Prof. Dr. Doris Schaeffer

Studies and academic career

since 2012
Study director HLS GER 1, 2 and 3

since 2019
Director (together with Prof. Dr. Ullrich Bauer) Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Literacy Research (ICHL)

since October 2018
Senior professor at Bielefeld University

since 2016
Senior Fellow of the Hertie School of Governance, Berlin

since 2018
Head of project Health literacy of the population in Germany (study 1, 2 and 3 with M-POHL network).

since 2016 until 2024
Project management Development of a National Health Literacy Action Plan.

2012 to 2016
Speaker of the Research Network "User-oriented care for people with chronic illness", Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research

since 2010
Member of the International Council on Women's Health Issues (ICOWHI).

2010 to 2014
Member of the Advisory Council on the Assessment of Developments in the Health Care System, Ministry of Health, Berlin

2004 to 2011
Speaker of the Research Network "Patient-oriented care for chronically ill" of the Faculty of Public Health at Bielefeld University, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

2004 to 2007
Development and management of the doctoral program at the School of Public Health at Bielefeld University

2006
Visiting Professor at the Faculty for Interdisciplinary Research and Skill Training, Vienna, Klagenfurt University, Austria

April 1997 to September 2018
Professor of Public Health, main focus Health Services Research/Nursing Science at Bielefeld University, School of Public Health

April 1997 to August 2024
Director of the Institute for Nursing Science at Bielefeld University

1996 to 1997
Professor at the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences, Berlin

1994 to 1995
Visiting Professor at Vienna University

1990 to 1997
Research Assistant at the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB), research group ''Public Health Policy"

1980 to 1990
Research Assistant at the Institute for Social Medicine, Free University Berlin

1977 to 1980
Research Assistant at the German Central Institute for Social Issues, Berlin

1976 to 1977
Research Associate at the German Centre of Gerontology e.V., Berlin

1989
PhD, doctorate (Dr. phil.) at the Free University Berlin

1971 to 1976
Studies of Sociology and Educational Sciences at the Ruhr-University Bochum and Free University Berlin

The complete list of publications can be found here.

Schaeffer, D., & Griese, L. (2025). Gesundheitskompetenz als Grundlage von Patientenorientierung und -zentrierung. Gesundheits- und Sozialpolitik, 79(1), 22-29

Schaeffer, D., Griese, L., & Hurrelmann, K. (2025). Etablierung und Umsetzung des Nationalen Aktionsplans Gesundheitskompetenz in Deutschland. Bundesgesundheitsblatt – Gesundheitsforschung – Gesundheitsschutz, 68, 231-239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-024-04005-1

Drapkina, O., Molosnov, A., Tyufilin, D., Lopatina, M., Medvedev, V., Chigrina, V., Kabykova, O., Deev, I., Griese, L., Schaeffer, D., Griebler, R. et al. (2025). Measuring Navigational Health Literacy in Russia: Validation of the HLS19-NAV-RU. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(2), 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22020156

Ewers, M., Beckert, J., Griese, L., Köhler, M., Prasser, A., Singh, H., & Schaeffer, D. (2025). Disaster Health Literacy – Development and Validation of a Short Measurement Instrument in German to Supplement the HLS19 Instruments. Frontiers in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1589705

Griese, L., & Schaeffer, D. (2025). Professionelle Gesundheitskompetenz. Berufs- und geschlechtsspezifische Aspekte. Bundesgesundheitsblatt – Gesundheitsforschung – Gesundheitsschutz, 68, 282-292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-025-04014-8

Griese, L., & Schaeffer, D. (2025). Health literacy and chronic disease: A comparison of somatic and mental illness. Frontiers in Public Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1523723

Haarmann, A., Vogt, D., Griese, L., & Schaeffer, D. (2025). A Rapid Scoping Review on Health Literate Organisations With a Focus on Primary Care. Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-025-02592-0

Levi Zamir, D., Van den Broucke, S., Bíró, E., Bøggild, H., Bruton, L., De Gani, S.M., Finbråten, H.S., Gibney, S., Griebler, R., Griese, L., Guttersrud, Ø., Klocháňová, Z., Kucera, Z., Le, C., Link, T., Mancini, J., Mikšová, D., Schaeffer, D., Da Silva, C.R., Sørensen, K., Straßmayr, C., Telo de Arriaga, M., Vrdelja, M., Pelikan, J. (2025). HLS19-DIGI - a new instrument for measuring digital health literacy: development, validation and associations with determinants and health outcomes in 13 countries. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1472706. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1472706

Levi Zamir, D., Van den Broucke, S., Bíró, E., Bøggild, H., Bruton, L., De Gani, S.M., Finbråten, H.S., Gibney, S., Griebler, R., Griese, L., Guttersrud, Ø., Klocháňová, Z., Kucera, Z., Le, C., Link, T., Mancini, J., Mikšová, D., Schaeffer, D., Da Silva, C.R., Sørensen, K., Straßmayr, C., Telo de Arriaga, M., Vrdelja, M., Pelikan, J. (2025). Measuring digital health literacy and its associations with determinants and health outcomes in 13 countries. Frontiers in Public Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1472706

Baron-Epel, O., Link, T., Griebler, R., Bøggild, H., Berens, E.-M., Bíró, É., Coy, D., De Gani, S. M., Schaeffer, D., Sørensen, K., Le, C., Lopatina, M., Rowlands, G., Touzani, R., Van den Broucke, S., Vincze, F., Vrdelja, M., Vrbovsek, S., Levin-Zamir, D. (2025). Pathways of how health literacy and social support are associated with health outcomes in 17 European countries: Results of mediation analyses. Public Health, 241, 12–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2025.01.032

Schaeffer, D. (2024). Patientenberatung/Patientenedukation. In Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA) Hrsg.), Leitbegriffe der Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention. Glossar zu Konzepten, Strategien und Methoden. https://doi.org/10.17623/BZGA:Q4-i087-3.0

Schaeffer, D., & Horn, A. (2024). Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention in der Pflege. In Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (BZgA) Hrsg.), Leitbegriffe der Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention. Glossar zu Konzepten, Strategien und Methoden. https://doi.org/10.17623/BZGA:Q4-i087-3.0

Schaeffer, D., & Hurrelmann, K. (2024). Gesundheitskompetenz als Grundlage von Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung. In D. Ganten, K. Bert, S. Melin, & B. Rutert (Eds.), Gesundheit von morgen. Gesundheitskompetenz stärken - Prävention verbessern (pp. 25-33). Berlin: BBAW - Berlin Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften

Schaeffer, D., Griese, L., & Haarmann, A. (2024). Professionelle Gesundheitskompetenz von Hausärzt:innen – Ergebnisse des HLS-PROF. Gesundheitswesen, 87, 109-118. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2350-6377

Schaeffer, D., Haarmann, A., & Griese, L. (2024). Professionelle Gesundheitskompetenz bei Pflegenden in Deutschland – Ergebnisse einer quantitativen Querschnittserhebung. Pflege, 38(2), 72-82.
https://doi.org/10.1024/1012-5302/a000982

Schaeffer, D., Klinger, J., & Berens, E.-M. (2024). Digitale Gesundheitskompetenz von Personen mit und ohne Migrationserfahrung – Ein Vergleich von zwei Querschnittbefragungen. Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung, 19, 552-559. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11553-024-01112-4

Schaeffer, D., Vogt, D., Haarmann, A., & Griese, L. (2024). Gesundheitskompetente Organisationen – eine explorative Analyse der Umsetzungsbedingungen in der ambulanten Pflege. Pflege & Gesellschaft, 29(4), 371-385.

Dratva, J., Schaeffer, D., & Zeeb, H. (2024). Digitale Gesundheitskompetenz der Bevölkerung in Deutschland. Aktueller Stand, Konzepte und Herausforderungen. Bundesgesundheitsblatt – Gesundheitsforschung – Gesundheitsschutz, 67, 277-284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-024-03841-5

Metanmo, S., Finbråten H., Bøggild, H.E., Nowak, P., Griebler, R., Øystein, G., Bíró, É., Unim, B.7 Charafeddine, R., Griese, L., Zdenek, K., Le, C., Schaeffer, D., Vrdelja, M., Mancini, J. for the HLS19 Consortium (2024). Communicative health literacy and associated variables in nine European countries: results from the HLS19 survey. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79327-w

„Health Literacy in Germany - HLS-GER 3“ (funded by Bosch Health Campus der Robert Bosch Stiftung, Laufzeit 2024-2026)

"National Action Plan Health Literacy - Implementation and Networking" (funded by Robert Bosch Stiftung, duration 2020-2024)

"Health literate health organizations (GKO) - an inventory of existing concepts, working aids, guidelines and examples" (funded by the Ministry of Health (BMG), duration 2020-2022)

"HLS-COVID-19: Corona-related health literacy in the population" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), duration 2020)

"Health Literacy in Germany - Repeat Survey of the HLS-GER (HLS-GER 2)" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), duration 2019-2022)

"Health literacy among people with migration background in Germany (HLS-MIG)" (funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, duration 2018-2022)

"User-oriented care: Promotion of health in the context of chronic diseases and care dependency (research network FörGesQ)" (funded by Stiftung Wohlfahrtspflege North Rhine-Westphalia, duration 2018-2021)

"Strengthening eHealth literacy among older people (FörGes 4)" (funded by the Stiftung Wohlfahrtspflege North Rhine-Westphalia, duration 2018-2021)

From nursing homes to community-oriented centres for health and long-term care? Evaluation of the four pilots in the model programme "Long-term care institutions - further thinking!" (funded by the Stiftung Wohlfahrtspflege, duration 2016-2019)

"Health Literacy in Germany - Development of a National Action Plan" (funded by Robert Bosch Foundation, duration 2016-2019)

"Primary Health Centres - Concepts and Practices (PriKon)" (funded by Robert Bosch Foundation, duration 2015-2017)

"Health literacy as a starting point for user-oriented advice: survey of representative data and the development of a material and a method suitcase" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, duration 2013-2016)

Health Literacy - determination of the health literacy of older people and other vulnerable population groups (funded by North Rhine-Westphalia, duration 2013-2016)

ProPASS - Living on approval, patient/relative training and self-information/self-learning centre (funded by the Ministry of Health, Emancipation, Care and Age and the European Union, duration 2013-2015)

Research Network "User-oriented care for people with chronic conditions and long-term care needs (NuV)" (funded by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research North Rhine-Westphalia, duration 2013-2017

Implementations of interventions to improve the state of care of very old users of inpatient departments (funded by the Foundation Center for Quality in Care in Berlin, duration 2013-2014).

Rural Care Models (RUCA) - an international perspective (funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, duration 2012-2014)

"Health promotion and prevention by movement interventions in in-patient long-term care (with the Centre of Quality in Care, Berlin, duration 2012-2013).

Evaluation of patient information and counseling for Turkish- and Russian-speaking migrants (cooperation partners: Independent Patient Counseling Germany (UPD), duration 2012-2013)

"Quality and health in in-patient care - an empirical survey" (with the Foundation Centre of Quality in Care, Berlin, duration 2011-2012).

"Health promotion in long-term care" (with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Health Promotion Research, Vienna, duration 2008-2015)

Development and proving of instruments for the evaluation of the outcome quality in the field of in-patient care (funded by the Federal Ministry of Health, duration 2008-2011).

"Self-harming and abusive behaviour towards others of mentally ill nursing home residents" (funded by Federal Ministry of Health, duration 2004-2011).

"Support of self-management and adherence of patients with chronic illness following a complex medication regime" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, duration 2004-2011).

Nursing Research Network "Patient-oriented care for chronically ill" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Health, duration 2004-2011)

Speaker of the Graduate School "Influence of social factors on health services" (funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation, duration 2003-2008)

"The advice of consumers and patients according to § 65 b" (in cooperation with the Medical University Hanover, funded by the Umbrella Associations of the Health Insurances, duration 2002-2004)

"Rehabilitation in preference to nursing care" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Health, duration 1999-2002)

"Patient education as a task aimed at improving nursing care quality". Part of the joint North Rhine-Westpahlian Research Program "Public Health" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, duration 1998-2000)

"Promotion of readiness to care in case of serious illness", part 1 and 2 (funded by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Order, duration 1995-2000)

"Trajectories of AIDS Patients. Process and dynamic aspects of health care utilization" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Research and Technology, duration 1993-1996).

"Health care for patients with HIV symptoms and Aids. Preventive potential of curative institutions" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Research and Technology and the Berlin Senate Administration of Science and Research, duration 1990-1992).

"Health care for the elderly: needs and barriers", part of the European comparative study "Age Care Research Europe" (funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), implementation at the Free University Berlin, duration 1985-1989).

"Ecological conditions for the maintenance of the health of the elderly in a large city", part of the international WHO comparative study "Health Services for the Elderly" (funded by the Federal Ministry of Youth, Women, Family and Health, implementation at the Free University Berlin, duration 1979-1981)

Other academic activities (selection)

She was and is a member of numerous committees including:

Current
Member of the jury for the awarding of the Berlin Health Award on the subject of "Health Literacy" (2018-present).

Member of the working group "Health Literacy and Patients Competence" of the Q-AG "Health Literacy" of hte National Cancer Plan (since 2018).

Member of the expert board of the Foundation Health Sciences (since 2017).

Member of the scientific board for the "Development of a National Curriculum on Communication for Medical Students", Institute for Medical Pharmaceutical Exam Questions (IMPP), Mainz (since 2017)

Member of the international scientific board of "Implementation of the Vienna Health Goals 2025", City of Vienna (since 2016)

Member of the 3-country working group "Health Literacy" (since 2016)

Member of the expert commission "Patient-oriented centers for primary and long-term care (PORT)", Robert Bosch Stiftung (since 2015).

Member of the editorial board of the journal "Nursing & Society", publishing companyJuventa (since 2006)

Member of the editorial group of the series "Health Research", publishing company Juventa (since 2005)

Member of the scientific advisory board of the Research Society for Gerontology, Dortmund (since 2005)

Member of the scientific board of the journal "Gerontology and Geriatrics" (since 2004)

Member of the Board of Trustees German Care for Elderly , Cologne (since 2004)

Member of the scientific advisory board of the publishing company Hogrefe , series "Nursing Science" and "Public Health" (since 1999)

Member of the scientific advisory board of the journal "Social Mind. Journal for Hermeneutic Social Research" (since 1999)

Past

Member of the jury for the awarding of the Berlin Health Award 2019 on the subject of Health Literacy, AOK-Bundesverband (2018-2020).

Member of the expert advisory board "Introduction of the new concept of need for long-term care," Federal Ministry of Health (2016-2018)

Member of the advisory board on the Assessment of Developments in the Health Care System, Ministry of Health (2010-2014)

Current research topics

• Health Literacy
• Coping with chronic illness
• Health care and nursing research
• Professional health literacy