Sascha Gell, BA MA

International Research Funding Coordinator +43 512 2070 - 7423 sascha.gell@mci.edu

Sascha Gell studied Sociology and International Health & Social Management with a special interest in the phenomenon of non-take-up of social (services). This topic was taken up in cooperation with the Institute for Social Services (ifs) for a status analysis in the Vorarlberg area during his Master's thesis. Currently working at the Center for Social & Health Innovation as a project staff member, he accompanied research projects with public health (nutritional environments at schools, health literacy among children and adolescents, COVID19 Social Indicator Survey) and social policy topics (social space analysis and inclusion of people with disabilities).

Professional work experience

09/2019 - present
Project Assistant - Center for Social & Health Innovation
Project assistance in research activities, administrative activities, communication with external partners, participation in the preparation of project reports and publications, data management.

Education

11/2023 - present
PhD - University of Vienna
Health Communication
10/2022 - 11/2023
PhD - Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Health Communication
09/2017 - 09/2019
MA - Management Center Innsbruck
International Health & Social Management
09/2016 - 12/2016
BA - University College Cork, Ireland
Sociology - ERASMUS+
10/2014 - 07/2017
BA - Leopold-Franzens University Innsbruck
Sociology

Practice related research and developmental project

03/2021 - present
Project Assistant - Center for Social & Health Innovation / unicum:mensch
Experiences of poverty and the working poor in Tyrol
04/2020 - 03/2021
Project Assistant - Center for Social & Health Innovation / Diakonisches Werk Rosenheim e.V.
Social space-oriented and inclusive participation of people with disabilities in the border region Bavaria - Tyrol
03/2020 - 06/2021
Project Assistant - Center for Social & Health Innovation
FoodExplorer: A citizen science project to improve school food environments
09/2019 - 04/2021
Project Assistant - Center for Social & Health Innovation / Österreichische Gesundheitskasse / Gesundheit Österreich GmbH
Health Literacy in Childhood
09/2019 - 04/2021
Project Assistant - Center for Social & Health Innovation / Österreichische Gesundheitskasse
Evaluation of the "Healthy School Tyrol" programme

Peer reviewed journal article

Engel, E., Gell, S., Karsay, K., Heiss, R. (accepted). Engagement with Influencers as Sources of Health Information and Product Promotions: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Austrian Youth Aged 15–25. Journal of Adolescent Health.
Heiss, R., Leuprecht, E., Zoller, C., Schütze, D., Sahling, F., Schamberger, L., Überall, M., Gell, S., & Griebler, R. (2025). Does school education enhance children’s health literacy? Zeitschrift für Bildungsforschung. https://doi.org/10.1007/s35834-025-00477-6
Engel, E., Gell, S., Heiss, R., Karsay, K., & Schmidhofer, J. (2024). „Influencer-Monitor“ – Eine Citizen Science Studie mit Jugendlichen zu Gesundheitsinhalten in sozialen Medien [“Influencer-Monitor” – A Citizen Science Study with Adolescents on Health Content in Social Media]. transfer, 10, 212–216. https://doi.org/10.35468/
Engel, E., Gell, S., Heiss, R., & Karsay, K. (2023). Social media influencers and adolescents’ health: A scoping review of the research field. Social Science & Medicine. 116387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116387
Gell, S., Pejkovic, E., Heiss, R. (2023). How (Un-)Healthy are Austrian School Food Environments? Evidence from Focus Groups and Citizen Science. Appetite, 188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106636
Kerschbaumer, L., Gell, S., Nesimovic, A. & Weinkogl, Ph. (2022). The inclusive, social space-oriented participation of people with disabilities in the Bavaria–Tyrol border region during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Comparative Social Work 17(1). https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v17.i1.391
Heiss, R., Gell, S., Röthlingshöfer, E., Zoller, C. (2021). How Threat Perceptions Relate to Learning and Conspiracy Beliefs About COVID-19: Evidence From a Panel Study. Personality and Individual Differences, 175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.110672

Presentation of a paper at a conference, workshop or seminar

Gell, S., Engel, E., Heiss, R., & Karsay, K. (2024, November). Uncovering Social Media Influencers’ Health Content: A Citizen Youth Science Study. Presentation at the DGPuK Health Communication Conference - Translating Health Communication Research into Policy and Action. Lucerne, Switzerland.
Gell, S., Heiss, R., & Karsay, K., (2024, November). Do Social Media Influencers’ Messages about Mental Issues Affect Young People’s Self-Labeling? An Experimental Study. Presentation at the DGPuK Health Communication Conference - Translating Health Communication Research into Policy and Action. Lucerne, Switzerland.
Engel, E., Gell, S., Heiss, R., & Karsay, K. (2024, November). Engaging with Social Media Influencers' Health Content: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Study with Austrian Youth. Presentation at the DGPuK Health Communication Conference - Insight to Impact: Translating Health Communication Research into Policy and Action. Lucerne, Switzerland.
Gell, S., Engel, E., Heiss, R., Karsay, K., & Schmidhofer, J. (2024, November). Marketing or health promotion? A citizen science study of social media influencers’ health content. Presentation at the 17th European Public Health Conference, November 13-15, Lisbon, Portugal.
Engel, E., Gell, S., Heiss, R., Karsay, K., & Schmidhofer, J. (2024, November). Influencers as a new source of health information: Insights from an Austrian youth survey . Presentation at the 17th European Public Health Conference, November 13-15, Lisbon, Portugal.
Gell, S., Engel, E., Heiss, R., & Karsay, K. (2024, October). Werbung oder Gesundheitsaufklärung? Eine Citizen Science Studie zu den Gesundheitsinhalten von Social Media Influencern. Presentation at the 27th ÖGPH Annual Conference, October 17-18, Innsbruck, Austria.
Engel, E., Gell, S., Heiss, R., & Karsay, K. (2023). Social Media Influencers and Adolescents’ Health: A Scoping Review. Presentation to the Health Communication Division at the 73rd annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), May 25-29, Toronto, Canada.
Gell, S., Engel, E., Heiss, R., Karsay, K. (2023). Social Media Influencers and Adolescents’ Health: A Scoping Review. Presentation at the Etmaal 2023, 25th Edition, February 25-26, Twente, Netherlands.
Gell, S. & Kerschbaumer, L. (2022). Armutsdynamik in der Covid-19 Pandemie – Prekarisierung und Resilienz. IDEENREICHTUM Vor!-Konferenz für junge Armutsforscher*innen, 23-25 Mai, St. Virgil, Salzburg.