Medical listening device on a cell phone

Health Communication

What role do digital media play in health-related behaviour? How can communication science contribute to improving health communication?

The “Health Communication” research group focuses on changes in health-related communication processes in the context of ongoing digital transformations. It examines health-related communication phenomena in digital environments—ranging from health and “sickfluencers” on social media, health apps, serious games, and games for health, to the use of AI-supported applications in healthcare settings.

The focus is on the effects of these developments on health-related communication processes. This includes, among other things, questions regarding the influence of these technologies on trust in health-related information, the attribution of medical expertise, the quality of the doctor-patient relationship, and health-related attitudes and behaviors—for example, with regard to processes of shared and informed decision-making.

In addition, the research group examines the health-related function of automated communication (e.g., chatbots) and the question of how this affects mental health—particularly among adolescents and young adults.

Head of the research group: Dr. Claudia Lampert

Overview

Leaders

Claudia Lampert

Team

Last update: 16.09.2026

Blog Articles, News, Projects, Publications, Podcast Episodes

Kira Thiel mit Doktorhut und Blumen

Successful Doctorate

Congratulations, Kira Thiel!

Kira Thiel successfully defended her dissertation on "How Adolescents Cope with Stressful Online Experiences: A Process-Oriented Analysis of Stress and Coping." Congratulations! Prof. Dr. Uwe Hasebrink and Prof. Dr. Katharina Kleinen-von Königslöw supervised the dissertation.

Mädchen mit Down Syndrom sitzt auf der Counch surft mit ihrem Tablet im Internet

The Perspective of People with Disabilities

What People with Disabilities Say About Solidarity

An analysis conducted by Jan-Hinrik Schmidt and Milena Braun on behalf of Aktion Mensch shows that people with disabilities place less trust in private media outlets and social media than the general population does. The study also examines other aspects of social cohesion in Germany from the perspective of people with disabilities.

Illustration mit Plattform-Logos. Menschen vorm Bildschirm, Häusern vor dunklem Grund

Volkswagen Project in Video

Regulatory Reasoning on Algorithmic Systems

An innovative project at the intersection of media law and computer science sheds light on how news spreads on digital platforms. A team of researchers from the HBI and the Department of Informatics at the University of Hamburg carried out the project, which was funded by the Volkswagen Foundation.

Dialogue Project “What Unites Germany”

Can We Still Talk to Each Other?

In a two-day experiment, ARD invited 84 people to engage in an open discussion with one another on camera, transcending differences in age, background, and political views. The HBI is supporting the initiative with a multi-part survey. Jan-Hinrik Schmidt examined how participants rated the dialogue project and what they took away from it.

Illustration mehrerer Personen, die über das Smartphone, TV, Radio, Zeitungen und einen Computerbildschirm Nachrichten nutzen

Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026

News Consumption through Social Media Is Increasing

News consumption via social media is increasing: 36 percent of German internet users now access news through various social media platforms. AI chatbots continue to play only a minor role in news consumption as a source of news, with five percent of respondents reporting that they use them. These are findings from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026, for which the Leibniz Institute for Media Research in Hamburg is responsible for the German sub-study.

an runden Tischen diskutieren Menschen

Results from Our Research Clinic

The Productive Power of Doubt

Doubt serves as an interface between knowledge, trust, and action: it points to structural problems in information and regulatory systems while simultaneously constituting a key resource for critical judgment in a complex digital public sphere. As part of the HBI Open House, we conducted a Research Clinic on the topic of doubt. The findings are summarized in this blog post.

Recently Published

Visualizing Regulatory Ecosystems: The AI Act as a Case Study

The article by Magdalena Stratmann, Tobias Mast, and others was developed as part of the STEAM project, "Informing Regulatory Reasoning on Algorithmic Systems in Societal Communication with STEAM." It introduces Architectural Ecosystem Modeling, a visual method that makes the institutional structures of the AI Act visible. This method analyzes responsibilities and dependencies and identifies gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for coordination within the regulatory framework.

eine Frau hinter einem Tisch mit ablehnender Haltung gegenüber Zeitungen auf dem Tisch.

Practices of News Avoidance and Their Implications for Public Connection

What are the effects of news avoidance on belonging to different publics and on political participation? And to what extent do these dynamics contribute to the fragmentation of public spheres? This study examines the effects of different practices of news avoidance on individuals‘ public connection.

Podcasts: Actors, Topics, and Misinformation

As audio media, such as podcasts, become more widely used, the risks of them distributing misinformation, disinformation, and fake news increase. The collaborative project “Systematic Observation of New Auditive Risks” (SONAR) examines the structure of online audio media offerings and develops methods for identifying relevant narratives and manipulation strategies.

That Was Our Open House

On Friday, April 17, we opened our doors to our supporters and partners, as well as to our new neighbors. We truly enjoyed presenting our research activities and outreach programs, as well as giving visitors a firsthand experience of our new location, which is designed for agile working methods and cutting-edge research.

Merz issue and Podcast Available!

Thoughts on the Debate Over Media Bans

Dr. Claudia Lampert, together with Klaus Lutz (Parabol Media Center), edited the latest issue of the media education journal “merz” (2/2026). The issue is titled “Everything Under Control? Thoughts on the Debate Over Media Bans.” Dr. Stephan Dreyer also contributed an article.

Available for Download

Annual Report 2023-2025

Evaluation, growth, our 75th anniversary, and a new building. The years from 2023 to 2025 were challenging yet fruitful. Our research output was impressive, and our social impact was significant. This annual report provides a brief overview of our activities.

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 43 Next

Page 4 from 43