Volunteering as a generative act and contribution to a good life in older age: support by general practice through social prescribing – a qualitative focus group study protocol in Germany
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Study Protocol
Abstract: Introduction Loneliness and social isolation in older age are increasingly recognised as major public health concerns, associated with depression, cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. Despite this recognition, primary care lacks systematic approaches to address the social determinants of health in ageing populations. Social prescribing (SP)—the structured referral of patients to non-clinical, community-based activities by primary care professionals—has been proposed as a promising response to this gap. While SP is well established in the UK and increasingly implemented internationally, it remains largely unexplored in the German healthcare context. This study examines how volunteering as a form of generativity contributes to health and a good life in older age, and how general practice can support this through SP. Methods and analysis A qualitative focus group design is employed, involving three participant populations: (1) current and former volunteers aged 60 and older, (2) younger adults unable to work due to chronic illness and (3) interprofessional groups of general practitioners, social workers and local association representatives. Recruitment is multimodal to ensure diversity of background and experience. All sessions are audio-recorded and analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been granted by the Ethics Committee of the University Medical Center Göttingen (Ethics Approval No. 22/8/25). All participants will provide written informed consent prior to participation; data will be pseudonymised and processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and presented at national and international conferences in the fields of general practice and public health. A practice-oriented summary will be made available to participants and relevant stakeholders to support the translation of findings into primary care practice. Trial registration number DRKS00037936.
Source: BMJ Open
Authors: Evelyn Kleinert, Laura Mohacsi, Eva Hummers
Institution: Universitätsmedizin Göttingen
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,839
OpenAlex ID: W7223673187