Rainer Gabriel

Dr. Rainer Gabriel is a researcher at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) within the School of Social Work and Institute of Diversity and Social Integration. His work focuses on aging, poverty dynamics, and socioeconomic determinants of health, with a particular emphasis on labor force participation and welfare policies.

• Primary research areas: Gerontology, Social Policy, Life Course Analysis, Poverty Dynamics
• Key projects: Analyzing employment trajectories and cancer risks, evaluating Swiss disability action plans, studying cognitive reserve and neighborhood effects
• Publications: Frequent collaborations with Stéphane Cullati, Matthias Kliegel, and Michel Oris in journals like Scientific Reports and PNAS

His recent work explores how lifetime socioeconomic conditions influence cognitive decline and frailty in old age, using longitudinal data from the SHARE study. Gabriel also investigates non-take-up of social benefits and the impact of leisure activities on cognitive health.