Demand for minimally invasive cosmetic procedures has increased in tandem with the growing use of social media. This development took on greater regulatory significance when the Federal Court of Justice ruled in July 2025 that “before-and-after” advertising for hyaluronic acid injections used in nose and chin corrections is prohibited. Against this backdrop, students in the Digital Public Health master’s program investigated the extent to which social media influences the motivation for Botox and hyaluronic acid treatments.

In the IndiSuKI research project, we are developing an AI system for personalized cannabis prevention for young adults. Through an extensive literature review, we examined the design approaches already being used in digital addiction prevention and identified where existing programs reach their limits. 

A new scoping review of 126 publications shows that the MDR, IVDR, and AI Act form a comprehensive framework; however, when it comes to learning systems, everything depends on practical, lifecycle-based implementation.

In the “Small Disciplines” portrait series, Christoph Dockweiler explains why a young, still-emerging field is conducting research on some of today’s most pressing health issues.

A new Delphi study involving international experts from academia, government, and the field has, for the first time, identified 80 core topics for teaching in digital public health. 
At the top of the list is not technology, but participation.

At the biannual doctoral colloquium hosted by the Chair of Digital Public Health in April 2026, doctoral candidates and employees of the chair gathered to discuss current doctoral projects, challenges, and questions.

Christoph Dockweiler served as a scientific expert for the Quarks Daily podcast episode “AI Instead of Doctors – Can We Trust Chatbots?”

As part of a teaching research project in the Master's program, students at the University of Siegen developed two digital health rallies to playfully strengthen students' health literacy. In the winter semester 2025/26, participants interactively explored the topics of emotional exhaustion in everyday student life and the prevention of substance abuse.

The rallies took them around the campus and into the city center of Siegen, combined narrative elements with cooperative tasks and conveyed low-threshold, real-life prevention knowledge. The positive evaluation shows: Digital, playful formats can effectively sensitize students to health-related topics and strengthen their navigational skills.