Deutsch Intern
Institute of Political Science and Sociology

BMBF Project: Interaction of formal education, distress and work ability as job-related health outcome

Duration: January 2016 - December 2018

The study investigates the interaction of formal education, distress and work ability as job-related health outcome from a sociological perspective. The focus is on the interaction of health literacy and health behaviour, the classification of occupations with different health-related opportunities and burdens as well as the use of coping strategies in case of health risks depending on the level of formal education.

First of all, we will elaborate the current state of research and develop existing theoretical approaches with focus on the research question in close cooperation with the project partners. We use the data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS; Starting Cohort Adults), which analyses educational processes in Germany from early childhood to late adulthood.

The plan provides the description of stress level along professional groups and educational indicators using the data. On this basis, work ability will be explained by the level of stress, formal education and further sociodemographic factors in multivariate analyses. Particular attention will be paid to the question of how formal education and positive social capital may weaken the harmful effects of distress. 

Researcher: Laura Schoger