Three IMC prizewinners at Health Research Award 2023

The Health Research Award is presented in recognition of outstanding master theses written by graduates of health degree programmes at Austrian universities of applied sciences. Their research focuses mainly on domestic and international questions that will shape the future of health care. This year, graduates from IMC Krems’ Management of Health Institutions and Digital Business Innovation and Transformation degree programmes won accolades for their theses following a multi-stage selection process. The impressive outcome: two top spots and one second place.

From apps and wearables to senior citizens clubs

In the Digitalisation and Innovation in Healthcare category, Adrienn Korbics – who graduated from IMC Krems’ Digital Business Innovation and Transformation master programme – took first place for her thesis, entitled Factors Influencing Customer Loyalty to Freemium Mobile Health Apps: Extending UTAUT2 with Perceived Privacy and Personal Innovativeness. Her research aimed to identify and model factors that influence customer loyalty for freemium mobile health apps. 

Second place in the same category went to Caroline Korec for her study, Eine Analyse der Zukunftsaussichten für Wearables zur Prävention von Adipositasrisikofaktoren bei Kindern und Jugendlichen (“An analysis of future prospects for wearables to prevent obesity risk factors in children and young people”). The research analysed the potential for wearables to be used as tools to prevent obesity and overweight, especially among young people. 

Dency Maria Kanjirathingal’s paper, Interkulturelle Öffnung in Seniorenklubs – Förderung der Teilnahme älterer Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund an Aktivitäten in Seniorenklubs (“Intercultural opening in senior citizens clubs – promoting participation by people from migrant backgrounds in activities at senior citizens clubs”), won first place in the Health Promotion category. The thesis examined cross-cultural measures that are suited to integrating people from migrant backgrounds more closely into activities at senior citizens clubs.
Prof. Manfred Pferzinger, Director of the Management of Health Institutions degree programme at IMC Krems, was delighted for the prize-winning students: “The fact that our graduates have put in such a good showing once again at the Health Research Award underlines just how practically focused and forward-looking the education offered at IMC Krems is. Congratulations to all of our winners!”

Health Research Award 2023 

The Health Research Award was presented for the 12th time in May 2023 by the Austrian Network of University of Applied Sciences Health Degree Programmes, as part of the Austrian Public Health Association (ÖGPH) congress. The financial support of the Kompetenzzentrum Zukunft Gesundheitsförderung (Centre of Expertise for Future Health Promotion), Janssen-Cilag Pharma GmbH and hospital investment and management group Vinzenz Gruppe made it possible to honour students’ outstanding achievements once again this year.