Background and Methodology of the 2024 annual survey from the panel ‘Health in Germany’ by the Robert Koch Institute

Abstract

Background: As the RKI’s new data collection infrastructure, the RKI Panel ‘Health in Germany’ offers the opportunity to regularly collect primary data on topics relevant to public health among the population in Germany (survey mode: online – CAWI and written – PAPI). This article presents the participation rates for the sub-waves and the composition of the sample. It also describes the special features of the 2024 annual survey. Methods: The 2024 annual survey followed on from the initial recruitment study of the RKI panel. For this survey wave, the registered panel participants were surveyed in three sub-waves with four different questionnaires on different topics. Results: Participation rates between 81.3 % and 75.3 % were achieved in the three sub-waves of the 2024 annual survey. In the first sub-wave, 38,212 people participated, and in the second, 36,134 interviews were conducted. The third and final sub-wave comprised 35,786 interviews. Conclusions: The 2024 annual survey provides a comprehensive data basis for various public health-related issues. The following topics are covered: physical and mental health, use of healthcare services, health-related behaviour, health literacy, social conditions, and the relationship between climate change and health. The data refer to the German resident population aged 18 and over.