---
_id: '13805'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: "<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>\r\n                  <jats:sec>\r\n                    <jats:title>Introduction</jats:title>\r\n
    \                   <jats:p>Social determinants play a critical role in shaping
    mental health (MH) outcomes. The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance
    of addressing such factors to reduce MH disparities. This scoping review aims
    to assess the landscape of research on social determinants of MH in Germany, focusing
    on frequently studied social determinants, MH outcomes, and underlying theoretical
    frameworks and explanatory mechanisms, particularly the consideration of the framework
    of intersectionality.</jats:p>\r\n                  </jats:sec>\r\n                  <jats:sec>\r\n
    \                   <jats:title>Methods</jats:title>\r\n                    <jats:p>Following
    the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension
    for Scoping Reviews guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted in
    PubMed and Web of Science. Studies that specifically addressed social determinants
    of MH in Germany were targeted, and data were charted to map key research trends.</jats:p>\r\n
    \                 </jats:sec>\r\n                  <jats:sec>\r\n                    <jats:title>Results</jats:title>\r\n
    \                   <jats:p>A total of 73 studies were included in the data analysis
    and synthesis, and outcomes were grouped into eight social determinants of health
    domains. The most frequently examined domains were demographics (in 96.0% of included
    studies), interpersonal/community/cultural influences (89.3%), economic stability
    (72.0%), and education (57.3%). Less frequently addressed domains included neighborhood
    and built environment (25.3%), environmental events (16.0%), other health-related
    determinants (16.0%), and healthcare access and quality (5.3%). We observed substantial
    heterogeneity within and between domains. MH outcomes were more often studied
    in terms of mental illness than positively defined MH, with depression and anxiety
    being the most frequently assessed outcomes. Theoretical frameworks such as the
    biopsychosocial model, social-ecological perspectives, and resilience theory were
    commonly applied, while intersectionality was rarely explicitly analyzed.</jats:p>\r\n
    \                 </jats:sec>\r\n                  <jats:sec>\r\n                    <jats:title>Discussion</jats:title>\r\n
    \                   <jats:p>This scoping review delineates the research landscape
    on social determinants of MH in Germany. The findings point towards a predominant
    focus on individual-level determinants, with comparatively limited attention to
    systemic and structural factors. Moreover, an emphasis on mental illness rather
    than MH, alongside substantial heterogeneity in measured constructs, may constrain
    the understanding of MH disparities. These gaps highlight the need for more comprehensive,
    intersectional approaches that account for the diversity of individuals, contexts,
    and outcomes.</jats:p>\r\n                  </jats:sec>"
article_number: '145'
article_type: review
author:
- first_name: Martin S.
  full_name: Lehe, Martin S.
  last_name: Lehe
- first_name: Pauline
  full_name: Reiß, Pauline
  last_name: Reiß
- first_name: Vanessa C.
  full_name: Jürgensen, Vanessa C.
  last_name: Jürgensen
- first_name: Georg
  full_name: Halbeisen, Georg
  id: '85780'
  last_name: Halbeisen
  orcid: 0000-0002-9529-2215
- first_name: Georgios
  full_name: Paslakis, Georgios
  last_name: Paslakis
citation:
  ama: 'Lehe MS, Reiß P, Jürgensen VC, Halbeisen G, Paslakis G. Social determinants
    of mental health in Germany: a systematic scoping review mapping the landscape
    of researched determinants, outcome measures, and explanatory concepts. <i>International
    Journal for Equity in Health</i>. 2026;25(1). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0">10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0</a>'
  apa: 'Lehe, M. S., Reiß, P., Jürgensen, V. C., Halbeisen, G., &#38; Paslakis, G.
    (2026). Social determinants of mental health in Germany: a systematic scoping
    review mapping the landscape of researched determinants, outcome measures, and
    explanatory concepts. <i>International Journal for Equity in Health</i>, <i>25</i>(1),
    Article 145. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0</a>'
  bjps: '<b>Lehe MS <i>et al.</i></b> (2026) Social Determinants of Mental Health
    in Germany: A Systematic Scoping Review Mapping the Landscape of Researched Determinants,
    Outcome Measures, and Explanatory Concepts. <i>International Journal for Equity
    in Health</i> <b>25</b>.'
  chicago: 'Lehe, Martin S., Pauline Reiß, Vanessa C. Jürgensen, Georg Halbeisen,
    and Georgios Paslakis. “Social Determinants of Mental Health in Germany: A Systematic
    Scoping Review Mapping the Landscape of Researched Determinants, Outcome Measures,
    and Explanatory Concepts.” <i>International Journal for Equity in Health</i> 25,
    no. 1 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0</a>.'
  chicago-de: 'Lehe, Martin S., Pauline Reiß, Vanessa C. Jürgensen, Georg Halbeisen
    und Georgios Paslakis. 2026. Social determinants of mental health in Germany:
    a systematic scoping review mapping the landscape of researched determinants,
    outcome measures, and explanatory concepts. <i>International Journal for Equity
    in Health</i> 25, Nr. 1. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0">10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0</a>,
    .'
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Lehe, Martin S.</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Reiß, Pauline</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Jürgensen,
    Vanessa C.</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Halbeisen, Georg</span>
    ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Paslakis, Georgios</span>: Social determinants
    of mental health in Germany: a systematic scoping review mapping the landscape
    of researched determinants, outcome measures, and explanatory concepts. In: <i>International
    Journal for Equity in Health</i> Bd. 25, Springer Science and Business Media LLC
    (2026), Nr. 1'
  havard: 'M.S. Lehe, P. Reiß, V.C. Jürgensen, G. Halbeisen, G. Paslakis, Social determinants
    of mental health in Germany: a systematic scoping review mapping the landscape
    of researched determinants, outcome measures, and explanatory concepts, International
    Journal for Equity in Health. 25 (2026).'
  ieee: 'M. S. Lehe, P. Reiß, V. C. Jürgensen, G. Halbeisen, and G. Paslakis, “Social
    determinants of mental health in Germany: a systematic scoping review mapping
    the landscape of researched determinants, outcome measures, and explanatory concepts,”
    <i>International Journal for Equity in Health</i>, vol. 25, no. 1, Art. no. 145,
    2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0">10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0</a>.'
  mla: 'Lehe, Martin S., et al. “Social Determinants of Mental Health in Germany:
    A Systematic Scoping Review Mapping the Landscape of Researched Determinants,
    Outcome Measures, and Explanatory Concepts.” <i>International Journal for Equity
    in Health</i>, vol. 25, no. 1, 145, 2026, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0">https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0</a>.'
  short: M.S. Lehe, P. Reiß, V.C. Jürgensen, G. Halbeisen, G. Paslakis, International
    Journal for Equity in Health 25 (2026).
  ufg: '<b>Lehe, Martin S. u. a.</b>: Social determinants of mental health in Germany:
    a systematic scoping review mapping the landscape of researched determinants,
    outcome measures, and explanatory concepts, in: <i>International Journal for Equity
    in Health</i> 25 (2026), H. 1.'
  van: 'Lehe MS, Reiß P, Jürgensen VC, Halbeisen G, Paslakis G. Social determinants
    of mental health in Germany: a systematic scoping review mapping the landscape
    of researched determinants, outcome measures, and explanatory concepts. International
    Journal for Equity in Health. 2026;25(1).'
date_created: 2026-06-07T08:21:29Z
date_updated: 2026-06-07T08:22:08Z
department:
- _id: DEP1500
doi: 10.1186/s12939-026-02877-0
intvolume: '        25'
issue: '1'
language:
- iso: eng
publication: International Journal for Equity in Health
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 1475-9276
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'Social determinants of mental health in Germany: a systematic scoping review
  mapping the landscape of researched determinants, outcome measures, and explanatory
  concepts'
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '85780'
volume: 25
year: '2026'
...