographical) and higher risk individuals. Quality assurance, cost-effectiveness analysis with dedicated models for different healthcare systems, harms (radiation exposure, overdiagnosis, complications). SOLACE will establish the European Lung Cancer Screening Alliance (ELCSA) serving as a long-lasting interdisciplinary platform as a backbone for sustained implementation in all member states

Funding: EU Call EU4Health

The aim is to develop, plan and implement a concept for scientific evaluation and quality assurance of screening programs such as the EVA-Lunge in order to be able to generate sound data on the implementation and effectiveness of early detection for lung cancer using LD-HRCT. Using quality indicators and performing analyses will allow to determine important outcome parameters such as the detection rate of lung cancer, the rate of so-called false-positive findings, the rate of diagnostic work-up after LD-HRCT examination or the number of potential recognition of occupational disease no. 4104 (lung cancer) generated from the screening program. Parameters will be recorded overall and stratified - e.g. according to examination round (initial, subsequent examinations), participant characteristics or region. Furthermore, attitudes towards, subjective perceptions of, and psychological strain in relation to EVA-Lunge among insured persons will be assed using qualitative research. Additionally, knowledge and attitudes towards lung cancer screening using LD-HRCT among physicians will be investigated.

Funding: German Social Accident Insurance - DGUV (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung)

On behalf of the Federal Environment Agency, ZfAM is collecting representative exposure data for the alternative plasticiser id(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate (DEHTP) in the adult German population. For some years now, DEHTP has been increasingly used as a substitute for the reprotoxic plasticiser di(ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP).

Funding: Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt)

Intelligent lighting control systems open up the possibility of designing lighting profiles at shift workplaces according to functional and biological needs. However, scientific studies investigating the health effects are still lacking. The study "Light and Shift" will contribute to this.

Funding: German Social Accident Insurance - DGUV (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung)

Funding: DFG Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Obstructive respiratory diseases are among the most frequently reported occupational diseases in Germany. In occupational medicine research and practice, there are still unanswered questions about the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to work-related influences. The aim of the project is to provide even more targeted information on the basis of the sector- and occupation-specific investigations, to further improve education about the disease COPD and prevention.

Funding: German Social Accident Insurance - DGUV (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung)

The general objective of the action is to support cooperation and coordination between Member States in order to improve their capacities at the points of entry, including ports, airports and ground crossings, in preventing and combating cross-border health threats affecting or inherently coming from the transport sector, and therefore contribute to a high level of public health protection in the European Union. In the case of public health emergencies of international concern, the joint action will move from the interepidemic mode to an emergency mode with the objective to support coherent response of MS according to Decision No 1082/2013/EU and implementation of temporary recommendations issued by the WHO according to the International Health Regulations.

Funding: European Commission (EC), Third Health Programme

IDIK is a prospective observational study on the duration of immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in fully vaccinated hospital staff. It is investigated how long the vaccine protection of the different vaccines is effective in the vaccinated persons and whether the vaccination combinations differ. Data analyses of laboratory determinations on immunity and the questionnaire data of the participating employees are used in the evaluations.

Funding: BGW (Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege)

Within the health sector, staff in emergency departments are particularly often affected by physical or verbal violence from patients or their relatives. Therefore, preventive measures for dealing with aggressive patients and their relatives are essential to protect staff from incidents of violence. The aim of this study is therefore to gain insights into the availability and effectiveness of violence prevention measures in emergency rooms. Of interest here are the personal experiences of employees and managers in emergency rooms, which will be collected throughout Germany within the framework of a qualitative research approach. In addition, the effectiveness of the measures will be examined and possible implementation difficulties or further support needs will be addressed. Based on the study results, positive examples are identified and further measures and needs are identified. Finally, recommendations for prevention are derived in order to increase occupational safety for staff in emergency departments in the long term.

Funding: BGW (Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und Wohlfahrtspflege)

Funding: Hamburg Ministry for Science, Research, Equality and Districts - BWGF (Behörde für Wissenschaft, Forschung, Gleichstellung und Bezirke Hamburg)

The project, which was funded within the framework of HOOU Early Bird, was created in cooperation with various institutes of the UKE using learner-oriented scenarios. Existing learning materials were revised according to the HOOU requirements. An online tool on risks and prevention of diabetes was programmed using the commercial software "Articulate Storyline-2", a precursor version of "Articulate 360". With the tool, users can determine their own diabetes risk online. Based on the input, the user/learner receives concrete personalised recommendations on diet and exercise. In addition, background information on the individual diabetes risk factors is made available to interested laypersons or Hamburg citizens and those involved in preventive health care. The tool can also be used in general practitioners' or company doctors' counselling of patients and volunteers. The practical application was evaluated in two companies and the results were analysed with regard to their significance in comparison to already established questionnaire surveys (FindRisk and DifE diabetes questionnaire). Since 2021, the tool has no longer been actively developed; however, the platform will continue to be maintained for online use.