The RKI health monitoring continuously monitors and analyses health status, health behaviour and living conditions as well as health care utilization in all age groups. The acquired data is used in public health research and allows the RKI to give evidence-based health policy recommendations.

Unit 23 is responsible for planning, designing, conducting and methodically evaluating health surveys and cohort studies with questionnaire and examination components (DEGS, GEDA, KiGGS cross-section, KiGGS cohort). This enables cross-sectional, trend and longitudinal comparisons.

The unit coordinates the setting of content-related priorities with internal and external cooperation partners. Furthermore, it is responsible for the studies’ project management and field work.

The unit is also involved in EU projects on setting up and conducting a European health survey system (EHIS: European Health Interview Survey, EHES: European Health Examination Survey).

Tasks

Survey metrics/Survey methods

• Study planning, concept creation and design development
• Random sampling, obtaining participants and incentive concepts
• Conceptual design and conducting of process checks to identify sources of errors and optimise processes
• Analyses of response, non-response and representativeness
• Development and systematic testing of new data collection methods
• Preparation of publications describing the study and methods
• Conceptual design and establishment of an RKI health panel

Monitoring office

• Planning and management of operational business for conducting surveys (e.g. obtaining addresses and telephone numbers, invitation procedures and field inspections, sending of questionnaires and collection of missing documents, supporting participants)
• Conceptual design and carrying out of  measures to increase the re-participation of cohort- participants
• Implementation of measures to increase participation of migrants
• Design and performance of study-related press and public relations
• Conceptual design of the necessary database applications, documentation and staff trainingMonitoring survey field work

Monitoring survey field work

• Conducting examination surveys
• Selection of survey methods
• Scientific field management
• Organisation of field work, field team training, field logistics
• Examination and interviewing of participants
• Systematic quality assurance of data collection process

Laboratory for health surveys (LfG)

• Conducting interview surveys by means of various survey methods (telephone-, web- and paper-based) and ensuring their technical and logistical reliability
• Developing the necessary database applications, as well as programming and operationalisation of data collection tools 
• Field organisation and staff training
• Data recording and quality assurance of the data collection process
• Internal RKI platform for online data collection
• Support of other units in pandemic/outbreak situations