Working Group: Diversity & Equity in Psychosocial Healthcare
- Description
- Projects
- Activities
- Team
-
Description
In today’s globalised and diverse society, it is crucial to design psychosocial healthcare systems that embrace and reflect the rich diversity of individuals. Equally important is ensuring fair access to health resources for everyone. Our focus on diversity and equity in psychosocial healthcare drives our efforts in research, intervention development, and education. We aim to tackle barriers and inequalities while promoting equitable treatment opportunities—irrespective of characteristics such as ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or social status, which may be linked to stigma and discrimination.Why Diversity and Equity Matter:Each individual’s unique life experiences, beliefs, and perspectives shape their physical, mental, and social well-being. A psychosocial healthcare system that values and integrates this diversity can provide tailored, sensitive, and needs-driven support, effectively enhancing treatment outcomes, recovery processes, and overall health and well-being.
What This Means to Us:
- Equal and just access to high-quality psychosocial healthcare for everyone
- Integration of cultural, social, and individual diversity markers into healthcare practices
- Fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment for healthcare providers and other stakeholders in psychosocial healthcare
Our Approach:Our working group explores health inequalities through the lens of societal diversity, examining how cultural, social, and personal factors intersect with access to and the effectiveness of psychosocial healthcare. By analysing the complex dynamics and intersections between various characteristics, we aim to understand their impact on healthcare opportunities.Building on this understanding, we design psychosocial interventions to address the negative effects of inequity and to promote health. Our work extends to offering targeted consultations, training sessions, and workshops for healthcare providers, students, trainees, and other professionals, helping them build competencies in diversity and equity.
-
Projects
- Diversity in university-level teaching of health-related study programs in Germany (funded by: Claussen-Simon-Stiftung)
- Symposium „Diversity in Medical Education" (26 May 2025, funded by: Claussen-Simon-Stiftung)
- Projekts CARE – Community Action for Racial Equity
- Diversity in university and higher education teaching of health-related degree programs in Germany – conducting a quantitative cross-sectional survey
-
Activities
24. Deutschen Kongress für Versorgungsforschung (DKVF) [German Congress for Health Services Research]
from 22 - 24 September 2025 in Hamburg
- “HERO (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism) und Gesundheitsoutcomes bei Migrant*innen: Die Rolle soziodemografischer und migrationsbezogener Faktoren” [HERO (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism) and health outcomes among migrants: The role of sociodemographic and migration-related factors]
(Lecture: Dr. Adekunle Adedeji) - “Sexuelle und geschlechtliche Vielfalt im Medizinstudium” [Sexual and gender diversity in medical studies]
(poster presentation: Len Schulz) - “Diversität und Diskriminierung in der ambulanten psychoonkologischen Versorgung” [Diversity and discrimination in outpatient psycho-oncological care]
(poster presentation: Dr. Ines Heinen) - “Diversity climate at German universities: a cross-sectional study among students in health-related subjects.”
(poster presentation: Dr. Saskia Hanft-Robert)
Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Psychologie und der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Soziologie [Congress of the German Society for Medical Psychology and the German Society for Medical Sociology]
from 3 - 5 September 2025 in Jena“Diversitätssensibilität in der (psycho-)onkologischen Versorgung und Forschung” [Diversity sensitivity in (psycho-)oncological care and research] - Organization of a symposium with presentations by:
- Dr. Franka Metzner-Guczka, Dr. Saskia Hanft-Robert & Dr. Ines Heinen: “Diversität und Diskriminierung in der ambulanten psychoonkologischen Versorgung” [Diversity and discrimination in outpatient psycho-oncological care]
- Dr. Demet Dingoyan & colleagues: Türkischsprachige Onko-Lots:innen (TOL): “Herausforderungen und Chancen bei der onkologischen Versorgung von türkischsprachigen Patient:innen mit Krebserkrankung” [Turkish-speaking oncology navigators (TOL): “Challenges and opportunities in the oncological care of Turkish-speaking patients with cancer”]
- Dr. Lara Dreismann: “Psychoonkologische Versorgung von sexuellen und geschlechtlichen Minderheiten” [Psycho-oncological care for sexual and gender minorities]
- Dr. Adekunle Adedeji: “Diversitätssensible Entwicklung, Adaptation und Anwendung von Erhebungsinstrumenten – Fallstricke und Lösungsansätze” [Diversity-sensitive development, adaptation, and application of survey instruments—pitfalls and solutions]
5th Cultural Diversity, Migration, and Education Conference
from 19 – 21 August in Berlin- “Diversity climate at German universities: A cross-sectional study among students in health-related subjects.” (presentation by Dr. Saskia Hanft-Robert)
XVII. UCC Hamburg Research Retreat 2025
from 11 – 12 July 2025 in Hamburg- “Diversity sensitivity in (psycho)oncological care” (Poster presentation by Dr. Ines Heinen and Dr. Demet Dingoyan – winners of the poster prize)
7. Hamburger Tag der Psychoonkologie „Krebs und Kultur“ [7th Hamburg Psycho-Oncology Day “Cancer and Culture”]
28 March 2025 in Hamburg- Workshop on “Implementing diversity-sensitive communication in psycho-oncology” by Dr. Ines Heinen and Dr. Franka Metzner-Guczka
- Presentation of the topic „Diversität und Diskriminierung in der Gesundheitsversorgung“ von Dr. Ines Heinen, Dr. Franka-Metzner-Guczka und M.Sc. Saskia Hanft-Robert
Hamburger Symposium Versorgungsforschung und Public Health (CHCR & PH) [Hamburg Symposium on Health Services Research and Public Health (CHCR & PH)]
6 December 2024 in Hamburg- “Vorstellung eines Forschungsnetzwerkes von Nachwuchswissenschaftler:innen am UKE” [Presentation of a research network of young scientists at the UKE]
(Poster presentation by Dr. Ines Heinen and Dr. Franka Metzner-Guczka)
- “HERO (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism) und Gesundheitsoutcomes bei Migrant*innen: Die Rolle soziodemografischer und migrationsbezogener Faktoren” [HERO (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism) and health outcomes among migrants: The role of sociodemographic and migration-related factors]
-
Team
We are a team of researchers with over a decade of experience in health, social, and humanitarian research. Our commitment to diversity and equity shapes every aspect of our work. We recognise that psychosocial healthcare is deeply influenced by intersectional processes, which can present challenges in addressing structural barriers and meeting individual health needs. Through our efforts, we strive to contribute to equitable access and inclusive healthcare tailored to diverse needs.
We warmly welcome individuals and experts passionate about this field to join us in fostering collaboration and exchanging ideas.
Dr. rer. biol. hum.Adekunle AdedejiMPH- Research fellow
PhoneE-mail
Dr. phil.Demet Dingoyan- Psychological psychotherapist
- Research fellow
PhoneE-mail
Saskia Hanft-RobertM. Sc. Psych.- Research fellow
PhoneE-mail
Dr. rer. biol. hum. Dipl.-Psych.Ines Heinen- Teaching coordinator
PhoneE-mail
Dr. phil. Dipl.-Psych.Franka Metzner-Guczka- Psychological psychotherapist
- Research fellow
E-mail