Everyday life and solidarity in north-east German rural communities - first qualitative results of the Rural Health Study

• Published in: Gesundheitswesen (Bundesverband der Ärzte des Öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes (Germany)) Vol. 72; no. 3; p. 140
• Main Authors: Nebelung, C, Forkel, J A, Elkeles, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01.03.2010
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude to Health; Female; Forecasting; Germany; Health Promotion - trends; Health Services Needs and Demand - trends; Healthcare Disparities - trends; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Motivation; National Health Programs - trends; Personal Autonomy; Quality of Life; Rural Health - trends; Social Responsibility; Social Support; Unemployment - trends; Germany
• ISSN: 1439-4421
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1247576

There have been increasing discussions in the health sciences in recent years about socio-spatial influences on health activities. The starting point has been the growing territorial inequality in spatial development resources, which has an effect on the participatory chances of people in structurally weak regions. The concept of "peripherisation" is used to describe this change. Empirical investigations of socio-spatial resources at the local level are rare, because the theoretical preconditions have not been elaborated sufficiently for the theoretical modelling to be recognised for hypothesis-based empirical investigations. At the centre of this theorisation are analyses of the "social capital" of every-day actions. As part of the Rural Health Study 2008 at the University of Applied Science Neubrandenburg (involving a longitudinal analysis with quantitative surveys in 14 rural communities in north-eastern Germany 1973, 1994, 2008), a qualitative approach was also adopted with case and community studies. The first results are compared with the state of the literature. Case studies are presented showing strategies for adaptation and improvement of the individual's situation, and also the daily solidarity of people in villages. Development potentials are outlined.