Heatwaves are becoming more frequent in our latitudes and this trend is expected to continue as a result of climate change. Extreme heat events can have fatal consequences: According to the Robert Koch Institute, around 20,000 deaths were linked to heat in Germany between 2018 and 2020. During hot weather, medication can also pose a risk. People with several illnesses (multimorbidity), for example, are affected as the effects of medication can change during hot temperatures.
The focus of the ADAPT-HEAT project is the development of the so-called CALOR list (calor Latin for heat), which provides an overview of relevant medications and recommendations for medication adjustment during hot seasons. A first draft of the list will be created based on a comprehensive literature search. Then, the relevance of the influence of certain medications on health during periods of heat will be analysed using billing data from statutory health insurance companies and weather data from previous years. In a Delphi process, the final CALOR list will be consented in a multi-stage evaluation process with several experts.
During summer months 2025, a number of physicians, nurses and pharmacists will test the list in everyday practice. In order to make the list accessible to patients, the main recommendations will be summarized in form of brochures and video clips.
At the end of the project, both healthcare professionals and patients should have a good overview of heat-sensitive medication with clear recommendations for adjustments in order to avoid heat-related health problems.
Duration
January 2024 to December 2026
Consortium management
Institute for General Practice, University Hospital Cologne
Consortium partners
The ADAPT-HEAT project is being implemented together with the PMV research group at Cologne University Hospital and the Institute of General Medicine at Hannover Medical School.
Funding institution
Innovation Committee of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA)
Contact person
Dr. Maxie Bunz
E-mail maxie.bunz@uk-koeln.de
The P-SUP research project evaluated new approaches to support people suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or coronary heart disease in the self-management of their disease. If successful, the results can be used to expand the existing structured treatment programs (disease management programs, DMP) for type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease with an individually tailored self-management support program.
The project consisted of four components:
- Weekly peer support groups were led by enrolled patients. Thereby, participants of the groups were regularly supported by professional therapists and experts from the fields of nutrition, medicine, group dynamics, motivation and dealing with stress to take part in sufficient exercise and eat a balanced diet.
- An online platform that also provided information on the topics of sport/physical activity, nutrition and motivation to change behavior and gave participants and group leaders the opportunity to exchange ideas.
- Needs-based telephone coaching to provide motivational support for selected participants for a sustainable change of health behavior.
- Patient-centered, personalized feedback reports on laboratory values and other clinical parameters, which were discussed with the general practitioner.
Study participants
Study participants (persons insured by statutory health insurance funds residing in North Rhine-Westphalia) were included for participation in the study through their general practitioners, which were recruited in advance by the participating institutes of general medicine (Aachen, Bonn, Essen, Düsseldorf, Cologne). The study region was located in the area of the Association of Statuary Health Insurance Physicians North Rhine. A total of 1.207 patients were included. Participation in P-SUP is to positively influence the long-term course of the disease by improving self-management and changes in diet and exercise behavior. The main target criterion was to reduce hospital admissions.
Duration
November 2019 - June 2024
Consortium management
Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology (IGKE) at the University Hospital Cologne (Prof. Dr. Stephanie Stock)
Funding institution
Innovation Committee of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA)
Contact person
Larisa Pilic
E-mail larisa.pilic@uk-koeln.de
Phone +49 221 478-32161
Fax +49 221 478-77257
The Institute of General Practice takes part in the project “General Practice Research Network of North-Rhine-Westphalia” (NRW-GPRN) to establish a sustainable general medical research practice network in order to strengthen general medical research as part of the “Master Plan for Medical Studies 2020”.
NRW-GPRN consists of the general medical institutes/teaching departments of the universities of Aachen, Bochum, Bonn, Düsseldorf (network management), Essen, Cologne, Münster and Witten and is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with a total of 3.75 million euros over five years.
The aim of the project is the lasting development of a GP research infrastructure in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW): One tandem of doctor and medical assistant per practice is to be trained in healthcare and epidemiological research - some also in clinical research - and work in close cooperation with universities on projects. Nationwide, six such GP research networks are being funded and networked, with each other via a central coordination office.
Around 90 Percent of medical care takes place in private practices, a large proportion of which are GP practices. The NRW-GPRN network will make an important contribution to solid research with high methodological quality in this important sector and thus strengthen general medical research as a whole in the long term.
Contact
Lion Lehmann
E-mail lion.lehmann@uk-koeln.de
Phone +49 221 478-65485
Fax +49 221 478-77257
Contact person
Prof. Dr. Beate Müller
E-mail beate.mueller@uk-koeln.de
Phone +49 221 478-32170