Patrick Brzoska is professor and chair of the Health Services Research Unit of Witten/Herdecke University. His research interests comprise social epidemiology, health services research and international public health. He has worked and published on the health and health care of socially disadvantaged communities residing in Germany, particularly focusing on the utilization of health care services, coping with chronic diseases, use of medicines and perceptions about illness and medication among migrants. His methodical expertise comprises, among other things, the recruitment of hard to reach populations, the development and adaptation of quantitative questionnaires, qualitative research and the analysis of cross-national data.